Following in the footsteps of Fernando Mendoza is no easy task. Mendoza led the Indiana football program to its greatest season ever, which resulted in a perfect 16-0 record and historic National Championship. Mendoza took the college football world by storm last season, as he racked up 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns through the air while also accumulating 276 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground. For his efforts, Mendoza won the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
Hoover transferred from TCU to Indiana back in January, and was immediately listed among the preseason favorites to win the 2026 Heisman Trophy. Entering Week 1, Hoover had odds of +1500 to win the Heisman on DraftKings Sportsbook. That gave him the fourth-best odds among all players in the country. There were lofty expectations, but Hoover putting together a remarkable season under Curt Cignetti's leadership make him a legitimate Heisman contender from the beginning.
Hoover has never been the Heisman frontrunner, but he has consistently stayed near the top of the Heisman odds boards this season––until recently.
Josh Hoover's Heisman odds have gotten a lot longer
Entering Indiana's pivotal matchup against Ohio State back on October 17, Hoover's Heisman odds sat at +4800. That was good for the 10th-shortest odds in the country. A victory over the Buckeyes would have boosted his odds significantly, but unfortunately, Hoover and the Hoosiers fell short in a 19-15 offensive struggle. Hoover completed just 20 of his 40 pass attempts, but still managed to rack up 296 yards through the air.
The following week against Michigan, Hoover and the IU offense struggled mightily once again. The Hoosiers didn't score a touchdown until overtime, and Hoover went just 8-for-18 for 81 yards on the day. He also threw his first interception of the season.
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Those performances have led to Hoover's Heisman odds getting significantly longer over the past few weeks. Entering Week 9, Hoover's Heisman odds are now listed at +40000 via DraftKings Sportsbook. That places him 26th on the Heisman odds board.
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith is the current frontrunner with odds of +122. Miami QB Darian Mensah (+270) and Miami WR Malachi Toney (+360) aren't far behind. Notre Dame QB CJ Carr (+2000) and Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss (+2400) round out the Top-5.
Hoover still has strong numbers on the season, as he's completed 62.0% of his passes for 1,741 yards and 18 touchdowns with just a single interception. Indiana is 7-1 and still firmly in the College Football Playoff hunt, so it's not like Hoover and Indiana have fallen off a cliff. But the Hoosiers have shown plenty of vulnerabilities over the last few weeks, and have a lot to get in order heading into the final stretch of the season.
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