Jeremiah Smith, Ryan Williams on cover of EA Sports College Football ’26
EA Sports chose Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Alabama’s Ryan Williams to be on the cover of College Football ’26. We talk to the athletes about what this moment means to them.
There are more than 14,000 college football players at the Bowl Subdivision level, but only one person can join the elite fraternity of Heisman Trophy winners.
Even with all of the elite players in the sport, it can be tough to predict who will the sport’s top individual award, as several factors like stats, team success and highlight reel moments play a role in getting the top vote.
In order to figure out who are the top choices to win the Heisman, USA TODAY Sports turned EA Sports College Football 26 by simulating the 2025-26 season 100 times to see who wins the trophy.
People will notice a trend in the simulated Heisman Trophy results. The betting favorites to win the award most often took it in the video game. But often in the real world, someone emerges out of nowhere into the national spotlight and has a dazzling season toward the honor, and it happened in the simulation.
Most Heisman Trophy wins in College Football 26 simulation
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik won the Heisman Trophy the most with 31 wins in 100 simulated seasons.
Which players won the Heisman Trophy in College Football 26 simulation
A total of 24 players won the Heisman Trophy in the simulation. Eleven were quarterbacks, four were running backs and nine were receivers. The winners ranged across college football from the Power Four to Group of Five schools. The winners include:
- Cade Klubnik: Clemson quarterback
- Julian Sayin: Ohio State quarterback
- Byrum Brown: South Florida quarterback
- Behren Morton: Texas Tech quarterback
- Kevin Jennings: SMU quarterback
- John Mateer: Oklahoma quarterback
- Jayden Maiava: Southern California quarterback
- Gunner Stockton: Georgia quarterback
- Braylon Braxton: Southern Mississippi quarterback
- Joey Aguilar: Tennessee quarterback
- Fernando Mendoza: Indiana quarterback
- Makhi Hughes: Oregon running back
- Jeremiyah Love: Notre Dame running back
- Isaac Brown: Louisville running back
- Terion Stewart: Virginia Tech running back
- Jeremiah Smith: Ohio State receiver
- Zachariah Branch: Georgia receiver
- Ryan Williams: Alabama receiver
- Braylon Staley: Tennessee receiver
- Bryant Wesco Jr.: Clemson recevier
- Tyler Brown: Clemson receiver
- Dillon Bell: Georgia receiver
- Romello Brinson: SMU receiver
- Kole Wilson: Baylor receiver
College Football 26 Heisman Trophy simulation breakdown
Here is how many teams each player won the Heisman Trophy:
- Cade Klubnik: 31
- Jeremiah Smith: 18
- Zachariah Branch: 9
- Makhi Hughes: 6
- Julian Sayin: 5
- Byrum Brown: 4
- Behran Morton: 3
- Kevin Jennings: 3
- Ryan Williams: 2
- John Mateer: 2
- Jayden Maiava: 2
- Gunner Stockton: 2
- Braylon Braxton: 2
- Braylon Staley: 1
- Bryant Wesco Jr.: 1
- Joey Aguilar: 1
- Fernando Mendoza: 1
- Jeremiyah Love: 1
- Isaac Brown: 1
- Terion Stewart: 1
- Tyler Brown: 1
- Dillon Bell: 1
- Romello Brinson: 1
- Kole Wilson: 1
