Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby and Utah returning quarterback Devon Dampier are among the names national odds makers are already pitting against each other for the 2026 Heisman Trophy.
Sorsby, considered the top overall player in this latest portal cycle, has the better odds of the pair at +2500 since transferring from Cincinnati; Dampier checks in at +4000 odds to win the Heisman with the Utes.
Sorsby and Dampier return two of the best quarterback statlines to the Big 12 in 2026, and are each on draft watch with one college season remaining.
Sorsby flirting with career-high sendoff
Now at his third school, Sorsby is slated to take over for Behren Morton in Lubbock next season after delivering a winning finish to Cincinnati for the first time in two years. The Denton, Texas, native finished his junior campaign 200 yards shy of the 3,000-yard marker hit by season-leader Sawyer Robertson (Baylor), Noah Fifita (Arizona), and Josh Hoover (TCU).
It took a substantial bag to pull Sorsby to Texas Tech, which is coming off a rather humiliating finish at the hands of Oregon in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Despite losses in Cincy’s four final games in 2025, Sorsby finished with the fifth-highest PFF grade (90.5) in the FBS.
Sorsby, a Davey O’Brien semifinalist in 2025, could tie a bow around his college career with yet another Big 12 title for Texas Tech. Certainly wouldn’t hurt his draft stock either.
Can Dampier keep Utah afloat?
Kyle Whittingham’s successor, Morgan Scalley, retained a major veteran piece in Dampier amid the fallout during Utah’s head coaching transition. The change resulted in 20 outgoing transfers, including five key defensive members.
Dampier completed an 11-2 season with 2,490 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and five interceptions. The New Mexico transfer was named the Las Vegas Bowl MVP following a 44-22 win over Nebraska.
Likely the biggest setback for Dampier’s candidacy is the loss of offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who joins Whittingham in Ann Arbor. Utah hired Kevin McGiven away from Utah State, amassing 5,323 yards of total offense in 2025.
McGiven’s pass-first system will complement Dampier and freshman backup Byrd Ficklin. Beck often involved both quarterbacks in his packages, and they were one of the conference’s top quarterback partnerships last year.
How closely do Dampier and Ficklin compete in 2026, and will Utah’s “new” offense utilize them in the same way? If so, how much does Dampier need to do to etch his name onto a Heisman ballot?
