Before the season kicked off, the top Heisman Trophy candidates were quarterbacks Arch Manning from the Texas Longhorns, DJ Lagway from the Florida Gators, Garrett Nussmeier from the LSU Tigers, Cade Klubnik from the Clemson Tigers and LaNorris Sellers from the South Carolina Gamecocks.
We've come miles and miles away from those top candidates and now have a few new leaders in the clubhouse after the 12th week of the season.
Former Heisman Trophy winner and three time finalist Tim Tebow who now works for SEC Nation on ESPN had a few things to say about the race for the most prestigious award in all of college sports.
“It’s just wide open,” Tebow said. “You look at all of these guys and they have a chance. I look at, Ty Simpson and I really believe he has a chance, because of who they play in their game today and to finish in the Iron Bowl and maybe in the SEC Championship Game. Marcel Reed has a couple big games in front of him., Fernando Mendoza he’s played at such an elite level...Julian Saying, my question is, do they have enough big games at the end to really make that statement?”
“It’s just wide open,” the Florida Gators legend told SportsCenter :
“You look at all of these guys and they have a chance. I look at— I really believe he has a chance, because of who they play in their game today and to finish in the Iron Bowl and maybe in the SEC Championship Game.has a couple big games in front of him., he’s played at such an elite level.. My question is, do they have enough big games at the end to really make that statement?”
Indiana junior quarter Fernando Mendoza is currently set to be the leader in the current Heisman race. Mendoza leads the nation with 26 touchdown passes and has thrown or 2,342 yards and five interceptions while completing 71.3 percent of his passes. He has also rushed for 240 yards and five scores, while leading the Hoosiers to a 11-0 record and No. 2 ranking in the College Football Playoffs.
In his last outing Mendoza completed 22 of 24 throws for 299 yards and four touchdowns in a 31-7 victory over Wisconsin at home.
Indiana has one more regular season game left against Purdue. The Hoosiers enter this week on a bye week though, IU is also projected to face the No.1 Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship in a game that may decide who ends the regular season No. 1 and also who wins the coveted Heisman Trophy for the 2025 season.
2025 Heisman Trophy Odds
- Fernando Mendoza (Indiana): +100
- Julian Sayin (Ohio State): +200
- Marcel Reed (Texas A&M): +550
- Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt): +1500
- Gunner Stockton (Georgia): +2500
- Haynes King (Georgia Tech): +3300
- Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame): +4000
- Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State): +6000
- Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech): +10000
- Ty Simpson (Alabama): +15000