As we prepare to enter the month of November, aka the meat and potatoes of the conference schedules the Heisman race is beginning to solidify while teams are already in full playoff mode before conference championship play.
We've moved past the smoke and mirrors of late August and the month of September where we see teams and players come and go, while also surviving injury and more. At this point in time there's a clear list of quaretrbacks standing above the rest. .
We are entering week 10 of the college football season, the cream is rising to the top as the elite players nationally seperate themsevles in the Heisman race and award list, yes and that list begins with Alabama and Indiana junior quarterbacks Ty Simpson and Fernando Mendoza respectfully.
Simpson and Mendoza are the two who remained favorites according to 95% of the booking sites in Vegas including Fanduel Sportsbook and also former ESPN analyst and College Football Hall of Famer David Pollack who played at Georgia from 2001-2204.
Pollack has Simpson and Mendoza as the top dawgs. Mendoza’s Hoosiers beat by 50 points this weekend in a 56-6 route, Mendoza only played three quarters, throwing for168 yards and four total touchdowns (three passing and one rushing) while throwing one interception. Mendoza leads the country in passing touchdowns (24), but is only 27th in yards (1,923) with an incredible 72.9 completion percentage rate.
Since transferring from Cal this off-season, Indiana Hoosier QB Fernando Mendoza has been the key to Indiana’s second year under head coach. Mendoza has been one of the best signal-callers on and off the field and a true leader, which includes his pure dominace at the quarterback position.
In Indiana’s two wins over ranked opponents thus far this season, Mendoza has 482 passing yards and six touchdowns to just one interception in wins over No. 23 Illinois and No. 3 Oregon.
Indiana’s next four opponents are a combined 1-17 in the Big Ten, so he should have room to put up guady numbers even as the weather starts to get brutal in the midwest/Big Ten region.
As far as his competior Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is the hottest quarterback in the nation. After losing their season-opener to Florida State, Simpson and Alabama have rallied back and won seven consecutive games, largely thanks to Simpson.
Simpson has thrown for 2,184 yards and 20 touchdowns this season, while only only throwing for one interception. Though Simpson doesn’t have as many rushing yards as some of the other QBs on Pollack’s list, he’s extremely agile and uses his athleticism to maneuver the pocket better than almost anyone in college football.
Names like Texas A&M's Marcel, Vanderbilt's Deigo Pavia, Ohio State's Julian Sayin, Notre Dame's Jeryimah Love and Georgia's Gunner Stockton are also in discussion for the award.
Indiana's next game is against (4-3) Maryland at 3:30pm E.T on the road in College Park, MD
These Heisman odds are from 10/29/2025 at noon eastern time.