B/R's 2025 Heisman Trophy Rankings after Week 14

Not only is the Big Ten Championship Game a clash to decide the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, but the result might also heavily influence the winner of the 2025 Heisman Trophy.

Indiana against Ohio State.

Fernando Mendoza opposite Julian Sayin.

Everybody will say they're only focused on a team win—which is both proper and mostly believable. Somewhere in the back of many minds, though, is the chance to help a star player lock up a prestigious national award.

It's possible neither player has a good performance in Indianapolis, providing a final lifeline to Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love or Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia for a greater vote share. Their résumés are complete, though.

Heading into Championship Week, the Heisman is a Mendoza vs. Sayin battle.

The order here is subjective yet based on historical voting trends, including individual production and team success.

5. The '1 Game Left' Tier

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Jacob Rodriguez

Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

Dropped from contention after a loss to Oklahoma and quiet game in a rout of Eastern Illinois, Ty Simpson has an opportunity to steal a few votes. Alabama pulled off a tight win at Auburn to make the SEC Championship Game. Simpson was inefficient yet tossed three touchdowns and scrambled for several key first downs. If the Crimson Tide beat Georgia, Simpson will attract last-second respect.

Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia

Nothing about his Week 14 performance—an 11-of-21 line for 70 yards with one score and one interception, plus 42 rushing yards—was stellar. But, hey, Gunner Stockton is leading an 11-1, highly ranked UGA squad into the SEC title game against Alabama. Voters, historically, love that stuff.

Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech

Unbelievable, he's human. The stat-padding campaign for Jacob Rodriguez hit a snag at West Virginia when he threw an interception at the goal line. Alas. At least he rushed in another short touchdown, right? Rodriguez and the Red Raiders are set to take on BYU in the Big 12 Championship Game.

4. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame

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The dream is probably dead. Long live the dream.

After such a perfect Week 13 for Jeremiyah Love, the superstar junior was in position for a surge. But then, he ended the regular season with a (relative) dud.

Now, breathe, we're not saying Love had a legitimately bad game. Notre Dame cruised past Stanford 49-20, too. But when you're threatening for 150-plus yards with multiple scores on a weekly basis for nearly two months, ending a contest with 72 total yards and one touchdown is a disappointment.

Love should—both in my opinion and based on trends—be among the four finalists and receive an invitation to the Heisman ceremony. He's ranked third nationally with 1,652 scrimmage yards and second at 21 total scores.

Also, he very likely won't win the award.

3. Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt

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As the Commodores tied a final bow on their breakout 10-2 season, it's become undeniable that Diego Pavia will be heading to New York.

Whether he actually hoists the Heisman is solely the debate.

Although it might seem like a cop-out, the reality is we need to wait. Pavia has no more opportunities left to enhance his profile, while Mendoza and Sayin have a final upcoming game—and, for one, a conference title—for voters to consider.

Pavia's resume is a sensational one, to be sure. He closed the regular season with 4,018 total offensive yards—one of only two QBs to surpass the 4,000-yard barrier—accounted for 36 touchdowns and guided Vandy to a program-best 10 wins, including a Top 25 triumph over Tennessee in the finale.

To have the best possible chance at the Heisman, though, he'd benefit from a major offensive struggle in the Big Ten Championship Game.

2. Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State

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On the opening drive of the showdown at Michigan—winners of four straight in the rivalry—Julian Sayin threw an interception.

Memories of those recent, painful losses assuredly flooded the minds of Ohio State fans. This cannot be happening again. C.J. Stroud, Kyle McCord and Will Howard all threw particularly costly picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively, against U-M.

Sayin did not allow history to repeat itself in 2025.

The redshirt freshman bounced back, finishing the 27-9 victory with a 19-of-26 line for 233 yards and three touchdowns. Ohio State improved to 12-0 and secured the program's first trip to the Big Ten Championship Game since 2020.

Sayin, who leads the FBS with a 78.9 completion rate, has passed for 3,065 yards and 30 touchdowns to five interceptions.

1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

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Before we dive too far, remember that Indiana's defense is exceptional. The unit ranks 11th in the country with 5.9 yards allowed per pass attempt and ceded just six passing scores compared to grabbing 16 interceptions.

Simultaneously, there's no greater test than Ohio State's defense.

Fernando Mendoza is tasked with handling a secondary that has prevented five Big Ten opponents from throwing for 100 yards. Total. In the entire game.

I hear you, IU fans. None of those QBs are as good as Mendoza has been in 2025, and the Hoosiers' receiving corps is either far more skilled or experienced. This will be a serious test for OSU, as well.

Yet that challenge is exactly why Mendoza, the FBS leader in touchdown passes (32), has an enormous chance to prove he deserves the Heisman—and an opportunity to lift two trophies, one collectively and one individually.

Or else Sayin may do that instead.