Heisman Trophy Rankings: Top Candidates on Collision Course

1. Fernando Mendoza — QB, Indiana (Last Week: 1)

Week 10 (55-10 W at Maryland): 14-for-21, 1 TD, 1 INT; 4 carries, 24 yards, 1 TD
Season Stats: 162-for-224 (72.3%), 2,124 yards (9.5 YPA), 25 TD, 4 INT; 50 carries, 220 yards (4.4 YPC), 4 TD

Mendoza could have put up a more impressive stat line over the weekend against the Terrapins, but that was the second game in a row he left early with his Hoosiers up big. Indiana was actually in a bit of a hole early after Mendoza threw an interception on the opening drive. However, two possessions later he walked into the end zone for a score. The floodgates didn’t open until the second half, and Mendoza contributed with a touchdown pass, but he was content to let Indiana run over Maryland to the tune of 367 rushing yards.

Despite a pedestrian performance — by his standards, at least — Mendoza ranks No. 2 nationally in touchdown passes and passer rating, and he’s fifth in completion percentage. The Hoosiers are one of four teams that average more than 500 yards of offense per game, and they lead the nation in scoring (46.4). The 2024 team was great, but Mendoza’s arrival in Bloomington has seen Indiana debut at No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings heading into the home stretch.

2. Julian Sayin — QB, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)

Week 10 (38-14 W vs. Penn State): 20-for-23, 316 yards, 4 TD, 2 carries, 13 yards
Season Stats: 176-for-218 (80.7%), 2,188 yards (10 YPA), 23 TD, 3 INT; 21 carries, 30 yards (1.4 YPC)

Sayin didn’t start the season slowly — after all, he took down the No. 1 team in the country in his first start — but he’s hit a different gear the past few weeks. The Buckeyes blew out the Nittany Lions in a game that was expected to be one of their toughest tests. Of course, Penn State is a shell of itself, but Sayin had no mercy. He recorded his fifth game with 300-plus passing yards and third with four touchdowns. Sayin has thrown eight touchdown passes and just nine incompletions in his last two games, and some of his shots downfield have scouts salivating.

The current completion percentage record of 77.4% was set by Bo Nix in 2023. At this point, Sayin would have to throw 20 consecutive incompletions to drop below that mark. And he’s also No. 2 in yards per attempt, so he’s creating explosive plays while rarely throwing an incompletion. Sayin also hasn’t thrown an interception in his last 148 attempts. Top-ranked Ohio State is a machine on defense, but don’t discount what Sayin is doing on offense. The Buckeyes are primed to run the table as long as they can get over the Michigan hump, which would set them up for a date with Indiana in a B1G title game that could decide who takes home the Heisman.

• COLLEGE FOOTBALL BETS: Top-25 picks ATS for Week 11

3. Ty Simpson — QB, Alabama (Last Week: 2)

Week 10: Idle
Season Stats: 177-for-261 (67.8%), 2,184 yards (8.4 YPA), 20 TD, 1 INT; 51 carries, 79 yards (1.5 YPC), 2 TD

Simpson and the Crimson Tide are back in action this week after a gauntlet to open SEC play. Alabama played three road games and four top-25 teams over a five-week stretch but now heads into a much more manageable November. Three of the Tide’s final four games are at home, and only one is against a ranked opponent (No. 12 Oklahoma). That’s good news for Simpson, whose best games have been at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

For as good as Simpson has been, it feels like he’s a distant third in the Heisman conversation. Winning out — and potentially winning the SEC against another contender — would close the gap considerably, but Simpson has some statistical ground to make up over the next few weeks. That journey starts this week against an LSU team that fired coach Brian Kelly two weeks ago but isn’t lacking for talent, particularly on defense.

4. Marcel Reed — QB, Texas A&M (Last Week: 3)

Week 10: Idle
Season Stats: 137-for-223 (61.4%), 1,972 yards (8.8 YPA), 17 TD, 6 INT; 64 carries, 349 yards (5.5 YPC), 6 TD

Reed and the Aggies are back on the road this week for another top-25 road game, their third of the season with one more looming. No. 3 Texas A&M didn’t surpass Ohio State or Indiana in the initial College Football Playoff rankings, but Reed is clearly at the helm of a CFP-bound team that might just win the SEC. His year-over-year improvements are appreciable as he already has more passing yards and passing touchdowns in eight games than he did a season ago in 11. Reed has also upped his efficiency as a rusher, adding another wrinkle to one of the highest-scoring offenses in college football.

Out of these five Heisman candidates, Reed is up against the toughest remaining schedule, which cuts both ways. The Aggies could fall for the first time this season during trips to No. 22 Missouri or No. 11 Texas, or Reed can strengthen his case by rising to the occasion again in pursuit of a CFP berth.

5. Gunner Stockton — QB, Georgia (Last Week: NR)

Week 10 (23-20 W vs. Florida): 20-for-29, 223 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 13 carries, 11 yards
Season Stats: 161-for-229 (70.3%), 1,776 yards (7.8 YPA), 12 TD, 2 INT; 71 carries, 290 yards (4.1 YPC), 7 TD

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Bulldogs escaped Jacksonville with a rivalry win over the Gators. While Georgia struggled to run the ball for much of the game, Stockton moved the ball through the air and did just enough to secure a victory. With an opportunity to put an exclamation mark on the victory, Stockton made the wise move in the final seconds to go down just before the end zone and end the game. Once again, the Bulldogs — decidedly a second-half team — survived and advanced.

Stockton’s numbers aren’t particularly flashy, as he’s tied for 54th nationally in touchdown passes. He is, however, quite efficient. Stockton completes better than 70% of his throws and has just two interceptions on the year. Plus, he’s run in seven scores to lead the team. What stands out about Stockton is that his best games have come in Georgia’s biggest wins against Tennessee and Ole Miss. The Bulldogs will need that version of him to show up down the stretch between a trip to Mississippi State this week, a visit from No. 11 Texas and the neutral-site rivalry game against No. 17 Georgia Tech.

Don’t Forget About ...

• Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss
• Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State, WR
• Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame
• Dante Moore, Oregon, QB

Sleepers to Watch

• Haynes King, Georgia Tech
• Jayden Maiava, QB, USC
• CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame
• Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU