The 2025 Heisman Trophy Winner will be announced this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on ABC. The four finalists are Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.
With Saturday's prestigious reveal looming, we've assessed all four options and chosen our personal winner.
Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
The sophomore quarterback at Ohio State inherited a talented team defending the National Championship, but also had big shoes to fill after taking over for Will Howard. Sayin has been nothing short of outstanding while looking like a potential future No. 1 overall selection. Sayin led the Buckeyes to 12 straight regular-season victories, throwing for 3,323 yards and 31 touchdowns this year.
Sayin was excellent in The Game, completing 19-of-26 passing attempts for 233 yards and three touchdowns in a blowout 27-9 win over Michigan. The Buckeyes followed that performance by suffering their first defeat of the season, a 13-10 shortcoming versus Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game. Ohio State still enters the College Football Playoff as potential repeat winners, giving Sayin a strong claim to the Heisman.
Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt
No program has written a more heartwarming turnaround story over the past two college football campaigns than Vanderbilt has. Their ascension from bottom-feeder in the SEC to legitimate conference contenders aligns with Pavia's 2024 arrival from New Mexico State. Pavia has spent the previous two seasons establishing himself as one of the true big-game quarterbacks in the sport.
Vanderbilt just enjoyed their first 10-win campaign in program history, and there's no denying Pavia deserves the majority credit for that triumph. The hard-nosed quarterback finished with 27 passing touchdowns, 3,192 passing yards, and eight interceptions, also adding nine additional touchdowns and 826 yards on the ground. The Commodores were left out of the College Football Playoff despite going 10-2, a decision that ultimately hurts Pavia's Heisman chances.
Jeremiyah Love, RB Notre Dame
The junior running back is undoubtedly the most dynamic player at his position in all of college football, drawing comparisons to elite prospects like Saquon Barkley, Ashton Jeanty, and Bijan Robinson. Love finished fourth in the FBS with 1,372 rushing yards, and his 18 rushing touchdowns ranked third in the nation. Love passed Notre Dame legend Jerome Bettis to claim the program record for most touchdowns in a single season (21).
The Fighting Irish missed out on a College Football Playoff spot and have been protesting ever since. Love is a top-five prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft and should be drafted early. The bitter ending to Notre Dame's season could affect his Heisman hopes.
Our Choice: Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
What a dreamlike season it's been for quarterback Fernando Mendoza, head coach Curt Cignetti, and the entire Indiana Hoosiers program. They’ll enter the College Football Playoff undefeated at 13-0 as the No. 1 seed after defeating Ohio State for their first Big Ten championship since 1967 and their first outright title since 1945. Mendoza has been the primary driver of Indiana's unprecedented success.
Mendoza leads the country with 33 passing touchdowns and his big-game moment versus the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship Game is fresh in the minds of Heisman Trophy voters. The Hoosiers are the only 13-0 program in the nation. Mendoza is the appropriate Heisman favorite.
