This year’s Heisman trophy race may come down to the wire as athletes around the nation continue to impress fans and voters tuning in every weekend. Week 11 saw a couple of quarterbacks solidify their Heisman bids; meanwhile, some positional players also created serious buzz as potential Heisman candidates, pushing out some of the familiar names from weeks prior.
As the season comes into its final stretch, players will need to keep their foot on the pedal if they want to hear their name called in New York City later this winter.
1) Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
PFSN QB Impact Rating: 90.2, A-
Once again, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin put together yet another solid outing, as we have become accustomed to seeing from him and the Buckeyes each weekend. The underclassman threw for 303 yards, completing 27 of his 33 passes, and also added one touchdown score. Sayin continued to show why he is one of the most accurate passers in the nation, logging an 81.8% completion.
If the Heisman voting were to go solely based on consistency and efficiency, then Sayin is more than likely the nation’s No. 1 favorite across the board. Unfortunately, that is not the case, as Sayin is still missing that “Heisman Moment” this season, which puts voters over the top. He’s got two more weeks until the Buckeyes travel to Ann Arbor to face Michigan, setting the stage for Sayin to have his Heisman moment potentially.
2) Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
PFSN QB Impact Rating: 92.5, A-
Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza kept his team’s undefeated season alive in dramatic fashion this past weekend, as the Hoosiers scraped past a struggling Penn State team 27-24. Mendoza would post a subpar stat line, throwing for a mere 218 yards and one touchdown while also rushing one in.
Toe-tap perfection.
Fernando Mendoza’s game-winning strike to Omar Cooper in the final minute Saturday sealed @IndianaFootball first-ever road win at Penn State and kept the Hoosiers unbeaten, earning this week’s Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week from the @thefwaa. https://t.co/Sp1QSHnOjn pic.twitter.com/4KV3z6YPPR
— Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (@CitrusBowl) November 10, 2025
However, it was his final drive of the game that kept the junior quarterback atop this week’s Heisman list, showing the command and leadership of a true QB1. Without his top target, Elijah Surratt, Mendoza found a way to move the ball downfield 73 yards to put the Hoosiers over the Lions on a last-second toe-tapping touchdown that made Fox Sports Gus Edwards exclaim “HEISMENDOZA” through the television screen.
3) Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
PFSN QB Impact Rating: 86.7, B
Each week, it is becoming more apparent that there is not a single throw Alabama’s Ty Simpson cannot make. Facing LSU at home in Week 11, Simpson threw for 277 and one touchdown, with the Crimson Tide coming away with a 20-9 win. When looking for a quarterback who can deliver it on all three levels with precision and confidence, this is your guy.
This win keeps Alabama atop the SEC, but Simpson will undoubtedly have his work cut out for him against No. 12 Oklahoma, as they have one of the best pass rushes in the nation. If Simpson can put together a solid outing and lead the Tide to victory against Oklahoma, he very well could see another Heisman boost to his resume.
4) Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
PFSN WR Impact Rating: 81.4, B-
Leaving out the country’s best wide receiver from the Heisman race seems almost blasphemous considering how well Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith has looked in back-to-back outings. This past weekend against Purdue, Smith hauled in 10 receptions for 137 yards, helping put his season total at 862 through nine games.
As it currently stands, Smith ranks in the top six in several categories amongst the nation’s best wide receivers, including receiving touchdowns, receptions, receiving yards per game, and total yards. He’s got three games to go to finish out his sophomore campaign, and is likely to eclipse 1,000 yards at his current pace. If Smith can continue to wow voters and fans around the nation, he very well could see himself rise in his Heisman odds as the season trickles down.
5) Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
PFSN LB Impact Rating: 81.5, B-
Now, this is certainly a stretch, but it’d be wrong not to show Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez any Heisman love during his tremendous season, as the Red Raiders currently have one of the best defenses in the country. Rodriguez alone has accounted for seven forced fumbles, three interceptions, a touchdown, and 91 tackles on the season.
Texas Tech Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez should be in your HEISMAN RANKINGS 🏆🔥
2025 Stats
🔴 77 Tackles
🔴 8.5 Tackles for Loss
🔴 1 Sack
🔴 5 Pass Breakups
🔴 2 INTs
🔴 1 Fumble Recovery
🔴 7 Forced Fumbles
🔴 1 Touchdown pic.twitter.com/rWrOGwM6UH— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) November 10, 2025
While the Heisman trophy is typically not bestowed upon defensive players unless they play a bit of offense as well, not considering Jacob Rodriguez would be almost sacrilegious to football, as we have not seen a linebacker put together a campaign of this caliber since Manti Te’o in 2012, who, by the way, was a Heisman finalist.
