As we are near the halfway point of the season, several players have continued to strengthen their cases for the Heisman Trophy race. Week 7 featured many outstanding performances, with some stars leading their teams to key victories and others helping create upsets. Here are the top 5 players who helped boost their Heisman campaign this week.
5 Players Who Solidified Their Heisman Campaign in Week 7
1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
Mendoza has had a standout Junior season with 17 touchdowns in just six games. In Week 4, Mendoza delivered a breakout performance against Illinois, which put him on everyone’s radar as a Heisman candidate. He continued to build on that momentum in Week 5 against Iowa and in Week 7, leading Indiana to a statement win over No. 3 Oregon.
This past week, Mendoza really showcased his dual-threat ability by completing 31 rushing yards and throwing 215 yards. His standout performance helped Indiana to jump to No. 3 and now improve to 6-0 (3-0).
2. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
Simpson has steadily climbed to the top of the Heisman Trophy race. Throughout his Junior season, he has only thrown one interception and in the six starts this season, he’s had 16 touchdowns.
Although Alabama’s season started out with a loss against FSU, Simpson has continued to prove himself in the five games since. He has led the Crimson Tide to five straight wins. This improved their record to 5-1 (3-0) and helped them climb to No. 6 in the AP poll.
In Alabama’s first conference game of the season Week 5 against Georgia, Simpson threw 276 yards with two touchdowns. In Week 6 against Vanderbilt, he threw an impressive 340 yards with 2 touchdowns. He followed that with an excellent Week 7 performance against Missouri, throwing 200 yards with 3 touchdowns.
According to Bet MGM, Ty Simpson is now tied with Carson Beck as the betting favorites for the Heisman Trophy.
3. Jayden Maiava, QB, USC
Maiava stood out in Week 7 by completing 25 of 31 passes for 265 passing yards and two touchdowns. His performances helped USC gain a victory over No. 15 Michigan, knocking the Wolverines out of the top 25. This win improved USC’s record to 5-1 (3-1) and put the Trojans back in the rankings at No.20.
Through his Junior season, Maiava strengthened his Heisman campaign with 13 touchdowns, only two interceptions, and a total of 1,852 passing yards across six games.
In week 4, Maiava had a breakout performance, with five touchdowns against Michigan State. In week 5, despite a tough 34-32 loss to Illinois, Maiava threw an impressive 364 passing yards and scored two touchdowns.
4. Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State
Sayin has continued to lead Ohio State to victory, helping them hold the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 since Week 2. The sophomore has helped Ohio State remain undefeated with a 6-0 (3-0) record this season.
In his first year as a starter, Sayin has had a total of 15 touchdowns, 120 completed passes, and 1,479 yards through six games.
The Buckeyes began their conference play in Week 5 against Washington. Sayin was 22 of 28 for 208 yards and two touchdowns. In week 6 he continued to deliver an outstanding performance in a 42-3 blow win over Minnesota 42-3, completing 23 of 27 passes for 326 yards and 3 touchdowns. This past week, in Week 7, Sayin helped Ohio State defeat Illinois with two touchdowns.
5. Carson Beck, QB, UM
Although Beck and the Hurricanes had a bye in Week 7, his performance the preview week against rival Florida State earned him a spot on this list. In that game, he was 20 of 27 for 241 passing yards and four touchdowns, leading the Hurricanes to a 5-0 (1-0) record and a No. 2 ranking in the AP poll.
According to Bet MGM, he is currently tied for the top spot in Heisman Trophy odds. In his fifth year as first year Miami Hurricane starter, he has thrown 1,213 yards and 15 touchdowns through five games. Beck has stepped up as a key leader for the Hurricanes, helping them have an undefeated season and remain on everyone’s watchlist.