"Mendoza delivered one of the nation’s best passing seasons, throwing for 2,980 yards and a nation leading 33 touchdown passes with just six interceptions."
The 2025 Heisman Trophy race may be the most balanced in years, featuring four finalists who each dominated in their own way: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.
Each player has assembled a résumé strong enough to deserve the award, and the winner may ultimately come down to what voters value most: efficiency, versatility, program impact, consistency, or pure dominance.
Below is the case for each finalist to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
Fernando Mendoza The Most Valuable Player in America
If the Heisman Trophy is about value, the player who meant the most to their team, then no candidate makes a stronger argument than Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza delivered one of the nation’s best passing seasons, throwing for 2,980 yards and a nation leading 33 touchdown passes with just six interceptions. Add in 240 rushing yards and six more touchdowns, and his 39 total scores rank second in the country.
But Mendoza’s value goes deeper than numbers. He engineered a historic season at Indiana, guiding the Hoosiers to an undefeated regular season, a conference championship, and the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff.
Indiana’s rise from irrelevance to national power does not happen without Mendoza. His leadership, poise, and clutch performances transformed the program, and that is exactly what the Heisman Trophy was created to honor.
Julian Sayin The Most Efficient Quarterback in College Football
For voters who value precision, consistency, and elite quarterback mechanics, Julian Sayin offers a compelling case to win the award.
Sayin led the entire nation with a 78.4 percent completion rate, which is the highest single season completion percentage in college football history. He threw for 3,323 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, showing both efficiency and high level production.
He did this as a redshirt freshman at Ohio State, a program where expectations are always sky high. Rather than shrinking under the pressure, Sayin displayed poise, accuracy, and maturity far beyond his experience.
He may not be the most explosive runner or the flashiest player, but play for play and throw for throw, he may have been the best pure quarterback in college football this season.
Jeremiyah Love the Dominant Workhorse Running Back
If the Heisman Trophy is meant to reward dominance at any position, not just quarterback, then Jeremiyah Love has earned serious attention.
Love rushed for 1,372 yards, fourth in the country, and averaged 6.9 yards per carry. His 18 rushing touchdowns ranked third nationally, and he added three receiving touchdowns, giving him a school record 21 total touchdowns, which was set before in 1991 by NFL Hall of Famer, Jerome Bettis.
Love brought reliability and explosiveness to the Notre Dame offense, scoring at least once in 11 straight games and serving as the driving force that kept the Irish in contention.
In a quarterback heavy era, Love’s season stands out as one of the most complete and dominant campaigns by a running back.
Diego Pavia The Nation's Most Dynamic Playmaker
If voters are looking for the most complete, all-around offensive weapon, Diego Pavia is the obvious choice.
Pavia threw for 3,192 yards, 27 touchdowns, and completed 71.2 percent of his passes, elite efficiency by itself. But he also showed off the legs, rushing for 826 yards and nine touchdowns, making him one of the most dangerous dual threat quarterbacks in the country.
Beyond the stats, Pavia lifted Vanderbilt to heights the program has rarely seen. He led the Commodores to their first 10 win season in school history, transforming a traditional SEC underdog into a legitimate contender.
Pavia did not just put up numbers. He changed the trajectory of an entire program. His blend of passing precision, rushing explosiveness, and leadership makes him a true Heisman caliber player.
Conclusion A Heisman Race Without a Wrong Answer
This year’s Heisman finalists each represent a different path to football excellence:
Mendoza: unmatched value and a historic team turnaround.
Sayin: the most efficient quarterback in the country.
Love: a dominant running back with elite production.
Pavia: the ultimate dual threat and a transformational figure.
No matter who wins, the 2025 Heisman Trophy will go to a player whose season deserves to be remembered.
Key Stat
Sayin led the entire nation with a 78.4 percent completion rate, which is the highest single season completion percentage in college football history.
