By Jack Stewart

Eleven weeks into the college football season, the top teams and Heisman favorites have begun to solidify themselves. The 2025 season has seen the rise of numerous great quarterbacks from a variety of conferences and regions who’ll look to battle out for the Heisman this year. While there are still a few weeks left in the season, here are the current favorites for college football’s most prestigious award.

Fernando Mendoza – QB (Indiana)

Far and away, Fernando Mendoza has been the best quarterback in college football this season. He’s currently leading Indiana to an undefeated season, while throwing for over 2000 yards and an impressive 25 touchdowns. Indiana has been one of the strongest teams this year, which in large part is due to Mendoza’s leadership and composure. He’s been extremely clutch, especially in Indiana’s recent comeback victory over Penn State in happy valley. Mendoza took over in the fourth quarter and led a game winning drive to keep the Hoosiers’ undefeated season alive. Mendonza will finish out the season with games against unranked Wisconsin and Purdue, and assuming Indiana secures wins in both matchups, Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman award seems like a sure thing.

Julian Sayin – QB (Ohio State)

Ever since week one, Ohio State has looked unstoppable and they’ve had one of the most dominant seasons of the last decade. At the helm is sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin, who’s put up 2000 yards and 23 touchdowns to this point. The main argument for Sayin boils down to team success, which is headlined by the Buckeyes being ranked number one for nine straight weeks. Ohio State has beaten every team by multiple scores ever since week one, including a 70 point victory over Grambling State. Sayin has been a crucial part of his team’s success, and his pairing with Jeremiah Smith has been the basis of an incredible offense. The main question for Julian Sayin is how he’ll perform against the Buckeyes’ biggest rival: the Michigan Wolverines. Ohio State hasn’t beaten Michigan this decade, and with “The Game” looming on the horizon, Sayin’s performance in this matchup could be a definitive part of his Heisman campaign. While as of now Julian Sayin falls just short of Mendoza,  a key win in The Big House could be the final piece to help Sayin steal this year’s Heisman.

Ty Simpson – QB (Alabama)

Alabama has been the standard in college football for over 50 years , and their history of elite quarterbacks has continued with Ty Simpson. He’s played in Tuscaloosa since 2022, sitting on the bench up until this current season, however it’s clear that his time as a backup has paid off. Ever since a week one loss to Florida State, the Crimson Tide has gotten stronger and stronger over the course of the season, including a 4-0 record in ranked games. Simpson has been the breakout star for this Alabama squad, throwing for over 2400 yards. In addition, Simpson has an incredible 21:1 touchdowns to interception ratio, and this discipline has been crucial to the Crimson Tide’s success, especially in some of their away games.  In their statement victory over the Georgia Bulldogs in Athens, Simpson had over 270 yards and two touchdowns, reflecting his excellent performance in the clutch.  Above all, Simpson has been reliable and shown a “return to glory” for Alabama quarterbacks that’s been absent since 2022. While the week one loss to Florida State puts a stain on Ty Simpson’s resume, his bounce back in the following games has given him a strong argument to be a Heisman contender.

Marcel Reed – QB (Texas A&M)

While not one of the main candidates, Marcel Reed has been a sneaky dark horse contender for this year’s Heisman award. Statistically, he may not have the numbers of the players above, but it’d be hard to find a stronger narrative than Reed’s. He’s been incredibly clutch, especially in some of the Aggies’ toughest matchups. Against Notre Dame in week two, Reed threw a game winning touchdown with 13  seconds left to cap off a 41-40 over the Irish in South Bend. In week nine, he accounted for four touchdowns to help secure a second half comeback win against the LSU Tigers. Reed also threw for three touchdowns and nearly 300 yards to help Texas A&M finish out a win in a 45-42 shootout against Arkansas. His season has been filled with “Heisman moments” and time and time again, he’s shown up when it mattered most. With a recent dominant win against ranked Missouri, Reed has built a strong resume, despite mostly going under the radar. While he hasn’t had the media coverage that some of the previously mentioned players have had, Marcel Reed has put up a quietly incredible season that could warrant a Heisman award.