The 2025 Heisman Race Is Down to the Wire 🏆 Who Takes College Football’s Biggest Prize?

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College football feels at its best when the Heisman Trophy is in play — arguments, buzz, big performances, and a moment that feels bigger than the teams these players wear. This year’s battle isn’t just compelling — it’s historic.

Let’s break down everything you need to know: the finalists, stats, context, when and where the Heisman winner will be announced, and why this year’s race matters.

What Heisman Means — And Why It Still Matters

The Heisman Trophy isn’t just another award. It’s the symbol of college football excellence — the honor that stands above all others. Winning it changes narratives: Draft buzz, legacy, even how fans remember a season.

Every year, dozens of players could qualify in theory, but only a handful ever make it into the real conversation. The finalists are the ones voters think were the best in a landscape crowded with elite talent.

2025 Heisman Finalists: The Top Four

This season’s race came down to four standout performers — three quarterbacks and one running back — each with a storyline worth your attention:

📍 Fernando Mendoza — QB, Indiana

Mendoza emerged as the heavy favorite for good reason. He led Indiana to a perfect 13–0 record, a Big Ten championship, and a No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. His stat line — nearly 3,000 passing yards with 33 touchdowns — helped make history at a program that hadn’t tasted that kind of success in decades. Yahoo Sports+1

If Mendoza wins, he’ll be the first Heisman winner in Indiana’s history — a seismic moment for the Hoosiers. Yahoo Sports

📍 Diego Pavia — QB, Vanderbilt

Pavia’s story is one of transformation. Vanderbilt isn’t traditionally a national powerhouse, but this season the Commodores turned heads. Pavia, a true dual-threat, logged over 3,100 yards and 27 touchdowns through the air, while also making big plays with his legs. His leadership helped Vanderbilt to one of its best seasons ever. SI+1

He even celebrated a big game with a classic Heisman pose — a moment that stuck with fans long after the final whistle. Wikipedia

📍 Julian Sayin — QB, Ohio State

Ohio State’s redshirt freshman was one of the most efficient passers in college football. He completed 78.4% of his passes — the best in the nation — and notched 3,323 yards with 31 touchdowns. SI

Despite Ohio State’s loss to Indiana in the Big Ten title game, Sayin’s body of work this year earned him a finalist spot and serious respect from pundits and fans alike. Yahoo Sports

📍 Jeremiyah Love — RB, Notre Dame

Love is the only non-quarterback finalist, and his ground game was elite. He finished fourth in the FBS with over 1,370 rushing yards and racked up 18 rushing touchdowns — a level of production that few running backs reach. NCAA.com

He kept Notre Dame competitive all season, even if the Irish missed the playoffs. That performance as a pure runner remains one of the year’s great stories. NCAA.com

When and Where the Heisman Winner Is Announced

Here’s the part fans are waiting for — when does the 2025 Heisman winner get announced?

• Date: Saturday, December 13, 2025

• Time: Ceremony starts at 7 p.m. ET

• Broadcast: ABC (with streaming available via the ESPN app)

• Location: Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City ESPN Press Room U.S.+1

This awards night is the 91st time the Heisman Trophy has been presented, and it’s loaded with tradition — from the Top 10 finalists show Thursday night to coverage all day Saturday. ESPN Press Room U.S.

Expect analysis, speeches, and that climactic moment when one name is called.

How Fans Are Talking About the Race

Around the internet, opinion isn’t unanimous — and that’s what makes December fun.

• A lot of college fans lean toward Mendoza, understandably, because team success and individual efficiency tend to weigh heavily with voters.

• But there’s a contingent pulling for Pavia, partly because his numbers were phenomenal in a non-traditional power conference program.

• And others insist Love has the kind of season that would’ve won the award in different years. Reddit

Public sentiment doesn’t decide the Heisman, but it shows how sharp the debates are right now.

Heisman Winners: A Quick Look Back (Context)

If you’re wondering how the Heisman has flowed in recent years:

• 2024: Travis Hunter, Colorado

• 2023: Jayden Daniels, LSU

• 2022: Caleb Williams, USC

• 2021: Bryce Young, Alabama

• 2020: DeVonta Smith, Alabama Yahoo Sports

Recent winners have been quarterbacks and dynamic playmakers — which makes this year’s race feel very much in line with history, yet still distinctive because of how balanced the finalists are. Yahoo Sports

What Winning the Heisman Could Change

You don’t need a stats page to understand the impact of winning this trophy:

• Draft stock can jump.

• Legacy becomes permanent.

• College careers are defined by that one moment.

If Mendoza wins, Indiana instantly climbs into college football lore. If Pavia or Sayin wins, feelings about their programs and conference strength shift. If Love wins as a running back — the first since Derrick Henry in 2015 — it rewrites expectations about position value. Yahoo Sports

It’s not just about who had the best season — it’s about what the award means looking forward.

Final Thoughts: Why This Isn’t a Clear Cut

Here’s the thing: you can make a good case for each finalist.

• Mendoza has the team success and stats.

• Sayin has efficiency and precision.

• Pavia has program transformation plus dual-threat explosion.

• Love has elite running production.

There’s no obvious “mistake” on this list — just compelling alternatives. That’s what makes the Heisman what it is: a race with fine margins, real narratives, and a night that’ll be talked about for years.

When the winner is finally revealed on December 13, all of college football will watch.

References

• ESPN press release on the 2025 Heisman Trophy ceremony details. ESPN Press Room U.S.

• NCAA.com on Heisman finalists. NCAA.com

• Yahoo Sports coverage of ceremony and broadcast info. Yahoo Sports

• Sports Illustrated on finalists’ stats. SI

• Yahoo Sports on Heisman winner announcement timing and past winners list. Yahoo Sports

• Various fan sentiment and discussions from public forums. Reddit