Vaughn DalzellTue, November 25, 2025 at 12:29 AM UTC·8 min readEntering rivalry week, the Heisman race is heating up with Jeremiyah Love's explosive Saturday against Syracuse, while the trio of quarterbacks still sit pretty in the polls, and Diego Pavia put up six scores to keep his name in the mix!
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AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVaughn Dalzell’s Heisman Rankings
Indiana Hoosier Primary Logo1. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Hoosiers (-115)
Next Game: Saturday 7:30 PM ET vs Purdue Last Game: Bye Week Season Stats: 2,641 passing yards, 216 rushing yards, 35 total TDs, 5 INTs
The Indiana Hoosiers will have the chance to do something it's never done before — finish a regular season undefeated. Indiana's 11 wins currently is tied for the most in school history and their 15 consecutive home wins is a program record.
Fernando Mendoza posted an incredible 25 touchdowns to 1 interception at home this year. However, the regular season finale is at Purdue on NBC and Peacock this Saturday night, which is an ideal opponent to remain undefeated.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIndiana has won by 3, 5, 10, and 45 points in their four road game this year. A convincing win over Purdue would slightly boost Mendoza's odds, but his Big Ten Championship date with Ohio State is where the donuts will be made.
Ohio_State.svg2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State Buckeyes (+500)
Next Game: Saturday 12 PM ET at #18 Michigan Last Game: 157 passing yards on 13/19, 2 TDs vs Rutgers (42-9 win) Season Stats: 2,832 passing yards, 79.4 comp %, 27 TDs, 4 INTs
Julian Sayin took another hard loss in the market with 157 passing yards on 13-for-19 and two touchdowns in a dominant win over Rutgers. Without Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith, Sayin's Heisman odds have taken a hit moving from +150 to +200 to +500 over the past three weeks.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, a win over Michigan, then another over Indiana, would make Sayin the rightful winner in my mind, so there is value at the current +500. Sayin has the better route to a stronger Heisman case than the others, but Ohio State has continually fallen short in this spot against Michigan and in the conference championship in recent years.
Can Sayin overcome that Saturday at the Big House? Then again in the Big Ten Championship?We will see, but I think he gets the win over Michigan, but I'll be picking Indiana in the conference championship!
Texas A&M.png3. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M Aggies (+1400)
Next Game: Saturday 7:30 PM ET at #17 Texas Last Game: 120 passing yards on 10/15, 3 TDs vs Samford (48-0 win) Season Stats: 3,147 total yards, 61.5 comp %, 31 total TDs, 8 INTs
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPeople will see Marcel Reed and Julian Sayin ranked over Jeremiyah Love and have a fit, but you know what? I don't care. I care about who people have played and what's memorable in a season.
Reed's odds shifted from +550 to +1400 after the Samford win, but it was really a result of Love's jump from +4000 to +350. Reed has a chance to win at #17 Texas and go 12-0 in the regular season with a SEC Championship date already settled. If the Aggies win both games and go 13-0 entering the College Football Playoff, how could Love's case be stronger than Reed's? Especially when Reed walked-off Notre Dame at Notre Dame in a 41-40 classic.
The Irish don't have a single win that's memorable. Maybe the 70-7 thrashing of Syracuse, right? A&M has the biggest comeback in school history this year against South Carolina (trailed by 27), a walk-off at Notre Dame, and game-sealing drives against Arkansas and Auburn, not to mention semi to really dominant wins in three of four road games. Reed just has a better case than Love, so he comes in at third for me.
Notre_Dame.svg4. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+350)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNext Game: Saturday 10:30 PM ET at Stanford Last Game: 8 carries, 171 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs vs Syracuse (70-7 win) Season Stats: 1,306 rushing yards, 274 receiving yards, 20 total TDs
Jeremiyah Love had the biggest jump of maybe anyone the entire season. A week ago, Love was +2500 to +4000, but now he is +350! That's because it only took eight carries to rack up 171 rushing yards and three touchdowns against a Syracuse defense that looked like a high school unit.
Love now has 1,306 rushing yards and 20 total touchdowns on the season, which is a great year for a running back, but as stated the past two weeks — nowhere near Heisman numbers. Love will run all over Stanford and people will make a late case for him, but who has Notre Dame beaten or frankly played?
Pitt? USC? Navy? Arkansas and Boise State? All of these teams proved to be no match for Notre Dame, but only Pitt (maybe) even had or has a remotely close chance of making the college football playoff. There is no conference championship to boost Love's credibility like there is for Sayin, Mendoza, or Reed — wins in a game like Michigan vs Ohio State, Texas A&M vs Texas, and Ohio State vs Indiana would overshadow any win that the Irish have.
Vanderbilt.svg5. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt Commodores (+550)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNext Game: Saturday 3:30 PM ET at #20 Tennessee Last Game: 484 passing yards, 48 rushing yards, 6 total TDs vs Kentucky (45-17 win) Season Stats: 2,924 passing yards, 661 rushing yards, 34 total TDs, 6 INTs
Diego Pavia continue to make a push at the Heisman! Against Kentucky this past week, Pavia threw five touchdowns for 484 yards on 33-of-39 to go along with 48 rushing yards, and another touchdown on 15 carries. That is 54 plays for Pavia where he accounted for 532 total yards and six touchdowns in a 45-17 win.
Pavia now has 14 total touchdowns in the last three games (11 passing, 3 rushing), in addition to 1,226 passing yards and 203 rushing yards. Pavia's tossed at least 365 yards and three touchdowns, plus a rushing score in three straight games. He is literally on another planet. If Vanderbilt would have beat Alabama, or maybe even Texas, Pavia could have really won this award, but it may be too little too late for him.
Stock Up
Notre_Dame.svg4. Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame Fighting Irish (+350)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNext Game: Saturday 10:30 PM ET at Stanford Last Game: 8 carries, 171 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs vs Syracuse (70-7 win) Season Stats: 1,306 rushing yards, 274 receiving yards, 20 total TDs
Jeremiyah Love had one of the largest odds jumps from game-to-game all season, but that's what the oddsmakers want! Maybe I am a hater, although I have talked up this Irish team for the past two months, I still don't think Love's case will be strong enough to win.
On a positive note, Love has six games of 100 or more rushing yards in 11 contests and seven multi-score performances. Love has back-to-back games of 100-plus rushing yards and four in the past five to go along with nine total touchdowns. I expect another 100-plus rushing yards and two or more touchdowns in the regular season finale at Stanford (4-7).
Stock Down
Texas A&M.png3. Marcel Reed, Texas A&M Aggies (+1400)
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNext Game: Saturday 7:30 PM ET at #17 Texas Last Game: 120 passing yards on 10/15, 3 TDs vs Samford (48-0 win) Season Stats: 3,147 total yards, 61.5 comp %, 31 total TDs, 8 INTs
Reed took the biggest hit out of the top five from last week — going from +550 to +1400. Sayin going from +200 to +500 was the second largest negative mover from the weekend, unless were talking Gunner Stockton (+5000) or Jeremiah Smith (+20000), but we already knew they were out of the conversation.
Reed has a chance to become the biggest riser next week, along with Sayin. Texas A&M goes to #17 Texas for a chance at 12-0, while Ohio State visits #18 Michigan for the same opportunity. If you have tickets on Sayin or Reed, or are just rooting for them, I think they're both in good positions entering Week 14.
My Heisman Picks
I picked Carson Beck and Dante Moore to pick the Heisman in the first four weeks of the season and both are over with. Four weeks ago, I added Fernando Mendoza (+260) and the Indiana Hoosiers to win the championship (+600).
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWith Mendoza at -115 odds, I would still say that is the best play on the board and the likely winner. If I was to go elsewhere, it would be Marcel Reed of Texas A&M at +1400 or Julian Sayin at +500 as stated above.
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