The race for the 2025 Heisman Trophy is heating up, with Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Indiana signal caller Fernando Mendoza neck-and-neck in the running. After a stellar performance that led the Buckeyes to a win over Michigan, Sayin's Heisman odds at DraftKings have improved to +135, bringing him closer to Mendoza's odds, which are currently standing at +125. Sayin leads the NCAA with a remarkable completion percentage of 78.9%, and if he keeps up this pace, he is on track to surpass Oregon's Bo Nix's 2023 record, according to ABC6 News.
It's shaping up to be a showdown at the Big Ten Championship, where no. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana will face off. Sayin's Heisman prospects have soared following his 233-yard, three-touchdown game, according to Sports Illustrated, which observed Sayin climbing from +500 to +155 in the latest betting odds. Meanwhile, Mendoza's numbers have dipped after a modest 117-yard performance, creating an opening for Sayin to potentially leapfrog him with an impressive Big Ten title game showing.
However, it's not only a two-horse race, as Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia has also made strides in the Heisman conversation. With a solid dual-threat display, Pavia's odds have risen from +500 to +400 following his performance against Tennessee. On the flip side, Texas A&M's Marcel Reed has dropped out of the race after an ankle injury and a subpar outing in a loss to Texas, as detailed by Sports Illustrated.
Not to be overlooked is Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who, after an explosive Week 13, has seen his Heisman odds fluctuate dramatically, now sitting at +1600 following a quieter Week 14 performance, according to the same Sports Illustrated report. Sayin’s betting odds, post-Michigan game, saw a surge, placing him at +150 at BetMGM, hot on the tails of Mendoza's +100, making the upcoming Big Ten title clash perhaps pivotal in deciding the Heisman, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch.
Fans and sports bettors alike have their eyes fixed squarely on December 6 when the two quarterbacks, and by extension their Heisman Trophy aspirations, collide on the field at 8:00 p.m. on Fox 28. Ohio State and Indiana's top echelon matchup promises to be the hinge on which college football's most prestigious individual award may well swing, making for an undoubtedly riveting spectacle as the season hurls toward its crescendo.
