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Justin's top 10 Heisman Trophy contenders ahead of Week 12 of the 2025 college football season. Where do Ty Simpson and Julian Sayin rank?
Top 10 Heisman Contenders For Week 12
For what might be the first time all season, the top 10 Heisman contenders entering the week are the same 10 players that were the Heisman contenders before the past weekend’s games. There’s a little change in positioning, but overall, things have finally settled down.
There are a few players lurking who could make their way into these rankings before the season ends, though. USC’s Jayden Maiava is the big one to watch, but North Texas quarterback Drew Mestemaker could squeeze into the top 10 as well. Here are the top 10 Heisman contenders entering Week 12 of the college football season.
10. Haynes King, Quarterback, Georgia Tech
Last Week: 10th
Virginia and Louisville’s losses this week have put Georgia Tech back in the driver’s seat in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets were on a bye this week, but will be back in action this Saturday against Boston College.
Quarterback Haynes King has been one of the best — if not the best — dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation. King has rushed for 754 yards and an ACC-best 14 touchdowns while throwing for nine more scores. He’s also shown recently that he can step up as a passer, with 37.7 percent of his passing yards for the season coming in the past two games.
9. Trinidad Chambliss, Quarterback, Ole Miss
Last Week: Eighth
Trinidad Chambliss posted strong numbers this week, going 29-for-33 for 333 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-0 win. So, why did he move down a spot?
Well, part of it is that these numbers came against The Citadel, so they have to come with an asterisk. The other part is that the guy who passed him had a better game against a better opponent. Still, a strong showing from the Ole Miss quarterback!
8. Jeremiah Smith, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
Last Week: Ninth
Jeremiah Smith had one of his best games of the season against Purdue, catching 10 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown in Ohio State’s 34-10 victory.
Smith leads the Big Ten in receptions and receiving touchdowns and while his yards per reception are down from his freshman season, his yards per game have risen from 82.2 to 95.8. He’s the best wide receiver in college football and it’s not particularly close.
7. Jeremiyah Love, Running Back, Notre Dame
Last Week: Seventh
This wasn’t Jeremiyah Love’s best game as far as rushing yardage goes, as he was held under 100 yards for the first time since Oct. 11. Still, he carried the ball 13 times for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 49-10 victory over Navy.
Love’s 13 rushing scores put him third in the FBS at the moment, and he’s also third in scrimmage yards with 1,242. The Irish have won seven in a row and will need to keep leaning on Love if they want to make it 10 in a row, which is probably what’s necessary to guarantee a playoff spot.
6. Gunner Stockton, Quarterback, Georgia
Last Week: Fifth
Gunner Stockton’s drop to sixth isn’t about Stockton. His closest competitor for fifth place just so happened to have a big clutch moment this weekend.
Stockton was solid in a 41-21 road win over Mississippi State, going 18-for-29 for 264 yards and three touchdowns. He’s completing 69.4 percent of his passes on the season and has been picked off just twice all season.
5. Diego Pavia, Quarterback, Vanderbilt
Last Week: Sixth
Vanderbilt trailed Auburn 20-10 at halftime on Saturday, but managed a huge comeback, with Diego Pavia throwing and rushing for a touchdown in the second half. Auburn was able to force overtime with a late score, but Pavia stepped up in overtime, throwing a four-yard touchdown pass to Cole Spence to give the Commodores the victory.
Pavia threw for 377 yards and rushed for 112 more in the win, putting the team on his back to avoid a second consecutive loss, keeping Vanderbilt alive in the playoff race, though probably still on the outside of the battle at the moment.
4. Marcel Reed, Quarterback, Texas A&M
Last Week: Fourth
There are four real contenders for the Heisman this year. Pavia’s odds are around +2000, but fourth-place Marcel Reed jumps to +700.
Reed orchestrated another big win on Saturday to keep the Aggies undefeated, going 20-for-29 for 221 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-17 win over Missouri. The Tigers controlled him on the ground, ending a four-game streak of Reed recording a rushing score, but he was able to beat Mizzou with his arm instead.
3. Ty Simpson, Quarterback, Alabama
Last Week: Third
The gap between Ty Simpson and the top two contenders grew wider this week. Yes, Simpson led his team to a 20-9 win over LSU, but his individual numbers were just so-so. Simpson was 21-for-25 for 277 yards with one passing touchdown.
Simpson leads the SEC in passing touchdowns with 21 and has been picked off just once all season. If he didn’t have the major blemish of the Florida State loss on his resume, this would be a three-player race. As it stands, he needs a little luck to pull closer to the leaders.
2. Julian Sayin, Quarterback, Ohio State
Last Week: Second
Julian Sayin is the betting favorite for the Heisman, but only by the smallest margin. Putting him second here isn’t a knock on his game at all.
Sayin completed 81.8 percent of his passes in a 34-10 win over Purdue, the third game in a row with a completion percentage over 80 percent. His 80.9 percent completion rate is the best in the nation and he’s on track to shatter the completion percentage record of 77.4 percent, set in 2023 by Bo Nix.
1. Fernando Mendoza, Quarterback, Indiana
Last Week: First
Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman hopes hinged on him making one throw on Saturday. He made the throw, throwing a seven-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. with 36 seconds to play to keep the Hoosiers undefeated.
Overall, was this Mendoza’s best game? Not really. He completed 63.3 percent of his passes for 218 yards with one touchdown and one interception. However, narratives matter in the eyes of the voters, and Mendoza’s game-winning drive is going to earn him a number of votes, especially if the Hoosiers win out.
