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Justin's top 10 Heisman Trophy contenders ahead of Week 8 of the 2025 college football season. Where do Ty Simpson and Fernando Mendoza rank?
Top 10 Heisman Contenders For Week 9
Down goes the favorite.
Miami quarterback Carson Beck looked like he was beginning to separate himself from the field, but after throwing four interceptions in Friday’s loss to Louisville, Beck’s chance to win the Heisman took a tumble. Beck’s betting odds fell to 12th-best on DraftKings Sportsbook, and he goes from first last week to not even in this week’s rankings.
That means a new favorite and a Heisman battle that’s starting to take on a pretty distinct shape, with two quarterbacks atop the field. However, last week showed us that things can change in an instant, so no player should get too comfortable yet. Here’s the top 10 Heisman contenders entering Week 9.
10. Trinidad Chambliss, Quarterback, Ole Miss
Last Week: Eighth
Ole Miss saw its undefeated season come to an end on Saturday with a 43-35 loss to Georgia, but it’s hard to really blame quarterback Trinidad Chambliss for the loss. it wasn’t his best game as a passer as he completed just 52.8 percent of his throws, but he still threw for a touchdown and rushed for a pair.
The Rebels still have what it takes to make the playoffs and Chambliss playing like this after replacing Austin Simmons is a huge part of that. He drops a bit after the loss, but holds on to a top 10 spot.
9. Jeremiah Smith, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
Last Week: Fourth
Jeremiah Smith’s bettings odds have taken a tumble as it’s become clear after this week that quarterback Julian Sayin is the Buckeye with the stronger Heisman case.
Smith caught nine passes for 97 yards against Wisconsin and is up to 49 catches for 602 yars and seven touchdowns on the year, but he’s not playing that much better than fellow wideout Carnell Tate.
8. Jeremiyah Love, Running Back, Notre Dame
Last Week: Not Ranked
For what I believe is the first time this season, we have a running back with a Heisman case after Jeremiyah Love rushed for 228 yards and a touchdown in Notre Dame’s win over USC on Saturday.
Love has 758 yards and nine touchdowns on the season, plus three receiving scores. The Irish lost their first two games of the season but now have five wins in a row and zero ranked teams left on the schedule. This team has a viable case for a playoff spot if it wins out and Love has been a huge part of that.
7. Dante Moore, Quarterback, Oregon
Last Week: Sixth
After struggling against Indiana in Oregon’s first loss of the season, Dante Moore bounced back in the Ducks’ 56-10 win over Rutgers this week, going 15-for-20 for 290 yards and four touchdowns. He was picked off once.
Moore’s a good player, but Rutgers also ranks 119th in the nation in points allowed per game, so I’m not sure exactly what to make of this performance. If he keeps playing at this level, he’ll climb back into the conversation, but at the moment, Moore feels like a longshot because of the Indiana game.
6. Gunner Stockton, Quarterback, Georgia
Last Week: Not Ranked
Welcome back, Gunner Stockton! The Georgia quarterback had his best game of the season on Saturday, throwing for 289 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for another as the Bulldogs handed Ole Miss its first loss of the season.
Stockton’s 70.5 percent completion percentage leads the SEC, though he’s not quite as prolific of a passer as he might need to be to claim the award in this year’s crowded field.
5. Diego Pavia, Quarterback, Vanderbilt
Last Week: Not Ranked
Diego Pavia dropped out of the rankings two weeks ago after a loss to Alabama, but gets back in after how well he played in this week’s win over LSU.
Pavia was 14-for-22 for 160 yards and a touchdown while adding 86 rushing yards and two more scores on the ground. He also deserves credit for getting the Commodores into playoff position. The team is 10th in the AP poll. The last time it was this high was in 1947.
4. Marcel Reed, Quarterback, Texas A&M
Last Week: Seventh
The biggest knock on Marcel Reed’s Heisman case was that despite the Aggies piling on the wins, Reed wasn’t putting up the kind of big numbers that you need to win an award for being the best player in college football.
But he answered some of those doubts this week against Arkansas. With the defense letting the Aggies down, Reed threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another in a big 45-42 victory over the Razorbacks.
3. Julian Sayin, Quarterback, Ohio State
Last Week: Fifth
I think the question of “who is most responsible for Ohio State’s success” has been answer, and it’s quarterback Julian Sayin.
In a 34-0 win over Wisconsin this week, Sayin completed 85.7 percent of his pass attempts for 393 yards and four touchdowns. His completion percentage is now up to 80.0 percent, the best mark in the FBS. Jeremiah Smith matters, but Sayin matters more.
2. Fernando Mendoza, Quarterback, Indiana
Last Week: Third
The Hooisers stayed undefeated with a 38-13 win over Michigan State this weekend and quarterback Fernando Mendoza did everything he needed to do to keep pace in the Heisman race, going 24-for-28 for 332 yars and four touchdowns.
Mendoza leads the nation in touchdown passes, adjusted yards per attempt, and quarterback rating. That he sits second in the rankings this week is just a formality, because the Heisman race between the top two guys is essentially a dead heat at the moment.
1. Ty Simpson, Quarterback, Alabama
Last Week: Second
It was another strong performance for Ty Simpson this week as he was 19-for-29 for 253 yards and two touchdowns against Tennessee. He leads the SEC in touchdown passes.
Mendoza has the slight statistical edge on Simpson, but I think we have to consider who the quarterbacks have played. Simpson has been very good in four consecutive wins over ranked opponents, throwing nine touchdowns to just one interception against Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Tennessee.
