We have reached Conference Championship Week.
Not only is this week pivotal for the College Football Playoff — led by No. 1 Ohio State taking on No. 2 Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game — it is a chance for some of college football’s best players to make their closing arguments to Heisman Trophy voters.
Ahead of these games, let’s take one last look at the candidates.
1. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana (LW: 1)
Fernando Mendoza played a clean game last Friday night against Purdue, completing 8-of-15 passes for 117 yards and a pair of touchdowns as Indiana throttled Purdue 56-3 to claim the Old Oaken Bucket. While those stats might not move the needle a ton in the Heisman race, Mendoza still heads to the Big Ten Championship Game as the favorite in these rankings.
Still, the gap has perhaps narrowed to the pack behind him, with the next two quarterbacks making a strong push for college football’s most prestigious trophy. While Indiana’s spot in the College Football Playoff is secured, Mendoza will need a strong performance against Ohio State to salt away the Heisman Trophy.
Next Game: vs. Ohio State (Big Ten Championship Game)
2. Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State (LW: 2)
Julian Sayin’s first start in The Game was a memorable one, as the Ohio State quarterback connected on 19-of-26 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns as the Buckeyes defeated Michigan 27-9. While Sayin did throw an interception in the game, he finished the regular season with 30 touchdown passes against just five interceptions, and an impressive 78.9% completion percentage.
He will have a massive stage this weekend to catch the quarterback on the other side of the field, as Ohio State and Indiana square off in the Big Ten Championship Game. A huge game from Sayin — or a stumble from Mendoza — could open the door to Sayin taking home the Heisman Trophy.
Next Game: vs. Indiana (Big Ten Championship Game)
3. Diego Pavia, QB, Vanderbilt (LW: 3)
While Vanderbilt’s dream season may fall just short of a spot in the College Football Playoff — the Commodores were ranked at No. 14 in the penultimate set of rankings from the Selection Committee — Diego Pavia’s Heisman candidacy might just be headed to New York City.
Pavia led Vanderbilt to a 45-24 win over Tennessee in Knoxville as the Commodores secured their first ten-win season in school history. While he threw a pair of early interceptions in the game, he also threw for a touchdown pass and added another touchdown on the ground.
Heisman Trophy voters love stories, and Pavia leading Vanderbilt to a ten-win season is a fantastic tale.
4. Jeremiyah Love, RB, Notre Dame (LW: 5)
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love headed to the medical tent in the first quarter during the team’s game against Stanford last weekend. But Love, who scored from two yards out on Notre Dame’s first drive of the game, eventually returned to the contest, finishing with 66 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Those are not the lofty numbers Love has typically put up this season, but he broke Jerome Bettis’ school record for overall touchdowns (his first touchdown was his 21st of the season) while matching Audrice Estime’s school record of 18 rushing touchdowns in a single campaign.
Notre Dame and Love now await their College Football Playoff fate, and he will not have another chance to impress Heisman Trophy voters before balloting closes. But he might have done enough to earn an invitation to New York City.
5. Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama (LW: 8)
Our biggest mover this week is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who went into Auburn and threw three touchdown passes as the Crimson Tide knocked off the Tigers in the Iron Bowl. The win propelled Alabama into the SEC Championship Game (where Simpson will have one final chance to impress Heisman Trophy voters) and kept the Crimson Tide in position to secure a College Football Playoff invitation.
On the year Simpson has completed 65.8% of his passes for 3,056 yards and 35 touchdowns (with just four interceptions) and has completed 68.4% of his throws for 1,395 yards and ten touchdowns (along with two interceptions) against ranked opponents.
Those numbers might not be enough to earn an invitation to New York City, but he still has one more game to play.
Next Game: vs. Georgia (SEC Championship Game)
6. Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia (LW: 6)
Georgia knocked off Georgia Tech in their regular-season finale, and the Bulldogs now head to Atlanta to take on Alabama in the SEC Championship Game.
But for Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, the win over the Yellow Jackets might not have impressed Heisman voters much.
Stockton completed 11-of-21 passes for just 70 yards in the victory, throwing for both a touchdown and an interception. Over the season, Stockton has completed 70.2% of his throws for 2,535 yards and 20 touchdowns, along with five interceptions. While those numbers are even better against ranked opponents — Stockton has completed 73.5% of his passes for 1,022 yards and 12 touchdowns and two interceptions in those games — he’ll need a massive game against Alabama to jump back into the race.
Next Game: vs. Alabama (SEC Championship Game)
7. Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech (LW: 7)
Diego Pavia might be the leading underdog in the Heisman Trophy race, but Jacob Rodriguez’s candidacy rolls on. The next stop on that journey? A rematch with BYU in the Big 12 Championship Game.
The last time these two teams met his Heisman push kicked into overdrive. Rodriguez had 14 tackles and a pair of takeaways — including an interception early in the game which he celebrated with a Heisman pose — and one of the school’s most famous alums made a case for him on social media:
An encore performance against the Cougars might just be enough.
Next Game: vs. BYU (Big 12 Championship Game)
8. Marcel Reed, QB, Texas A&M (LW: 4)
Texas A&M’s loss to Texas last Friday night not only dropped the Aggies out of position for a first-round bye, but likely brought an end to Marcel Reed’s Heisman hopes.
The Texas A&M passer threw a pair of interceptions in the 27-17 loss, and was held without a touchdown pass for the first time since a late-September game against Auburn. While he finishes the regular season having thrown for 2,932 yards and 25 touchdowns, those numbers are behind some of the other candidates on this list.
Complicating matters is the fact that the Aggies also lost a chance to play in the SEC Championship Game, meaning Reed’s closing argument to Heisman voters is a two-interception outing.
9. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State (LW: NR)
Jeremiah Smith returned to the Ohio State lineup against Michigan after missing a few games due to an injury, and his performance earned him a spot back in these rankings. His 35-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter gave Ohio State a 10-6 lead, and was a perfect display of the talent he brings to the field, and will bring to an NFL team:
He remains a longshot to earn an invitation to New York City, but a massive game against the Hoosiers would bolster his case.
Next Game: vs. Indiana (Big Ten Championship Game)
