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Fernando Mendoza quarterbacked Indiana to new heights in 2025, helping the Hoosiers win their first Big Ten Championship since 1967 on Saturday. Now, Mendoza is on the precipice of making more program history.
Mendoza headlines the group of four players who were named the finalists for the Heisman Trophy on Monday. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin were the other three players named as finalists and will join Mendoza in New York City for Saturday’s ceremony.
Unlike many other years, there wasn’t a clear favorite for the Heisman until the very last weekend of games before the ceremony. Mendoza was among the betting favorites for the majority of the season, but he became the overwhelming favorite to win the award following Indiana’s 13-10 win over Ohio State on Saturday. His odds to win the award have climbed to -1200 at DraftKings Sportsbook.
[Related: 2025 Heisman Trophy Odds: Mendoza Becomes Heavy Favorite After Win Over Ohio State]
Forward of Saturday’s Large Ten Championship Recreation, some felt that whichever quarterback received that matchup would go on to win the Heisman. Mendoza accomplished 15 of 23 passes for 222 yards, one landing and an interception in that recreation. He made a handful of huge throws within the second half, although, as he helped Indiana come again from a halftime deficit towards the nation’s high protection.
The win marked Indiana’s second win over a top-10 staff this 12 months. Mendoza and Indiana delivered Oregon its solely loss thus far this season again in October, when the Hoosiers defeated the Geese in Eugene. However Mendoza might need his Heisman second again in November, when he led Indiana to a game-winning landing drive within the ultimate minute to take down Penn State on the street.
Did Fernando Mendoza lock up the Heisman together with his efficiency vs. Ohio State? 🤔
As for Mendoza’s numbers on the season, he is thrown for two,980 yards and leads the nation in landing passes (33). He is additionally tops all energy convention quarterbacks in yards per try (9.4). Mendoza added 240 speeding yards and 6 speeding touchdowns this season. Mendoza can be the primary participant in program historical past to win the award if he is named the Heisman on Saturday.
Sayin, in the meantime, threw for 258 yards, a landing and an interception in Saturday’s loss to Indiana, seeing his Heisman odds drop to +50000. Ohio State’s first-year beginning quarterback had a robust season, although, and was statically one of many nation’s high passers. He threw for 3,323 yards, 31 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. His 78.4% completion proportion would even be the very best completion proportion in a single season in faculty soccer historical past if Ohio State’s season ended right now.
Pavia has the second-best odds to win the Heisman forward of Saturday’s ceremony, holding +600 odds to take house the respect at DraftKings Sportsbook. He quarterbacked Vanderbilt to arguably the perfect season it is ever had, with the Commodores successful 10 video games for the primary time in program historical past. Pavia threw for 3,192 yards, 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions to go together with 826 speeding yards and 9 speeding scores.
As for Love, he was arguably the highest working again in faculty soccer this season. The Notre Dame star was fourth within the nation in speeding (1,372 yards) and third in speeding touchdowns (18), speeding for six.9 yards per carry. He additionally had 280 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns this season.
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