And the Heisman Goes to… 

Weeks of speculation and debate culminated in the Heisman Trophy presentation at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room in New York City. Finalists, coaches, former recipients, the top ten contenders, and their families joined the Heisman Trust to await the announcement on the trophy’s 90th year.

An estimated 3 million people tuned in to watch the ceremony. This continues a post-pandemic trend of increased viewership and interest in the Heisman Trophy.

In 2025, 10 young men were the top Heisman Trophy contenders.

Fernando Mendoza wins the 2025 Heisman Trophy 🏆 [FULL SPEECH] | ESPN College Football

FINALISTS

Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana): 2,392 points (643 first-place votes)

Diego Pavia (QB, Vanderbilt): 1,435 points (189 first-place votes)

Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame): 719 points (46 first-place votes)

Julian Sayin (QB, Ohio State): 432 points (8 first-place votes)

Fernando Mendoza Heisman Highlights 🏆 Top Plays of 2025 CFB Season

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Fifth-place Texas Tech senior linebacker Jacob Rodriguez

Sixth-place Ohio State sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith

Seventh-place Georgia junior quarterback Gunner Stockton

Eighth-place Mississippi senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss

Ninth-place Ohio State junior safety Caleb Downs

10th-place Georgia Tech senior quarterback Haynes King.

ALL 4 Heisman Finalist Interviews: Julian Sayin, Jeremiyah Love, Fernando Mendoza & Diego Pavia | SC

Ultimately, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza hoisted the trophy. Delivering an emotional speech, he dedicated the award to his mother and expressed deep gratitude to his teammates and coaches.

When the first-place votes were tallied, Mendoza received 400 more votes than the other three finalists combined. Many predicted his success, and securing the Big 10 Championship cemented him as the Heisman favorite.

Mendoza’s ability to turn the Hoosier football program around and his compelling underdog story also contributed to his win. In addition to the Heisman Trophy, Mendoza collected other awards this season, including,

• Associated Press Player of the Year: A choice by media members.

• Davey O’Brien Award: Nation’s top quarterback.

• Big Ten Offensive Player and Quarterback of the Year.

WHAT IS REQUIRED TO WIN THE HEISMAN TROPHY? 

At its inception nine decades ago, the Heisman Trophy’s purpose was to recognize and honor the most outstanding college football player. More specifically, a player who plays with great ability, diligence, perseverance, and hard work. All these qualities are difficult to pin down, leaving a great deal of room for interpretation.

 TOP CRITICISMS OF THE HEISMAN

The Heisman’s subjective voting criteria and other factors draw criticism from numerous sources.

• Inconsistent Criteria: How is the “most outstanding player” defined? The answer changes depending on who you ask. Heisman Trophy voters may prioritize stats, team success, or a compelling narrative. This creates confusion, which is perceived as instability.

• NIL Influence: A relatively new issue, the power of Name, Image, & Likeness (NIL) raises questions about the likelihood that endorsement deals and hype will unduly influence voters.

• Bias Towards Offensive Players: The Heisman clearly favors offensive players, especially quarterbacks. The system overlooks defensive players, as evidenced by the lack of defensive players who have won in 90 years. Despite the finalists being defenders, the award is structured to focus on skill sets that are not essential to success as a defender.

• Tendency Towards Bias: There is significant criticism of presenting an award to what is ostensibly the best college football player without a solid set of criteria to base it on merit. Perceived snubs, accusations of media bias, and comments claiming the award is a popularity contest occur yearly.

While it is not a perfect system for determining the best of the best in college football, its entertainment value and financial production will keep the Heisman Trophy around, relevance be damned.