Defense Wins Championships- but What About Heismans? 

When the clock ran out at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, December 6th, the Indiana Hoosiers became the Big Ten Champions. One of the facts surrounding the most surprising game is not the defeat of the defending National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes. It was the final score of 13-10.

Throughout their undefeated regular season, Indiana averaged 41.9 points per game. Equally dominant, the Ohio State Buckeyes averaged 34.9 points per game during their perfect run. A low-scoring total for both teams that night testifies to the dominant defenses at work.

DEFENSIVE JUGGERNAUT

Although both teams boasted talented Heisman Trophy candidates under center, the clash of powerful defenses proved to be the real story.

Relying on their strengths, the Hoosiers utilized hard-to-read, complicated schemes and disguised coverage. Hoosier linebackers showed disciplined aggressiveness and intelligent reads, which tempered the Buckeyes’ high-caliber offense.

With elite execution, the Buckeyes’ front seven controlled the line of scrimmage, winning matchups and closing gaps. That dominance allowed Ohio State to blitz and disrupt the Hoosier offense, while an athletic secondary kept the passing game in check.

While the Big Ten Championship game was a defensive battle pitting the number one and number two teams against each other, it also felt like the final walkthrough for a beauty pageant. Only in this case, all eyes were fixed on Buckeyes’ quarterback Julian Sayin and his Hoosier counterpart Fernando Mendoza.

IMPACT ON HEISMAN FINALISTS

As expected, both quarterbacks from the Big Ten Championship game, Sayin and Mendoza, are part of a group of four Heisman Trophy finalists, which also includes Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.

The chances of Love or Pavia taking home the trophy hover between slim and none. Not because they are undeserving.

In 2025, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love was one of only two running backs at the FBS level with at least 1,000 yards rushing, with an average of 6.9 yards per carry. He rang up his most impressive stats in Notre Dame’s 70-7 beat down of Syracuse. Love turned eight carries into 171-rushing yards. He is a strong competitor and certainly worthy of Heisman consideration.

There are some in the college football world who believe Diego Pavia has a real shot at snagging the Heisman. The fact that he plays for Vanderbilt weighs in his favor, as Pavia has ignited the perennially struggling Commodores. In the latter part of the 2025 season, his stats were top-notch. During the final four games, Pavia generated 455.8 total yards of offense, including 16 touchdowns. Additionally, he rushed for 165 yards, averaging 8.3 yards. Pavia belongs in the position of a Heisman Trophy finalist. He has put a lackluster team on his back and made the program respectable.

Unfortunately, up until the Big Ten Championship, the other candidates were eclipsed by Mendoza and Sayin. Now it appears that unless Mendoza finds an improbable way to implode, he has the Heisman Trophy locked down. He has a legitimate claim to the award. He did make Hoosier football relevant and put up some strong numbers doing it.

The decision rests with approximately 870 members of the sports media as well as the 60 living former Heisman Trophy winners. The Nissan Heisman House also gave fans a chance to cast a ballot for their favorite Heisman contender. All fan votes will be tabulated, and the player with the most wins will receive a single vote from the fan ballot. The waiting is nearly over; you can watch the Heisman Trophy presentation on ABC or ESPN beginning at 7:00 pm EST on Saturday, December 13.