The last week was a testament illustrated exactly college football should be written in pencil. We saw a significant shuffling among the top Heisman contenders this week.
Before last week's games, we loved Miami QB Carson Beck and his chances of winning the 2025 Heisman Trophy. But after throwing 0 TDs and 4 INTs in a home loss to unranked Louisville, the Georgiea transfer is no longer a contender in our Heisman Watch.
As a result, the Heisman rankings have two debuts this week, as Ohio State QB Julian Sayin is leading the undefeated No. 1 Buckeyes to another potential National Championship, and Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia has the Commodores in the top 10 for the first time in nearly 70 years after a win vs. Louisville
Below, we'll take a look at the Heisman Watch frontrunners ahead of Week 9, breaking down the top five contenders to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy and the frontrunners' stat projections on PrizePicks real money CFB game this week.
2025 Heisman Watch: Top Heisman Candidates as of Week 9
Here are the top Heisman Trophy Watch candidates heading into Week 9 college football games on Saturday, October 25. On PrizePicks, you can win real money by picking More or Less on the weekly stats from these Heisman candidates and more CFB players — including pass yards, touchdowns, and much more!
5. Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed
Next game: @ No. 20 LSU – Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET
Reed fell off the list for a little while, but with him leading the No. 3 Aggies, you can’t ignore how great he’s performed. They are the only undefeated team in the SEC, and the defense is allowing the fewest points per game in conference play (12.0).
Reed has A&M controlling their own path to the SEC championship and a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff.
Reed is another quarterback who can hurt you with his arm and his legs. Voters need to look back at the performance in South Bend, where he threw for 360 yards and 2 TDs, plus another 37 yards on the ground. That could be the performance that puts him at the top if the race is close.
It’s a brutal final leg of the season, as is the case for many SEC teams, with three of his final five games against ranked opponents. Last season, Texas A&M lost three of its final four games.
If Reed can change the narrative and get to the SEC Championship, the Aggies’ QB could make a legitimate case to hoist the Heisman.
Marcel Reed Projections vs. LSU
Marcel Reed’s projections are from the PrizePicks real money CFB game — pick players, predict More or Less on their stats, and win cash when you're right.
- 221 Passing Yards
- 31.5 Rushing Yards
- 257.5 Pass+Rush Yards
- 0.5 Pass TDs (Goblin)
- 0.5 Rush TDs (Demon)
- 0.5 Rush+Rec TDs (Demon)
- 41.5 Yards Longest Completion
- 14.5 Yards Longest Rush
4. Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia
Next game: vs. No. 15 Missouri – Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
It’s been a fantastic year for Diego Pavia and the Commodores. The win last week over No. 10 LSU — where Pavia threw for 160 yards, rushed for 86, and had 3 total TDs — moved Vanderbilt to No. 10 in the AP Poll. It's the first time in the top 10 since 1947.
The transfer from New Mexico is having his best season as a passer, with a career-high 70.5% completion rate, which leads SEC quarterbacks. He's second with a 165.2 QB rating. That dual-threat ability has made him difficult to contain, and he’s in rarefied air as one of four quarterbacks to have 1,500+ passing yards and 430+ rushing yards.
That SEC schedule will continue to test Pavia, with three of his final five games against ranked opponents. Losing the head-to-head matchup against Simpson will likely be the determining factor. If Alabama loses and Vandy doesn’t, it could move Pavia to the favorite.
Diego Pavia Projections vs. Missouri
Diego Pavia’s projections are from the PrizePicks real money CFB game.
- 207.5 Passing Yards
- 53.5 Rushing Yards
- 267.5 Pass+Rush Yards
- 1.5 Pass TDs
- 1.5 Rush+Rec TDs (Demon)
- 38.5 Yards Longest Completion
- 19.5 Yards Longest Rush
3. Ohio State QB Julian Sayin
Next game: vs. Penn State – Saturday, Nov. 1, 12 p.m. ET
Sayin is quietly but quickly on the rise as a potential Heisman Trophy winner.
It’s time to give credit to the quarterback who leads the offense on the best team in college football. Ohio State is rolling through its schedule; after the 14-7 win over Texas in Week 1, it has been crushing opponents with a +207 scoring differential, including two shutouts.
QB Julian Sayin has six straight games with 2 or moe TDs, including throwing 4 in last week's win over Wisconsin. Sayin’s accuracy is what has him as one of the best players in the country.
He’s the only quarterback with an 80% completion percentage, and he composes himself with extra rushers, as his 82.5% completion percentage when blitzed also leads the nation.
The Buckeyes are on a bye, and then they do not face another team over .500 until the last game of the season against hated rival No. 25 Michigan. Sayin’s best chance at the Heisman Trophy is to continue to put up big numbers, and Ohio State to continue to win big. The path is clear for both to happen.
2. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
Next game: vs. UCLA – Saturday, 12 p.m. ET
To be a Heisman Trophy candidate, you need to excel against the tougher teams, but take advantage when playing against a below-average opponent. After a huge win in Week 7 against then-No. 3 Oregon, facing a 2-4 Michigan State might be tough to get motivated for. However, Mendoza was ready as he went 24-for-28 for 332 yards and 4 TDs. The Hoosiers controlled this game early, holding a multiple-possession lead throughout the second half.
That performance propelled him to some of the best numbers in the FBS, as he leads in passer rating (191.0), is tied for the most passing TDs (21), and ranks third in completion percentage (73.5%).
Week 9 could be a potential trap game as they host UCLA, which has won three straight and is averaging 33.3 points per game in that span. After that, the schedule becomes favorable as they only face one more team above .500.
Fernando Mendoza Projections vs. UCLA
Fernando Mendoza's projections are from the PrizePicks real money CFB game.
- 270.5 Passing Yards
- 6.5 Rush Attempts
- 20.5 Rushing Yards
- 291.5 Pass+Rush Yards
- 2.5 Pass TDs (Goblin)
- 0.5 INT (Demon)
- 0.5 Rush TD (Demon)
- 0.5 Rush+Rec TDs (Demon)
- 45.5 Yards Longest Completion
- 12.5 Yards Longest Rush
1. Alabama QB Ty Simpson
Next game: vs. South Carolina – Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
Every time a challenge arises, Alabama QB Ty Simpson has excelled, making him the current Heisman Trophy frontrunner.
The Week 8 matchup against then No. 11 Tennessee was the fourth straight game against a ranked opponent, marking the fourth consecutive win and the sixth overall. The Crimson Tide junior has played a large part in each of those games with at least 200 passing yards and 2+ passing TDs in each.
His stats continue to be among the best in the country as he’s tenth in passing yards (1,931), sixth in passing TDs (18), and fourth in EPA per dropback (0.38).
He’s facing a double-edged sword: the SEC. If he performs well in these matchups against excellent teams, it strengthens his argument as the leading Heisman candidate, but if he underperforms or makes one mistake, it can cost Bama the game and his Heisman chances. Simpson and the Tide roll to Columbia to face 3-4 South Carolina, then host two more ranked teams: No. 20 LSU and No. 13 Oklahoma.
Ty Simpson Projections vs. South Carolina
Ty Simpson's projections are from the PrizePicks real money CFB game.
- 265.5 Passing Yards
- 278.5 Pass+Rush Yards
- 1.5 Pass TDs (Goblin)
- 0.5 INT
- 0.5 Rush TD (Demon)
- 0.5 Rush+Rec TDs (Demon)
- 42.5 Yards Longest Completion
- 8.5 Yards Longest Rush
Make Picks on Heisman Candidates on PrizePicks
Week 8 of the 2025 college football season saw our biggest shakeup in the rankings, and now Ty Simpson is your new frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy as we get to the crunch time of the 2025 season.
No matter who you're backing to win the Heisman Trophy, you can cash in on your player picks in PrizePicks' real money college football game every week this season.
Just pick More or Less on weekly stat projections, including Ty Simpson’s or Diego Pavia’s passing yards, and get paid when your picks are correct — all the way up to 2000x.
Check out the Playbook for more CFB DFS picks and college football predictions throughout the season.
