The end of the college football regular season is approaching, with just two weeks left until conference championships. With the results in recent weeks, three QBs have emerged as the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy.
The race is still very close, and although Indiana's Fernando Mendoza is the current favorite, he doesn't have the prestigious award locked up.
Below, we'll take a look at the Heisman Watch frontrunners ahead of Week 13, breaking down our top three contenders to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy and the frontrunners' stat projections on PrizePicks' real-money CFB game this week.
2025 Heisman Watch Update, Week 13
Here are our top Heisman Trophy Watch candidates heading into Week 13.
On PrizePicks, you can win real money by picking More or Less on weekly stats from these Heisman candidates and other CFB players — including pass yards, TDs, and much more.
3. Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed
Next game: vs. Samford – Saturday, 12 p.m. ET
Week 12 was a tale of two halves for Marcel Reed. It looked bleak for Texas A&M, which was down 30-3 at halftime against unranked South Carolina. Reed's first 30 minutes of football were brutal, as he went 6-of-19 for 141 yards with 0 TDs and 2 INTs.
The Aggies made a historic comeback by scoring 28 unanswered points to win 31-30, marking the biggest come-from-behind victory in school history. This outcome keeps them atop the SEC and maintains Reed as a Heisman hopeful.
The Aggies' star QB played a key role in that comeback. In the second half, he went 16-for-20 for 298 yards with 2 TDs. This is a win that voters could remember if they feel like it’s a close race.
Marcel Reed’s Path to the Heisman Trophy
What ultimately hurts Reed is that he doesn’t have the stats his peers do. The closest is his 2,632 passing yards, just nine fewer than Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza. Reed’s 22 passing TDs are eight fewer than Mendoza's, and his 8 INTs are three more than Mendoza has thrown.
This week is a non-conference game against FCS program Samford, and then A&M concludes the season with its rivalry game against No. 17 Texas. If the Aggies win out and reach the SEC Championship, Reed may likely need that conference title to have a chance at the Heisman.
2. Ohio State QB Julian Sayin
Next game: vs. Rutgers – Saturday, 12 p.m. ET
Another week, another dominating performance from Ohio State. With a 48-10 win over UCLA in Week 12, the Buckeyes have now won six straight games by 20+ points and four overall by 30+.
Unlike previous lopsided wins, Julian Sayin didn't play a large part. The ground game did the heavy lifting, as OSU ran for 222 yards. Sayin’s 184 passing yards marked his third-lowest output, and he now has back-to-back games with just 1 passing TD after seven consecutive games with 2+.
He’s still one of the top QBs in the country, leading the nation in passer rating (186.2), and his 80.1% completion rate would be a single-season record.
Julian Sayin’s Path to the Heisman Trophy
As the late former Raiders owner Al Davis said, “Just win, baby.” With that in mind, Sayin may need to win Week 13's matchup against 5-5 Rutgers convincingly.
He gets one more regular-season challenge, as Ohio State faces No. 18 Michigan in Week 14. The Wolverines have won this matchup four consecutive years, so if Sayin can break that, he could be the favorite going into the conference championship.
After that, Sayin might need to win the Big Ten Championship. It would help if it were against Mendoza and Indiana to secure the top seed in the College Football Playoff, thus influencing the Heisman race.
Julian Sayin's PrizePicks Projection vs. Rutgers: 273.5 Pass Yards
1. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza
Next game: vs. Purdue – Friday (11/28), 7:30 p.m. ET
The moment that boosted Mendoza’s chances comes from his clutch performance in Week 11 against Penn State, when he led Indiana on a game-winning drive to avoid the upset.
In a Week 12 matchup against Wisconsin, there was no need to sweat it out, as the Hoosiers dominated their way to a 31-7 victory. This was one of Mendoza's better statistical performances this season, with his 299 passing yards being his second-highest of the year. It was the fifth time he threw 4+ TDs with no INTs.
Mendoza has been one of the better QBs throughout the year, as he comes in third with a 73% completion percentage and leads the country with 30 passing TDs. That consistency is partially why he's the favorite.
Fernando Mendoza’s Path to the Heisman Trophy
The Hoosiers are off this week and then will play 2-9 Purdue in the regular-season finale. With Sayin and Reed playing better competition in the final week before the conference championships, outstanding performances in those games could push Mendoza out as the favorite.
As long as Indiana doesn’t get upset by Purdue, it will make it to the Big Ten Championship. A triumph in that game is significant, and if it’s against Ohio State, it'd look even better.
Entering Week 13, Fernando Mendoza is your new top contender for the Heisman Trophy. However, fellow Big Ten QB Julian Sayin isn't far behind, nor is Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed. Each QB having a path to hoisting the Heisman under the bright lights of New York City.
No matter who you're backing to win the Heisman, 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 and win if your picks are correct.
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