College Football: Heisman candidates heading into Week 7

• A pivotal game this weekend for the Heisman race: This Saturday’s game between third-ranked Oregon and No. 7 Indiana features two quarterbacks who are in the top five of Heisman odds in Dante Moore and Fernando Mendoza.

• Carson Beck up to second: The Miami (FL) quarterback moves up a couple spots following the Hurricanes’ road win over a top-20 team in Florida State.

• Get PFF+ 25% off: Use promo code PFFCFB25 to get 25% off your PFF+ annual subscription.

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As we near the midway point of the 2025 college football season, the Heisman Trophy race is heating up.

Here’s a breakdown of the current five favorites to win the bronze stiff-arm trophy, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

QB Dante Moore, Oregon (+500)

Moore remains the Heisman favorite going into Week 7. The redshirt sophomore’s 88.9 PFF passing grade is eighth among FBS quarterbacks, while his 81.7% adjusted completion rate is tied for third. Moore’s pocket presence has also been elite, as only 3.1% of the pressures he’s endured have turned into sacks (fourth in the FBS). He has a chance to further cement himself as the Heisman favorite this Saturday against seventh-ranked Indiana.

QB Carson Beck, Miami (FL) (+600)

Beck moves up from fourth in odds to second following Miami’s 28-22 win on the road over No. 18 Florida State. Beck had an elite 77.8% adjusted completion rate in the win, with four touchdown passes and no interceptions. His 72.9% completion rate on the year is 10th among all quarterbacks in the nation, and he gets the ball out at lightning speed, averaging a 2.37-second average time to throw (eighth-fastest in the FBS). He and the Hurricanes are off this week before taking on a 4-1 Louisville squad next Friday night.

QB Ty Simpson, Alabama (+650)

Simpson led Alabama to its second straight win over a top-20 opponent this past weekend as the Crimson Tide took down No. 16 Vanderbilt. The redshirt junior was once again fantastic with a 90.8 PFF passing grade in the victory. He now has three games with a 90.0-plus PFF grade and has been especially lethal from a clean pocket, placing third in the FBS with 92.5 passing grade in such situations. Simpson will try to lead Alabama to its third straight top-20 victory as the Crimson Tide go on the road to take on No. 14 Missouri this weekend.

WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (+900)

While Smith wasn’t even Ohio State’s star receiver in its 42-3 win over Minnesota last weekend, the sophomore still recorded two receiving touchdowns in the victory. His 83.0 overall PFF grade on the season is 15th in the country, as are his 463 receiving yards. Smith’s six touchdown catches are tied for third as well. He and the Buckeyes have a big road test in Week 7 against No. 17 Illinois.

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (+1400)

Mendoza remains fifth in Heisman odds after Indiana’s bye week. He’s still second in the country with 16 touchdown passes, while his 138.7 passer rating leads the Power Four. Mendoza is particularly deadly from a clean pocket, placing ninth in PFF grade when kept clean and sixth when not blitzed. He has a chance to launch up this list this weekend as the Hoosiers go on the road to take on third-ranked Oregon.