College Football: Heisman contenders entering Week 9

Julian Sayin is PFF’s new Heisman favorite: Ohio State’s redshirt freshman quarterback has historic accuracy.

Ty Simpson comes in second: Alabama’s quarterback has led the Crimson Tide to a few massive wins thus far.

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We’re now past the midway point of the 2025 college football season, and the Heisman Trophy race is heating up.

From here on out, I’ll be giving my top-five Heisman rankings every week. Current odds are via DraftKings Sportsbook.

1. QB Julian Sayin, Ohio State (+400)

Despite placing third in odds right now, Sayin is my current Heisman favorite. The redshirt freshman leads all FBS quarterbacks with a 92.3 PFF passing grade, while his 85.5% adjusted completion rate is also the highest in the nation. Not only does Sayin’s 80% completion rate pace the country, it’d also be the all-time record if it stands.

2. QB Ty Simpson, Alabama (+350)

Alabama has beaten four top-20 teams in a row and is right back to being a national championship contender. The biggest reason for the Crimson Tide’s resurgence has been the play of their redshirt junior quarterback. Simpson’s 88.2 PFF passing grade is sixth in America. He’s been especially lethal from a clean pocket, tossing 16 touchdowns compared to just one interception in such situations.

3. QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt (+700)

Vanderbilt’s run over the past two seasons has been nothing short of magical, and Pavia is the wizard behind it all. His 89.5 PFF passing grade is fifth among all signal-callers in the FBS this season, and he’s also 12th among Power Four quarterbacks with 224 rushing yards after contact. If he leads the Commodores to the College Football Playoff, Pavia is deserving of at least an invite to New York for the Heisman ceremony.

4. QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (+340)

Mendoza is the current Heisman favorite and has propelled Indiana to No. 2 in the AP Poll, its highest ranking in program history. The California transfer’s 21 touchdown passes are tied for the most in the country, while his 136.3 passer rating stands alone atop the FBS. Mendoza has also completed 72.7% of his passes, trailing only Sayin in the Power Four.

5. EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (FL) (+20000)

Miami’s loss to Louisville certainly hurts Bain’s chances of getting to New York, but he’s still been arguably the most dominant player in college football this season. His 94.4 PFF grade is the highest among all players in the nation, as the junior is third among all edge defenders in PFF run-defense grade (90.8) while tying for fourth in PFF pass-rush grade (92.3). No other Power Four edge defender is even in the top 20 of the country in both metrics.