Mendoza Leads Heisman Finalists to NYC; Is There an Upset Brewing?

• Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza leads a group of four finalists to the Heisman Trophy ceremony on Saturday night in New York City.
• Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin will join Mendoza at the Downtown Athletic Club.
• Mendoza leads the odds, but Pavia is trying to make a late charge.

Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza leads four finalists who will head to the Downtown Athletic Club on Saturday for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

Mendoza is a big favorite going into Saturday, but Pavia is making a late push!

Heisman Finalists Are Comprised of Three Quarterbacks, One Running Back

The Heisman finalists were announced on Monday evening.

It should be no surprise that Mendoza leads the four finalists. He’s the quarterback for the 13-0 Indiana Hoosiers, who earned their first #1 ranking in the AP Poll. The Hoosiers are also the top seed heading into the CFP Playoffs. Mendoza is Indiana’s second Heisman finalist, after running back Anthony Thompson finished second to Houston QB Andre Ware in 1989.

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia is the first Commodore to be a Heisman finalist. The remaining two finalists come from longtime powerhouses: Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. The latter’s Buckeyes lead Indiana in the college football championship odds despite a 13-10 loss to the Hoosiers in the Big Ten title game last Saturday.

Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez seems to be the biggest snub. The linebacker won the Butkus Award as the best at his position, and the Nagurski as the best defender in the country. However, even if he had made it to New York, Rodriguez may have been a longshot.

Only two defensive players have ever won the Heisman. Cornerback Charles Woodson from Michigan won in 1997. Colorado’s Travis Hunter won last season, but he was a two-way player who had over 1,200 receiving yards.

Can anyone catch Mendoza in the 2025 Heisman betting odds?

Can Pavia Catch Mendoza on Saturday?

Mendoza is a major favorite heading into the Heisman Trophy ceremony, but he doesn’t have as big of a gap as he did on Monday before the finalists were announced. Vanderbilt’s Pavia is closing the margin on Mendoza, who does have an edge as the leader of the best team in the country.

If you look at the individual numbers, however, Pavia has comparable passing stats to Mendoza. He also has much better rushing stats than Mendoza. That, at least, gives the Vanderbilt quarterback a slight chance of tracking down his Indiana counterpart.

It is interesting to see the change in finalists now. While two are from traditional bluebloods like Notre Dame and Ohio State, Indiana and Vanderbilt are getting their moment in the sun. There is an excellent chance that this will continue in the NIL/transfer portal era!