Heisman Trophy odds shift to a new favorite
AUSTIN (KXAN) — With no wild upsets occurring this past weekend, the Associated Press Top 25 rankings saw a few minor changes, but the top six teams in the rankings held on to their positions.
The FanDuel Heisman odds saw a relatively similar trend, with only one change — a new favorite for the nation’s top player.
2025 Heisman Trophy odds via FanDuel
- Fernando Mendoza, +260
- Ty Simpson, +350
- Julian Sayin, +400
- Marcel Reed, +500
- Diego Pavia, +850
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers dominated this past Saturday, cruising past UCLA with a 56-6 victory. Mendoza found himself responsible for four of Indiana’s eight touchdowns, passing for three and rushing for one.
The junior quarterback now has 27 total touchdowns on the season, 24 in the air and three on the ground. As Indiana moves to the top of the Big Ten, Mendoza and the Hoosiers look like they’ll be preparing for back-to-back college football playoff appearances.
Quarterback Ty Simpson and the Alabama Crimson Tide avoided a near-upset on Saturday, staging a fourth-quarter comeback against South Carolina. It seemed like the Crimson Tide were yet again going to be the victim of losing to an unranked opponent this season, until Simpson and Alabama scored 15 unanswered points to improve to 7-1 on the season.
Simpson finished the game with 253 passing yards and two touchdowns, improving to 20 passing touchdowns this season.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin was off this week with a bye. The young quarterback has impressed thus far in his first season as a starter, tossing for 19 touchdowns and 1,872 passing yards. As the team continues to sit atop the rankings, barring any major upsets, it seems they may stay there until the end of the season.
Marcel Reed and Texas A&M struggled in the first half of their matchup against LSU, giving up two interceptions and a blocked punt to the Tigers, trailing 18-14 at halftime. Despite the early struggles, the Aggies dominated in the second half of the game, scoring five touchdowns before LSU scored one in a 49-25 romp in Baton Rouge. It was a loss that led to the firing of head coach Brian Kelly, and the Aggies were the final nail in Kelly’s coffin.
Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores have been an exciting group to watch this season. Pavia gets the job done in any way he can, showcasing his passing and running abilities throughout the season. The Commodores secured another ranked win on Saturday, defeating previously ranked No. 15 Missouri 17-10. The Commodores are now No. 9 in the AP Top 25, the program's highest ranking since 1937.