We now know the players who just missed out on heading to New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
The players who finished Nos. 5 through 10 in the 2025 Heisman voting were revealed on Thursday night ahead of Saturday’s ceremony. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, Notre Dame RB Jeremiah Love and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin are the four finalists who were invited to the ceremony.
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Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was the top vote-getter among players who missed out. Rodriguez leads a Texas Tech defense that has made a massive leap in 2025 thanks to a lot of help from the transfer portal. Rodriguez, who is in his fourth season at Texas Tech, has 117 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, four interceptions, two fumble recoveries and seven forced fumbles this season. Texas Tech won the Big 12 title for the first time in 2025 and is the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State DB Caleb Downs was the only other defensive player to garner enough votes to finish in the top 10. Downs came in at No. 9.
Downs’ teammate Jeremiah Smith came in at No. 6 Smith has followed a stellar freshman season with 80 catches for 1,086 yards and 11 touchdowns through 12 games and he’s also rushed for a score. Ohio State is the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoff and will play the winner of No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.
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Mendoza is the overwhelming betting favorite for the award after Indiana won the Big Ten title over Ohio State. Mendoza is currently -1200 at BetMGM ahead of Pavia at +700. The other two players are considerable long shots. Love is 150-1 to win the Heisman and Sayin is 500-1.
Georgia QB Gunner Stockton came in at No. 7 behind Smith and Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss is at No. 8. The final player in the top 10 of the voting is Georgia Tech QB Haynes King. He’s the first Yellow Jacket to receive enough votes to finish in the top 10 since WR Calvin Johnson.
