The Race for the Stiff-Arm: When QBs Who Lost to Floundering Florida State Still Lead the Pack
Welcome back to the Sanchez Sideline Spotlight, where we dissect the biggest awards in college football! We're six weeks into the 2025 season, and the Heisman Trophy race is less of a race and more of a chaotic five-car pileup, starring quarterbacks, a wide receiver, and a certain quarterback who lost his first game to a team that now considers a winning record a pipe dream.
Let’s dive into the gentlemen who’ve made it their life’s mission to strike the iconic pose.
The Alabama Enigma: Ty Simpson
Leading the charge is Ty Simpson, the QB from the University of Alabama. You know it’s a weird year when the guy at the top of the Heisman odds list started his season by losing to a Florida State team that has since been less "Seminoles" and more "Semi-MIA."
But fear not, Tide fans! Since that Week 1 blunder, Simpson has been an ice-cold machine. He's completing a surgical 70.9% of his passes for 1,678 yards with 16 touchdowns and only one interception. That's a TD-to-INT ratio that looks like a typo. He's one of only four FBS quarterbacks to throw multiple TDs in every single game. He even completed all 17 of his attempts against the hapless UL Monroe—which, to be fair, is like hitting 17 out of 17 targets with the defensive backs blindfolded, but still! Simpson has survived a brutally tough schedule and emerged as the undisputed leader. If he keeps this up, the FSU loss will just be a funny trivia question.
The Miami Transfer Who Said "Hello, Quarterback"
Next up is Carson Beck from the University of Miami. Beck, who arrived with more baggage than a transatlantic flight (new team, new offense, recovering from UCL surgery), has apparently decided that being a top 2025 NFL draft pick is just too much fun to put off.
The man is running the show for the 5-0 Hurricanes, completing a ridiculous 73.4% of his passes for 1,213 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s also conquered the entire state of Florida—beating FSU, Florida, and South Florida. Miami's offensive coordinator, Shannon Dawson, has Beck distributing the ball like a very generous billionaire on Christmas, and he's ranking sixth nationally in QBR. He’s basically telling the rest of the ACC, "Yes, I was great at Georgia, and no, I haven't forgotten how to be great in the sunshine."
Indiana’s Football God, Fernando Mendoza
Speaking of transfer surprises, let's talk about Fernando Mendoza, the quarterback who has made Indiana football an actual, relevant topic of conversation. The former Cal transfer is the main reason Indiana is eyeing a second straight College Football Playoff bid.
Mendoza is completing 71.2% of his passes for 1,423 yards with a whopping 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions. His three-game stretch of dominance was so impressive that it prompted a state-wide investigation: 782 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and zero interceptions in wins against a few cupcake teams and the then-No. 9 Illinois, which Indiana curb-stomped 63-10. He then went on the road to beat the brick wall known as Iowa, and then No. 3 Oregon. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound Mendoza is doing things in Bloomington that haven't been seen since… well, possibly ever.
The Lincoln Riley Effect: Jayden Maiava
The USC Quarterback is never truly out of the Heisman race, thanks to the eight Heisman winners already etched on the side of the stadium and the presence of Lincoln Riley. Jayden Maiava wasn't the preseason favorite, but he's quickly become the most efficient QB in the country.
Maiava leads the nation in QBR (93.1) and is putting up massive numbers, including 1,852 passing yards (leading the Big Ten) while completing 71.9% of his attempts with 13 touchdowns and two interceptions. The junior is averaging an astonishing 10.8 yards per pass attempt, which means he's throwing a new career highlight every time he touches the ball. He just needs a big performance against Notre Dame to go from "efficient" to "E-L-I-T-E."
The Rebel Receiver: Jeremiah Smith
Finally, we have the anomaly: a wide receiver with a chance. Jeremiah Smith from Ohio State is the only non-QB to realistically sniff the trophy, and he's doing it with pure dominance. The true sophomore has 40 receptions through six games and has a receiving TD in the past five contests, ranking second nationally with seven scoring catches.
Smith is the fastest Buckeye ever to reach 22 touchdown catches and needed only 19 games to hit 1,500 career receiving yards. He's the poster child for the No. 1 team in the nation, and if the quarterbacks start slipping on a few banana peels, Smith could very well be the one to swipe the stiff-arm pose. After all, the Heisman doesn't always go to the best player in the sport—but when you're this good, the voters have to pay attention.
Who will survive the mid-season grind and make it to New York? Will it be the efficient star, the transfer sensation, or the one receiver who refuses to be ignored? Grab your popcorn, the second half of the season is where legends—and awkward acceptance speeches—are made.
