Heisman Trophy index: chaotic Week 8 shakes up contenders list

College football continues to get more interesting by the week. With four top-10 teams falling in Week 8, man Heisman Trophy candidates were in the middle of the action.

So, here's the latest, as teams approach the final weekend of October in what is a tight race.

Honorable mentions

Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame, RB)

Love was considered by many to be the top back in college football coming into 2025. He has really exploded this week in No. 12 Notre Dame's win over former No. 20 USC in what may be his best game of the year.

The junior back scampered to the tune of 285 yards from scrimmage and a score. The performance was lifted by a career-high 228 rushing yards for Love.

Love's 12 total touchdowns (nine rushing, three receiving) rank second in the country, and his 758 rushing yards rank fith in the nation. If he is able to push the Irish to the playoff again with big efforts like these, he will continue to be on Heisman watch.

JEREMIYAH LOVE DOING JEREMIYAH LOVE THINGS 🫶#GoIrish☘️ | @JeremiyahLove pic.twitter.com/GcKpSbIZHD
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 18, 2025

Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt, QB)

Pavia's run at No. 10 Vanderbilt will go down in history. The senior QB has the Commodores ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll for the first time since the 1940s because of his Heisman-worthy play.

Vandy was able to knock off No. 20 LSU in what was considered an upset. Pavia lifted the team again, totaling 246 yards of offense and three scores (one passing, two rushing).

Through seven games, Pavia has the sixth-best QBR in the country (85.2), has 19 total TDs (15 passing, four rushing), and has amassed 2,007 total yards as the Commodores' leading passer and rusher. He'll look to keep that going when No. 15 Missouri visits this weekend.

Diego Pavia may not be an NFL QB but he’s a legend of the college game pic.twitter.com/TwDCPB8Hae
— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) October 18, 2025

Carson Beck (Miami, QB)

The mighty have fallen. As great as Beck's 2025 season has been, his showing (and comments) in an upset loss to Louisville are troubling.

Beck was picked off four times in the loss, a career high. And while his Heisman resume is as strong as any players on the list, this showing may be the worst of any player's.

The scary thing for No. 9 Miami is that Beck has shown to be turnover prone, as he had three three-interception games last year for Georgia. He will look to rebound his Heisman hopes this week with a visit to SMU on the slate.

Imagine how good Georgia would have been if they didn’t have Carson Beck as QB the last few seasons.

pic.twitter.com/YzXsbbxxEq
— SEC Numbers Guy (@secnumbersguy) October 18, 2025

5) Julian Sayin (Ohio State, QB)

The Buckeyes' sophomore QB has been fairly smooth this season. But his performance in No. 1 Ohio State's shutout of Wisconsin was his most torrid yet.

Sayin netted a career-high 393 passing yards and tied a season-high of four TD passes. He has passed for 11 scores and no INTs in the last four games, leads the nation with an 80 percent completion rate and has the fourth-best QBR in the country (88.4).

It was easy to assume Sayin was the one benefitting from having NFL prospects at receiver like Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate. But these two have been able to thrive this fall because of Sayin.

Julian Sayin is the single biggest improvement in college football

His growth from game one to today is INSANE pic.twitter.com/3WOaHsBYBU
— CFBTalkDaily (@CFBTalkDaily) October 18, 2025

4) Dante Moore (Oregon, QB)

Despite dropping their first game of the season to No. 2 Indiana, Moore bounced back to get No. 6 Oregon back on track by waxing Rutgers.

Moore tied a season-high total of four TD passes with 290 passing yards, and he added 49 yards on the ground. The sophomore QB is tied for fourth in the country in TD tosses at 19, as he comes off a game against the Badgers where he had a QBR of 99.1.

Next up for Moore and the Ducks is Iowa, who have yet to give up more than 28 points in a game on the season.

#Oregon QB Dante Moore is DEALING today.

Hits Dakorien Moore over the middle of the field for a big 34-yard touchdown. pic.twitter.com/JPHB0FuE1F
— Andy (@AndyyNFL) October 18, 2025

3) Haynes King (Georgia Tech, QB)

King's reign continues on for No. 7 Georgia Tech. The senior QB was able to keep the Yellow Jackets unscathed as they dropped Duke on the road.

The passing game continues to be efficient for King (14 for 21, 205 yards). But his legs were as special as ever, toting to the tune of 120 yards and a score for his fourth 100-yard rushing game this season.

King's performance was also the third time notching 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a game on the year. It may not look traditional but the way he's played has more than earned Heisman consideration.

CFB: So many people thought Duke would win but Haynes King had other plans for Georgia Tech!pic.twitter.com/gDi5IN2gx4
— SHARP (@SharpAGOfficial) October 18, 2025

2) Ty Simpson (Alabama, QB)

Simpson's comeback story alone makes him a fan favorite to win the Heisman. But it's really his play since dropping a Week 1 game that has the junior QB in the mix.

No. 4 Alabama is riding high after Simpson led the Crimson Tide to a convincing win over No. 17 Tennessee. Simpson had a strong night, going 19 for 29 with 253 passing yards and two TD passes.

Simpson now has 18 TD passes on the year against one INT. He will look to keep this six-game winning streak going when he and 'Bama visit South Carolina on Saturday.

The best QBs are problem solvers.

This is exceptional stuff from #Alabama QB Ty Simpson vs. Tennessee. Let me explain.

Volume: 🆙📶 pic.twitter.com/bW09rVDwE4
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) October 19, 2025

1) Fernando Mendoza (Indiana, QB)

Fernando mania is running wild. The junior QB may have had the highest highs of any player in college football this season.

This weekend's effort was no different, as Mendoza and No. 2 Indiana trounced Michigan State to get to 7-0. Mendoza had as many incompletions as TD passes (four), as he compiled a season-high 332 passing yards.

On the year, Mendoza has four games with four or more TD tosses, is tied for lead in the country in TD passes (21) and has the second-highest passer rating at 191.0. That level of play is why he is favored to win the Heisman with less than half of the regular season left.

This throw will be shown on draft tapes in the spring. Ridiculous accuracy by Fernando Mendoza. #iufb pic.twitter.com/PbnXGaZZjX
— Zion Brown (@z10nbr0wn) October 18, 2025