Last Saturday's Heisman Trophy ceremony came and went with Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza beating out Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia, Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin. With Love, Mendoza, and Pavia all heading for the NFL, Sayin will be back for at least one more season.
Naturally, he headlines Mark Schlabach's list of way-too-early Heisman Trophy candidates for 2026 over on ESPN. Along with Ohio State teammate Jeremiah Smith, Sayin is one of the first three players listed, including Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton. Like Sayin and Smith, Stockton was a top-10 vote getter for the 2025 Heisman Trophy.