The Heisman Trust announced four finalists for college football\'s most prestigious individual award Monday, with Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza of Indiana, Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt and Julian Sayin of Ohio State earning the highest vote totals. The trophy will be presented Saturday night at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York.
Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns for the 10-2 Fighting Irish this season. His 6.9-yard average per rushing attempt ranks first among Power 4 backs with 1,000 yards or more. The junior from St. Louis accounted for 1,652 yards from scrimmage and is also a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Maxwell Award and Doak Walker Award.
Historic Season for Indiana\'s Mendoza
Mendoza capped an undefeated 13-0 season by leading Indiana to a 13-10 victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game Saturday. The junior from Miami threw for 2,980 yards on 71.5 percent passing with a nation-leading 33 touchdown passes and six interceptions. His 9.4-yard average per passing attempt ranked second in the FBS.
Mendoza directed the Hoosiers to three wins against top-10 opponents, including road victories at Iowa, Oregon and Penn State. He led an 80-yard drive in 1:15 to beat the Nittany Lions 27-24 on a third-down throw with 36 seconds remaining.
Pavia Leads Vanderbilt Breakthrough
Pavia carried Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season with victories against nationally-ranked LSU, Missouri and Tennessee. The senior from Albuquerque threw for 3,192 yards on 71.2 percent passing with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 826 yards, second among Power 4 quarterbacks, and nine scores.
Sayin, a freshman from Carlsbad, leads the nation in completion percentage at 78.4. He threw for 3,329 yards with 31 touchdowns and six interceptions for Ohio State.
Historical Significance
Love is set to become Notre Dame\'s first top-five Heisman finisher since linebacker Manti Te\'o placed second in 2012. Vanderbilt has never had a top-five finisher in Heisman voting. Indiana\'s only top-five finishers were running back Anthony Thompson in 1989 and halfback Bill Hillenbrand in 1942.