How to bet the Heisman Trophy race, which comes down to the Big Ten Championship game

"The Heisman race feels like watching two tightrope walkers and a sprinter all trying to cross the same finish line. One slip decides everything, one stumble rewrites ballots, or one surge would force voters to rethink what they thought they already knew. Championship weekend is the final wire, and the margins are thin. Remaining Heisman Trophy candidates Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana +125 Mendoza ends the regular season the same way he's led the last three weeks: in front."

"The Purdue game didn't redefine anything, 80% completion, three touchdowns, no panic, no mistakes, it was protection on the résumé and that's all that matters. Mendoza will enter the Big Ten title game undefeated with the best single moment of the season and the cleanest narrative. The award comes down to one question: can Mendoza avoid the catastrophic performance that resets the race?"

"I mentioned if he played a "standard 27-14 type of script, throwing 21-for-28 for 240 yards, two touchdowns" then that wouldn't shift minds. He did just that, 27-9 standard win over Michigan, 19-for-26 and three touchdowns. That's Sayin. Efficient, controlled, never in danger, and never unforgettable. The Michigan win gets him credit for breaking a four-year losing streak but the game was never a worry."

Championship weekend will decide a tightly contested Heisman race between Fernando Mendoza and Julian Sayin. Mendoza leads after consecutive strong weeks and an 80% completion game with three touchdowns against Purdue, entering the Big Ten title game undefeated with a signature moment and a clean narrative. Mendoza needs a steady, mistake-free performance rather than spectacular plays to retain the award. Sayin remains efficient and controlled, producing routine box-score numbers and a 27-9 win over Michigan, but his season lacks unforgettable moments. Sayin's path requires beating Mendoza on the field to force voters to change their preference.

Read at ESPN.com