Tim Tebow breaks down 'wide-open' Heisman race

Tim Tebow believes the 2025 Heisman Trophy race is as uncertain as it’s been in years. The former Florida star laid out why on SportsCenter, pointing to both heavyweights and emerging stars who still have defining opportunities down the stretch.

“It’s just wide open,” Tebow said. “You look at all of these guys and they have a chance. I look at Ty Simpson — I really believe he has a chance, because of who they play in their game today and to finish in the Iron Bowl and maybe in the SEC Championship Game. Marcel Reed has a couple big games in front of him. Fernando Mendoza, he’s played at such an elite level. Julian Sayin. My question is, do they have enough big games at the end to really make that statement?”

For Tebow, the Heisman conversation isn’t just about numbers. It’s about the stage, spotlight, and signature moments that voters can’t ignore: “One of the questions you have to ask is, who do they play down the stretch, and can they really have that Heisman moment at the end of the year?” Tebow added. “Voters see it, and they say, ‘Wow, look at what he did in the biggest moment, and look at how he was truly a star over everybody else.’”

The quarterback who may already have that moment is the Indiana star in Mendoza. The Hoosiers’ quarterback authored one of the season’s most dramatic performances in Week 11, leading a last-minute comeback against Penn State on the road.

Mendoza threw for just over 200 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, elevating IU to a 27–24 win that kept them undefeated. It also pushed his Heisman résumé to 2,342 yards, 26 touchdowns and five interceptions.

Still, Tebow cautioned that the quality of opponent in the Nittany Lions may linger in voters’ minds: “I think it was a Heisman moment,” Tebow explained, regarding the comeback. “My question is, will enough voters look at it and say Penn State was a good enough team for that? When you have some of these other teams playing really good teams now.”

Regardless, Tebow emphasized that Mendoza’s play has unquestionably been elite: “Was it incredible? Is Fernando Mendoza playing at an extremely high level? Yes, it’s ridiculous,” Tebow relented. “But now you have some of these other guys, later on in the season — can they have a drive like that to be able to eclipse that moment that he had?”

Alas, Mendoza’s Heisman moment may be real, but whether it’s enough depends on the drama still to come. “It’s not that it wasn’t an awesome moment. It was a special moment,” Tebow added. “But will you get enough votes because they’re going to look and say, if you evaluate the game, well, Penn State — they’re not the greatest right now. So I just wonder how much that comes into play as well. But it’s very open for a lot of people.”

As you can tell, with major rivalry games, conference title races and playoff pushes ahead, Tebow sees a Heisman race without a clear favorite. Mendoza might have a feather in his cap, but we’re in the final act at the moment, and the Heisman is still anyone’s guess.