Sports
Way-Too-Early 2025 Heisman Trophy Picks: Top Contenders and Dark Horse Candidates
The Heisman Trophy became an increasingly homogeneous honor through the first quarter of the 21st century. The top two contenders for the Heisman in 2024 defied convention, as a Group of Five running back (Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty) and a two-way playmaker from a team out of the national title race (winner Travis Hunter from Colorado) made for one of the most captivating competitions in recent memory.
Might last season signal the beginning of a trend in which the leading Heisman candidates don’t need to be quarterbacks in offenses built to inflate the position’s numbers? And can Group of Five players realistically enter the fray after 11 years passed between any such candidates reaching New York?
While last season’s race is unlikely to become the norm, the early frontrunners for 2025 include some unconventional names alongside the typical Heisman contenders.
QB Arch Manning, Texas
On-field production certainly matters for building a Heisman argument, but even the most productive candidates need hype to get to New York. Perhaps no player will head into the 2025 season with more hype than Arch Manning, the former No. 1 overall recruit poised to quarterback Texas after its run to the national semifinals.
Manning whet the appetites of those eager to see him command the Longhorns full-time with 61 completions on 60 pass attempts last season, gaining 939 yards and scoring nine touchdowns. The scenarios he’ll face in 2025 will differ from the situations Manning encountered in limited playing time as a freshman, but what he was able to show in 2024 looked worthy of the hype.
QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
After a middling 2023, Cade Klubnik quietly produced some of the most impressive passing numbers of any quarterback in the FBS in 2024. With 36 touchdowns against only six interceptions, Klubnik’s 6-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio outpaced ACC counterpart and Heisman finalist Cam Ward (39 touchdowns, seven interceptions).
Klubnik also finished in the top 10 nationally for total passing yards with 3,639—just 26 fewer than Trevor Lawrence threw for in one additional game in 2019. Should Klubnik maintain similar numbers while leading Clemson in the playoff hunt, expect him to be at the forefront of Heisman chatter.
QB Josh Hoover, TCU
In 2023, TCU endured the kind of runner-up slump usually reserved for Super Bowl losers. The Horned Frogs’ rebound to win nine games in 2024 coincided with Josh Hoover’s maturation into a prolific passer.
The strides Hoover made in his first season with Kendal Briles as TCU’s offensive coordinator resulted in the quarterback flirting with 4,000 yards while passing for 27 touchdowns. Another jump in production in Year 2 running the system, along with the Horned Frogs returning to Big 12 title contention, are realistic possibilities that could have Hoover in the Heisman race.
QB Blake Horvath, Navy
Ten years after the egregious snub of Keenan Reynolds as a 2015 Heisman finalist, Navy has another outstanding quarterback deserving of consideration for the award. Blake Horvath finished in the top 20 nationally with 103.8 rushing yards per game, ranked in the top 12 for rushing touchdowns with 17, and outpaced even Ashton Jeanty with a 7.1-yard per carry average. Only Utah-bound quarterback Devon Dampier rushed for more, at 7.5 yards per carry with New Mexico.
Horvath was at his best in some of Navy’s biggest games as well, going for 211 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Memphis (which finished the season ranked in the Top 25); 129 yards on just 14 carries against Notre Dame; and 196 yards and two touchdowns with another two scores and 155 yards in the season-ending wins over Army and Oklahoma.
What’s more, Horvath tossed the ball enough in Navy’s option offense to accumulate 1,353 passing yards and 13 more touchdowns—two of which came against both Memphis and Army. His outstanding finish to close a 10-win season should have voters well acquainted with Horvath once 2025 gets underway.
QB John Mateer, Oklahoma
A year after Cam Ward became a Heisman contender at Miami, John Mateer could be the second Washington State transfer to do so with another program. Mateer’s addition is meant to shake up a Sooners offense that stagnated in 2024 after putting up 41.7 points per game with Dillon Gabriel at the controls in 2023.
Mateer’s production last season on the Palouse was impressive: 224-of-347 passing for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. He was also among the most dangerous dual-threat options in the game, rushing for 826 yards and 15 touchdowns.
QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Garrett Nussmeier was left filling some big shoes when 2023 Heisman winner Jayden Daniels left for the NFL and began carving up the league as a rookie. Nussmeier acquitted himself nicely, averaging more passing yards per game than any returning quarterback in 2025 at 311.7, only six yards shy of Daniels’ pace the year prior.
Now, Nussmeier was nowhere near the ball-carrier that his predecessor was, but the returning Tigers quarterback has a big arm and reads the field well. Nussmeier has the potential to lead the nation in passing next season.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Jeremiah Smith capped an outstanding freshman season by stealing the show during Ohio State’s national championship run. He is college football’s most buzzed-about playmaker after setting a Rose Bowl Game freshman record with 187 yards on just seven catches and shaping the National Championship Game with a 56-yard scoring reception.
The latest star in the Buckeyes’ impressive wide receiver lineage could be poised to reach heights none of his many outstanding forerunners did as a Heisman winner.
Sports
Hector Herrera, Dynamo deal another shutout loss to Orlando City
Apr 18, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Houston Dynamo FC midfielder Guilherme Santos (20) dribbles the ball against Orlando City SC midfielder Eduard Atuesta (20) during the first half at Inter&Co Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images Hector Herrera’s goal in the 75th minute broke a scoreless stalemate and lifted the Houston Dynamo to a 1-0 victory over host Orlando City SC on Saturday night.
Herrera’s first goal of the season gave Houston (3-4-0, 9 points) its second consecutive victory across all competitions but snapped a three-match losing streak in MLS play. The Dynamo won their first game ever at Orlando, their first road win this season and secured three vital points as they try to avoid falling out of contention early.
It was Houston’s first shutout win in league play since Sept. 20, 2025, against Portland.
Orlando City (1-6-1, 4 points) is winless in its past four league games and has scored only one goal over that span. The Lions were blanked for the fourth time this season.
Herrera kicked home a rebound after a shot by Ezequiel Ponce was blocked by Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau. The scoring chance was created by a great advance downfield by Lawrence Ennali, who split Orlando’s defenders and put a close-range shot on goal that Crepeau also deflected.
Dynamo goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer entered the game after halftime in relief of starter Jonathan Bond and made a huge save in the second half to keep the game scoreless.
In the 66th minute, Orlando’s Braian Ojeda fired a corner kick in front of the goal that almost found the mark. Iago Teodoro’s attempt was blocked. Martin Ojeda then had another putback attempt blocked by a Dynamo defender to keep the game scoreless.
Orlando City’s other great chance came just before halftime when Tyrese Spicer delivered a long, accurate cross that traveled right in front of Bond. Tiago came sliding in and fired the ball quickly, but it hit the crossbar and ricocheted away.
It was one of multiple chances before the half for Orlando that didn’t find the mark.
Houston had only one official shot on target in the first half but ended up with a 6-3 edge in that department by game’s end and outshot Orlando 19-17. Crepeau finished with four saves while Bond and Maurer combined for three saves.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cincinnati rallies late to force eventful draw vs. Fire
Apr 18, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; FC Cincinnati defender Miles Robinson (12) (center) heads the ball clear away from Chicago Fire FC midfielder Dje D’avilla (42) during the first half of an MLS match at TQL Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Images FC Cincinnati scored twice in the final 15 minutes of regulation to earn a 3-3 draw against the visiting Chicago Fire Saturday evening.
Hugo Cuypers found the net twice for Chicago, extending his team lead to six goals on the season. But Cincinnati (2-4-2, 8 points) used goals in the 79th and 86th minutes to end the Fire’s (4-2-2, 14 points) three-match MLS winning streak.
The match was a battle, with 41 total shots, 16 shots on goal, 20 combined fouls and seven combined yellow cards.
After a scoreless 25 minutes to start, both teams heated up offensively, combining for three goals in the next 20 minutes plus stoppage time.
Cuypers got the scoring, connecting on a right-footed shot with assists from Philip Zinckernagel and Jack Elliott to give the Fire a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute.
In the 42nd minute, Cincinnati striker Tom Barlow tied the match when the rebound of Chris Brady’s save of Bryan Ramirez’s shot fell to his feet at the edge of the 6-yard box.
It looked like that 1-1 tie would hold going into halftime, but Cincinnati’s Samuel Gidi picked up a costly foul on Cuypers in the third minute of stoppage time. Zinckernagel took advantage with a right-footed penalty shot that got past Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano and gave the Fire a 2-1 lead.
Things went from bad to worse for Cincinnati three minutes into the second half when Cuypers scored again to increase the Fire’s lead to 3-1.
Just when time was starting to dwindle, Cincinnati roared back. Evander, who scored 18 goals a season ago, notched his first goal of the season in the 79th minute on a penalty kick set up by Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s foul of Gerardo Valenzuela on his run into the box.
Cincinnati then leveled in the 86th minute on an own goal from Chicago’s Dje D’Avilla directly off an Evander free kick.
Despite an extended 10 minutes of second-half stoppage time, neither team could find the net, with Brady making his eighth save to keep the game level.
Celentano finished with three saves.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Charlotte FC score late, edge New York City FC
Apr 18, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC midfielder Maximiliano Moralez (10) fights for the ball against Charlotte FC midfielder Ashley Westwood (8) during the first half at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images Idan Toklomati and Kerwin Vargas scored second-half goals as Charlotte FC slipped past New York City FC 2-1 on Saturday night for their first road win in three tries this season.
Kristijan Kahlina had seven saves for Charlotte (4-2-2, 14 points), which avenged a three-match series loss to NYCFC in the opening round of the MLS playoffs last fall.
Charlotte FC, which has lost just once in their last six league matches, is tied for third place in the Eastern Conference.
Nicolas Fernandez scored in the third minute of stoppage time in the second half for slumping New York City (3-3-2, 11 points) which has not won in its last four games against MLS competition.
Matthew Freese had two saves for NYCFC, which has surrendered eight goals during their four-game skid.
After a scoreless first half, Charlotte struck in the 54th minute as Wilfried Zaha maneuvered through traffic in the middle of the field and created a window to send a pass downfield.
Harry Toffolo passed forward to an open Toklomati, who tapped a right-footed shot past the onrushing Freese.
It was the third goal this season for Toklomati and the third assist for Toffolo as Charlotte scored for just the second time this season in a road match after playing six straight games at home in all competitions.
Zaha was the missing piece for Charlotte on April 11 in a 2-1 loss to first-place Nashville SC as he was serving a red-card suspension.
The second goal for Charlotte came in the 90th minute as Pep Biel crossed to Vargas, who fired a left-footed shot inside the left post for his second goal this season.
New York City answered in stoppage time as Fernandez took a feed across the box from Hannes Wolf and scored with a left-footed blast from just outside the box to the top right corner.
NYCFC dominated the scoreless first half with its pressing defense and the creative, well-timed attacks of Maxi Moralez and Agustin Ojeada. While New York City fired 10 shots in the period, Charlotte took just one.
For the match, NYCFC outshot Charlotte 23-8, which gave 19-year-old forward Rodolfo Akolo his first MLS start.
–Field Level Media
