The 2025 Heisman buzz is reaching a fever pitch as the regular season nears its end. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, the current favorite, has made a name with clutch performances, like his game-winning drive against Penn State. Meanwhile, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin is closing the gap with key games left. But for former Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, there is another name that should be the favorite.

“To me, the Heisman is not even a Big Ten guy right now. I would say Jeremiyah Love, the running back for Notre Dame.”During the Week 13 College GameDay discussion, Howard confirmed his pick. “To me, at the end of the day, when you start talking Heisman, it is the best player, not quarterback.”

The question was about the Which Big Ten quarterback is going to win the Heisman this year? But Howard did not change his stance from a few weeks ago. It’s quite bold of him not to choose any QBs and jump straight to a running back, especially from an independent program. And it’s not just Howard who thinks this way. ESPN reporter Todd McShay also backs this claim about Love.

“He is so smooth. But it’s more than that. It’s how smooth he is with his feet. If he doesn’t get to New York, what the hell are we doing? And I have a Heisman vote, so I’ll do my part,” McShay said, and even compared him to Ashton Jeanty and Bijan Robinson.

Currently, ESPN BET Sportsbook has Love at +4000 to win the award, sitting behind Sayin and Mendoza. Still, it’s not an issue for Desmond Howard. During the week 9 College GameDay broadcast from Nashville, Tennessee, the former Heisman Trophy winner continued to praise the Notre Dame RB. Even Nick Saban gave his vote of approval for the 20-year-old.

At the time, Love had the odds 20-1, while Mendoza was still the favorite with +325. The reason that Jeremiyah Love is in the conversation is because of his second straight season topping 1,000 yards. He has already piled up 1,135 yards and 14 touchdowns so far and is the first player in Notre Dame’s long history to break off multiple touchdown runs of 90-plus yards.

A 98-yarder against Indiana in last year’s playoff opener and a 94-yarder against Boston College earlier this season. Pretty wild. His record-setting game was against USC. Against the Trojans, he ran for a career-high 228 yards, which played a huge role in locking down a big win for Notre Dame. The Irish coach, Marcus Freeman, backs his star rusher for the Heisman achievement.

“I think Jeremiyah Love would be the first to tell you that winning a game is way more important than that individual award,” Freeman added. “He’s going to do everything in his power to make sure we prepare to win a game. And if the Heisman Trophy comes with it, then great. That’s amazing.”

But before any of that happens, Love still has some business to handle. Notre Dame still needs to take care of struggling Syracuse (3–7) on Saturday and then beat Stanford to close the season. That in turn might be enough to snag one of those 12 playoff spots and give the Irish a shot at playing their way back into the national title picture.

Jeremiya Love following the NFL star trail 

Jeremiyah Love’s performance this season has been nothing short of outstanding. And that’s exactly why the 20-year-old is drawing some serious NFL-star comparisons, especially to James Cook. The former Georgia Bulldogs running back is making $48M in contract from the Buffalo Bills. It’s the same old story of a small-town Notre Dame back turning heads enough to earn a shot at NFL riches. So, fans and analysts alike are hoping to see Love as a potential star to follow that trail.

Love had an explosive play with his 56-yard touchdown against Pittsburgh. That performance has caught the attention of coaches and scouts, who are taking notice. ESPN’s NFL draft analyst Jordan Reid even ranked him third among prospects, citing his versatility and slippery running style. NFL scouts are drooling, with one AFC assistant saying he’s a “mixture of James Cook and Jahmyr Gibbs.” It’s a combo of explosiveness and playmaking that NFL teams love.

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If Love keeps this up, it’s no stretch to see him drafted early and landing in a situation like Tennessee, which is desperate to boost its ground game. The Titans, currently holding the top pick, could look his way if they trade down. They are desperately looking for a sharp rusher to assist their QB Cam Ward.