College football fans will now get to vote for one of the sport's most prestigious awards, as the new team behind the Heisman Trophy launches a season-long analytics and storytelling platform called "Heisman Hopefuls."
Fans can vote daily starting on Sept. 9, with the results determining the top three finishers on the single official fan ballot. The voting model is weighted throughout the season, giving more significance to votes cast later in the year as conference races take shape.
"We surveyed college football fans, and they told us clearly that they want more data on more players and more ways to engage with the Heisman Trophy throughout the season," Heisman CEO Jeff Price said in a statement.
"Every player who steps onto the field this fall begins the season as a Heisman Hopeful with the chance to earn the award on the field of play," Price added.
The new platform will feature official player data and regularly updated EA Sports College Football player ratings.
Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez won the 2025 fan votes, with Nebraska's Emmett Johnson finishing second, per ESPN's Bill Connelly. Eventual Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza landed in third.
ESPN will unveil the winner of the Heisman Hopefuls fan vote during conference championship weekend. The players ranking first, second, and third will be logged as the first official ballot in the Heisman Trophy tabulation.
