Two of the top three candidates for the Heisman Trophy will be playing quarterback in Saturday night's Big Ten Football Championship.
The performances of IU’s Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin could decide the Heisman. Or, it could make Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia the favorite to win the award.
The Heisman winner will be announced Dec. 13 in New York.
Earlier this year, Mendoza was chosen ahead of Sayin for the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year award, Quarterback of the Year, and first-team all conference.
Mendoza has thrown for 32 touchdowns and 2,758 yards. He has five interceptions.
Sayin has thrown for 30 touchdowns and 3,065 yards. He has five interceptions.
"He plays with a lot of poise," IU coach Curt Cignetti said. "He doesn't look like a guy that's in his first year as a starter. He looks like he sees the field very well, throws the ball on rhythm. He can really rip it.
"He's got a tight release, a lot of velocity on the ball, very accurate. They've done a nice job protecting him, and obviously he's got great weapons to throw to."
Receivers Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate are third and fourth, respectively, in the Big Ten in receiving yards per game. Smith is second in the league in receptions, despite missing a game with an injury.
Smith is tied with three others — including IU's Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt — for most receiving touchdowns in the league. They have 11.
"I think they're a little bit like us, they don't put the ball in his hands and say, 'Win the game.' They're balanced," Cignetti said. "They want to run the football and throw the football both, as do we, and that takes some pressure off the quarterback. Whereas some teams are a little bit more into points, stats, whatever, want to throw the ball more. Neither of these two teams do that."
IU's other Big Ten honorees on offense
Carter Smith won the league's Offensive Lineman of the Year award and was first-team all-league.
Cooper Jr. and Sarratt were second-team all-league as selected by the media and coaches.
Center Pat Coogan and tight end Riley Nowakowski were second-team all-league as selected by the media and third-team by the coaches.
Running back Roman Hemby was third-team all-league in the media vote and honorable mention in the coaches' vote.