A top-10 college football job is on the market. The timing of the opening is not ideal. Neither are the circumstances.

Sherrone Moore is out at Michigan, fired and facing criminal charges after his alleged extramarital affair with a staff member came to light. A fresh scandal for a school that’s become accustomed to them raises questions about Warde Manuel’s viability as athletic director.

And yet, the first sentence still applies: This is a top-10 job.

All it takes is one good candidate to say, “What’s Moore’s mess got to do with me? Hand me the keys (and Larry Ellison’s checkbook), and let’s ride.”

Forgot about hiring a “Michigan Man.” Never mind where a coach was born, who he grew up rooting for or where he attended college. Michigan needs two things in its next coach:

1. Someone who’ll stay out of jail and free of scandal.
2. Someone who can position Michigan to compete with Ohio State — and Indiana and Oregon, for that matter.

Here’s a round of love it, like it or no thanks on these potential candidates for Michigan:

Should Michigan football consider hiring these coach candidates?

Kalen DeBoer, Alabama

Love it. If DeBoer would rather replace a disgraced coach than continue on in the shadow of the irreplaceable, then this native Midwesterner would be a smart fit for Michigan. A career winner, he showed recruiting chops at Alabama. He owns victories against the likes of Kirby Smart, Dan Lanning and Steve Sarkisian.

TOPPMEYER: As Michigan endures fresh scandal, Ohio State looks better all the time

Jedd Fisch, Washington

Like it. He has Michigan experience without connection to its scandals. Perhaps more important, he has Big Ten head coaching experience, although his two seasons at Washington are more deserving of a middling grade than an A+. He’s a fine option if bigger candidates say no.

Jeff Brohm, Louisville

Love it. Nobody should question whether Brohm could tussle with Ohio State. He already has. While coaching Purdue, his Boilermakers toppled Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes in 2018. He’s a shark in big games, with six upsets of top-11 opponents since 2018. He’s never been at a job of this magnitude. With Michigan’s resources, no telling what he might achieve.

Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator

No thanks. Now is the time for Michigan to pursue a clean break from the NCAA cheating that occurred under Jim Harbaugh. Minter received a one-year show-cause penalty earlier this year for recruiting violations. He was on Harbaugh's staff during the sign-stealing saga. Too many potholes to justify going down this road.

Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame

Love it … if he’d say yes. It’s a bit difficult to come up with an explanation for why he would, though. He enjoys an ideal situation at Notre Dame. No reason to leave, unless it’s for the NFL.

Brian Kelly, LSU

No thanks. If Kelly, 64, couldn’t make the playoff in four seasons at LSU, why would he be the right guy for Michigan? He wouldn’t. Kelly’s peak is behind him. He’d provide a dependable high floor, but Michigan should aim higher than 8-4 or 9-3.

Biff Poggi, Michigan interim

No thanks. Poggi, 65, doesn’t exactly scream exciting new direction, and the hire of a coach who went 6-16 in two seasons at Charlotte wouldn’t send a shiver down Ryan Day’s spine. If Michigan's next coach wants to retain Poggi in some capacity, that’s a conversation worth having. In the meantime, Poggi needs to keep the lights on and do his best to keep the roster intact.

Clark Lea, Vanderbilt

Like it. Can he bring Diego Pavia with him? Seriously, that’s the main question with Lea. Is his success the past two seasons the sign of a brilliant coach who’s figured this out, or more a credit to Pavia? Perhaps a little of both, but anyone who wins at Vanderbilt the way he has the past two seasons is worth an inquiry.

Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri

Like it. He’d be new to Big Ten terrain, but he’s been excellent for Missouri, to the tune of 29 victories the past three seasons at a school where averaging 10 wins hasn’t historically come easily. Michigan would bring a different level of expectations. How would he handle that? That’s the question surrounding Drinkwitz with jobs like these. Might be time to find out.

Willie Fritz, Houston

Like it. You want someone from the Curt Cignetti mold, as in an older coach who’s won everywhere he’s been? Here’s one. Fritz, 65, crushed it at the junior college, Division II and FCS levels. Then he won at Tulane. Now, he’s fresh off a 9-3 season at Houston, his first Power Four job. We haven’t seen a job yet that’s too big for Fritz.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Michigan football coach candidates: Like it, love it or no thanks

College football's most prestigious brotherhood has welcomed its newest member.

Following the conclusion of the Army-Navy Game, the Heisman Trophy award — the sport's highest individual honor  — was handed to the top college football player in the country during an awards ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 13 in New York.

Indiana football's Fernando Mendoza beat out the three other finalists — Ohio State's Julian Sayin,Vanderbilt's Diego Pavia and Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love — as the recipient of the 2025 Heisman Trophy race, marking the 13th time a quarterback has won the award since 2010.

Here's what you need to know about the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner:

REQUIRED READING: Heisman Trophy ceremony live updates: Highlights from award ceremony

Who won the Heisman Trophy in 2025?

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza was named the recipient of the 2025 Heisman Trophy on Dec. 13 during an awards ceremony in New York City.

With Mendoza winning the Heisman Trophy, he becomes the first Indiana player to win the Heisman.

The type of season that Mendoza had with the Hoosiers was far from impressive, as the former Cal quarterback continued to lead Indiana to new heights — like earning the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff after upsetting Ohio State in the Big Ten championship — during its historic turnaround under Curt Cignetti.

"I can't say enough about the way he competes," Cignetti said of Mendoza after Indiana's Big Ten championship win over Ohio State. "He's got the heart of a champion, and played great tonight and when we needed him."

Mendoza had been either the betting favorite for the Heisman or in the top three of the best-Heisman odds on BetMGM for much of the season. He was the favorite on BetMGM in each of the last two weeks, including last week at -5000 odds.

The moment that perhaps solidified Mendoza's Heisman candidacy came late in the fourth quarter of the Big Ten championship game when he connected with Charlie Becker for a 33-yard catch on third-and-6 backed up in the Hoosiers' side of the field.

REQUIRED READING: Fernando Mendoza's mom is Heisman finalist's best friend, inspiration

Heisman voting results 2025

Mendoza received a total of 2,392 points from Heisman Trophy voters, including 643 first-place votes. He edged out Pavia by 957 votes.

Here's the full points total for the 2025 Heisman Trophy, including first-place votes:

• 1st place: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza (2,392 points — 643 first-place votes)
• 2nd place: Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia (1,435 points — 189 first-place votes)
• 3rd place: Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love (719 points — 46 first-place votes)
• 4th place: Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (432 points — 8 first-place votes)
• 5th place: Texas Tech QB Jacob Rodriguez
• 6th place: Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith
• 7th place: Georgia QB Gunnar Stockton
• 8th place: Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss
• 9th place: Ohio State S Caleb Downs
• 10th place: Georgia Tech QB Haynes King

Heisman Trophy finalists' stats

Here's a look at the stats of the four Heisman Trophy finalists in 2025:

Fernando Mendoza

• Passing: 226 of 316 (71.5%) passing for 2,980 yards with 33 touchdowns and six interceptions
• Rushing: 240 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 69 carries

Julian Sayin

• Passing: 279 of 356 passing (78.4%) for 3,323 yards with 31 touchdowns and six interceptions

Diego Pavia

• Passing: 242 of 340 passing (71.2%) for 3,192 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions
• Rushing: 826 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns on 152 carries

Jeremiyah Love

• Rushing: 1,372 yards and 18 rushing touchdowns on 199 carries
• Receiving: 280 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns on 27 receptions

Heisman Trophy winners history

Here's a look at the past 10 Heisman Trophy winners with the addition of Mendoza to the list:

• 2025: QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
• 2024: WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado
• 2023: QB Jayden Daniels, LSU
• 2022: QB Caleb Williams, USC
• 2021: QB Bryce Young, Alabama
• 2020: WR DeVonta Smith, Alabama
• 2019: QB Joe Burrow, LSU
• 2018: QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
• 2017: QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
• 2016: QB Lamar Jackson, Louisville

For the full list of Heisman Trophy winners, click here.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Heisman Trophy winner 2025: Voting results, finalist stats

The magic season for Indiana football continued on Saturday night in New York City at the 2025 Heisman Trophy ceremony.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza won this year's Heisman Trophy award, with Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia placing second in the final tally.

10 great Heisman outfit photos for 2025 ceremony

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin finished third and fourth in the final vote, respectively. Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez finished fifth in voting.

Mendoza likely cemented his Heisman Trophy over Pavia in the second half of last Saturday's Big 10 championship game against Ohio State. You can see the final voting tally below.

Final Heisman voting. pic.twitter.com/rH0HHVEapu

— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoATH) December 14, 2025

What a year for Indiana and Mendoza!

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Heisman Trophy final voting results: Fernando Mendoza wins 2025 award

NEW YORK – Indiana redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the school’s first Heisman Memorial Trophy as college football's most outstanding player Saturday night, capping a stunning two-year turnaround for the Hoosiers, the No. 1 seed in this year's College Football Playoff.

Mendoza coming out of nowhere to win the award is an understatement, as he was not listed on any of the Heisman Trophy oddsmakers' lists or the Big Ten Conference's preseason honors lists.

None of that mattered to the 22-year-old Miami, Florida product, as he completed 71.5% of his passes for 2,980 yards. He led the nation with 33 touchdown passes (an Indiana school record), ranked second in passer rating, and was the third Big Ten quarterback since 2000 with three-straight games of at least four passing touchdowns and no interceptions.

More: Fernando Mendoza steps into Heisman spotlight as Indiana’s reluctant star

Who is No. 1? Ranking best, worst Heisman Trophy winners since 2000

Mendoza becomes the first Heisman winner from the Big Ten since Ohio State QB Troy Smith won in 2006.

A quarterback winning the Heisman is, of course, no surprise now that 20 of the past 24 winners played the position. Three Alabama players — running backs Mark Ingram (2009), Derrick Henry (2015), and wide receiver DeVonta Smith (2020) — and last year’s winner, two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado, are the only non-quarterbacks who have had their personalized identity engraved on the nameplate of the 45-pound trophy.

Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana from Cal this past offseason, received 643 first-place votes and 2,362 total points. Diego Pavia, who put the perennial cellar-dweller Vanderbilt on the map and led them to their first 10-win season in 122 seasons of playing football, was second in the voting (189 first-place votes, 1,435 points).

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love came in third (46, 719) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin was fourth (8, 432).

Mendoza was on 95.16% of the total ballots and won all six voting regions.

Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was fifth in the balloting (and got 17 first-place votes), followed by Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, and Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King rounded out the top 10.

Before getting back to business and preparing for the College Football Playoff, where the top-seeded Hoosiers will take on the winner of No. 8 seed Oklahoma and No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1, Mendoza, who is full‑time Master of Business Administration student at Indiana's Kelley School of Business, spent the week racking up lots of other awards, taking home the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Walter Camp Award and the AP College Football Player of the Year award.

Mendoza's journey to the top of college football was a story in itself. Playing at Christopher Columbus High School, a private Catholic school, he was a two-star recruit and was ranked the 72nd-best quarterback prospect in his class by ESPN. With only one Power Four scholarship offer, Mendoza initially committed to Yale before shifting his focus to California. 

Even after arriving at Berkeley, he didn't find immediate success, redshirting in 2022, but took control the next season, starting the final eight games for the Bears. Over three seasons at Cal, he threw 30 touchdowns, achieving that success despite playing for three different offensive coordinators. 

But transferring 2,200 miles east to Bloomington proved an easy decision, as his younger brother, Alberto, was already on the roster as a quarterback and he had earned his undergraduate degree from Cal in just three years. And despite a playoff appearance last season, Indiana still entered the season with the most losses in college football history, was 9-27 in the three seasons before coach Curt Cignetti arrived, and had not won a bowl game since 1991.

This season, with expectations through the roof, the Hoosiers were ranked No. 19 in the preseason AFCA Coaches Poll, and they dominated their first eight opponents, including a major road win against then-No. 3 Oregon, setting the stage for Mendoza's two Heisman moments.

On Nov. 8, the Hoosiers trailed Penn State 24-20 with 1:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. Despite being sacked on the drive's first play, Mendoza completed four straight passes before delivering the game-winning throw, a strike to Omar Cooper Jr., who made an exceptional catch for a 7-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone with 36 seconds remaining to finish the 10-play, 80-yard drive and keep their undefeated season alive. 

In the season's biggest moment in the Big Ten Championship game against top-ranked Ohio State, Mendoza led Indiana on a crucial drive to start the second half, completing a 51-yarder to Charlie Becker before throwing his only touchdown pass, a 17-yarder to Elijah Sarratt.

He then clinched the game late in the fourth quarter, connecting with Becker again for a 33-yard gain to convert a third down, allowing Indiana to run down most of the clock and win their first Big Ten championship since 1967.

Now, Mendoza, who is the seventh transfer to win the Heisman in the last nine years, will attempt to lead his team to another unprecedented accomplishment – a first national championship.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fernando Mendoza wins 2025 Heisman Trophy, becoming Indiana's first winner

BALTIMORE, MD — Down 16-7 in the third quarter, No. 25 Navy scored the game’s final 10 points, including the go-ahead touchdown 6:37 to play, and beat Army 17-16 in the 126th meeting in the series.

With the win, Navy retains the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy given to the winner of the round-robin series between the Bowl Subdivision service academics for the second year in a row.

After scoring on the game’s opening drive, costly mistakes by the Navy offense helped the Black Knights stake a 13-7 lead after making a 45-yard field with three seconds left in the second quarter. That scoring drive was set up an Army fumble recovery.

The Blake Knights added another field goal to take a 16-7 lead after defensive back Justin Weaver intercepted Navy quarterback Blake Horvath early in the third quarter. Weaver originally made a 32-yard touchdown return before an official review showed his knee was on the ground when he made the interception.

But the Midshipmen added a field goal of their own later in the third quarter, capping a 13-play, 72-yard drive that saw Horvath run or pass on all but two snaps.

The game shifted on a costly Army mistake. After forcing a Navy punt and taking over at their own 24-yard line with 11:54 left in the fourth quarter, the Black Knights gave the ball back to the Midshipmen on an interception by quarterback Cale Hellums, who missed an open receiver streaking downfield and then underthrew his intended target along the right sideline.

The Midshipmen went on a 50-yard drive capped by a Horvath touchdown pass to go ahead 17-16. The touchdown was Horvath’s 10th through the air, giving him at least 10 touchdowns as a passer and a runner in each of his two seasons as the starter.

Navy’s defense then delivered a key stop on Army’s ensuing possession, drawing a holding penalty that pushed the Black Knights back near their own goal line and then nearly intercepting Hellums’ desperation third-down heave down the middle of the field.

Taking over with 4:50 play at their 38-yard line, the Midshipmen gained one first down but then nearly handed the ball back to Army after Horvath fumbled when fighting to convert a third-down run.

On further review, though, officials ruled Horvath was down by contact, leaving Navy facing 4th-and-short from the Army 40-yard line. Instead of punting, the Midshipmen went for the conversion: Horvath handed the ball to running back Alex Tecza, who bulled forward for the first down.

With the Blake Knight out of timeouts, Navy was able to go into victory formation to seal the victory.

The Midshipmen have won 10 games in back-to-back years for the first time in program history. After nearly playing for the American championship and a potential College Football Playoff berth, Navy will face Cincinnati in the Liberty Bowl. Army’s season will continue against Connecticut in the Fenway Bowl.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Navy defeats Army with fourth-quarter pass by Blake Horvath