Send us a text This week's pod takes a trip down memory lane with former Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke on the 25th anniversary of his Heisman-winning season. Learn how the late-1980s three-sport high school prodigy out of Minnesota transformed into the improbable and unflappable late-1990s Seminole field general who -- at age 28! -- helped cap one of college football's great dynastic runs. Now the offensive coordinator for Georgia Tech, Weinke looks back fondly at his Heisman w...

Send us a text Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza joins the Heisman Trophy Podcast as the Hoosiers sit at 11-0, eyeing a Big Ten title and potential playoff berth. He reflects on pivotal moments of the season—like the last-second touchdown vs. Penn State—and shares how his transfer from Cal paid off thanks to Indiana’s leadership, team culture, and offensive scheme. In this classic long-form interview, Mendoza opens up about his methodical, Stoic approach to football and life, and how he ov...

Send us a text On the 50th episode of the Heisman Trophy Podcast, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, a.k.a. "Mr. 80%", drops by to talk about his football journey, including how he learned the fine art of completing passes at an absurdly-high rate. The redshirt freshman has the No. 1 Buckeyes in position to possibly repeat as national champs, and a trip to New York City could be his just reward. Regardless, can someone find this man a good breakfast burrito in Columbus? We also commem...

Send us a text Midshipmen quarterback Blake Horvath returns for his second deployment on the Heisman Trophy Podcast, showcasing his whistling skills while providing insight on Academy life, the Army-Navy game and even Marine culture. The senior from Hilliard, Ohio, leads one of the nation's most exciting offenses and is a big reason Navy is off to a 7-1 start. Later, Stewart Mandel, of The Athletic.com, joins the show to talk about the strange happenings in this year's coaching carousel. Has ...

Send us a text This Halloween enjoy some bonus pod coverage: USC's Makai Lemon, one of the best receivers in the country, if not THE best. The junior has 48 catches for 758 yards and 6 TDs and is a prime candidate for the Biletnikoff Award that goes to college football's top wide out. And for good reason: He can do it all. Support the show The Heisman Trophy Podcast streams every Wednesday during the college football season and is hosted produced, edited and engineered by Chris Huston...

Send us a text Fresh off a four-touchdown performance in a resounding 49-25 victory over LSU in Death Valley, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed drops by the pod to give an inside peek at his remarkable season. The sophomore from Nashville has the Aggies at 8-0 (their best start since 1992!) and ranked third in the AP poll (their best ranking since 1995!). Of course, the talented Reed has a lot to do with that, blistering opposing defenses with his arm and his legs -- especially on the roa...

Send us a text He's a helluva quarterback, that Haynes King. The tough-as-nails Georgia Tech senior is the featured guest on this week's Heisman Trophy Podcast after leading his No. 7 Yellowjackets to a 7-0 record, their best start since 1966 and best ranking since 2009. They said he was a bust after things went sour at Texas A&M, but it turns out they were wrong. Now, the Yellowjackets could be playoff bound thanks to the sixth-year dual threat. So tune in and get the inside scoop ...

Send us a text This week's Heisman Trophy Podcast reaches beyond the shores of the West Coast all the way to Hawai'i and Tokyo to feature Rainbow Warriors placekicker Kansei Matsuzawa, the "Tokyo Toe", who leads college football in field goals made. The 26-year-old senior tells the story of how he discovered football at the age of 20 and resolved, then and there, to play in the NFL one day. He went on to teach himself how to kick, as well as learn English, by watching YouTube. Thanks to...

Send us a text Buckle up, because this week's Heisman Trophy Podcast is a Division-II Football Extravaganza with a special spotlight on the Ferris State Bulldogs and their legendary coach, Tony Annese. The three-time D-II national champion reveals the shocking secret to his success: a crazy little thing called love. Also: no team in America practices better. Step into the F.O.L.D. with coach Annese. A scheduling conflict knocked current Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss off this week's ...

Send us a text One of college football's most improved quarterbacks joins this week's Heisman Trophy Podcast: USC's Jayden Maiava. The junior from Hawaii is among the nation's leaders in passing yardage and total touchdowns. With the Trojans at 4-1 and taking a bye week before hosting Michigan, Maiava talked with us about his penchant for leading comebacks, what it's like to be a Lincoln Riley quarterback and his one special talent. We close the show with USCFootball.com publisher Ryan ...

Send us a text Fresh off a career-high 157 rushing yards against Purdue, Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love hurdles his way onto the latest Heisman Trophy Podcast with inside tales of what it's like to be a college football running back. What goes on in his head when he gets handed the ball? What happens if he forgets the play? Why and when did he start jumping over hapless defenders? Stream to find out! We then bring on Chris Vannini, a senior writer for TheAthletic.com, to talk about c...

Send us a text A close loss to Mississippi last Saturday wasn't enough to keep Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green away from this week's Heisman Trophy Podcast. The Razorbacks' talented 6-foot-6, 235-pound senior talked about what it's like to work with offensive mastermind Bobby Petrino, the intensity of college life in Fayetteville, and how his goals for this season include being named All-American, All-SEC...and Heisman Trophy winner. Next, the pod's tour of college football's cultural check...

Send us a text This week brings a very special episode of the Heisman Trophy Podcast as we delve into the grass roots of college football and speak with innovators who help build the sport's culture. First up, the editor of the largest gathering for college football fans on the internet, Bobak Ha'Eri of r/cfb on Reddit. With over 4.4 million members, "the internet's tailgate" has influence that stretches well beyond its platform. Ha'Eri explains how r/cfb got its start and why it continues to...

Send us a text Is he your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, a Heisman candidate, or both? Utah quarterback Devon Dampier's guest turn on this week's Heisman Trophy Podcast comes on the heels of a sizzling debut for the Utes in a road win over UCLA this past weekend. What does he have in common with his favorite Marvel superhero? How about a spidey sense that helps him avoid getting sacked? The junior transfer from New Mexico is an emerging star in college football, so you better g...

Send us a text The first full weekend of college football 2025 is the focus of the latest Heisman Trophy Podcast, as superstar Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith joins the show ahead of the big Texas game to talk about his humble beginnings, his penchant for one-handed catches, his secret love of chess, and the reason he met up with Travis Kelce in New York this past summer. Next we take a deeper dive into the Smith legend by going back to the beginning with his trainer, Sly Johnson, of ...

Send us a text The third season of the Heisman Trophy Podcast kicks off with a bonanza of an episode that features Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer, the new Sooner on the block. The junior transfer from Washington State is primed for a run at the Heisman following a breakout sophomore campaign in the Palouse. In this interview, he talks about his long journey from overlooked high school recruit to highly-coveted transfer star. We follow up with ACCDN analyst and former college quarterback Max...

Send us a text It's a massive season finale for the pod as we dive head first into Heisman weekend with interviews from 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter of Colorado, plus finalists Ashton Jeanty of Boise State, Dillon Gabriel of Oregon and Cam Ward of Miami. We also catch up with 1995 Heisman winner Eddie George of Ohio State, who fills us in on his experience as head coach at Tennessee State and reflects on how theater acting is a lot like playing football. We close things out ...

Send us a text In this bonus pod, we go over the history of the Heisman ceremony itself, which evolved from a humble luncheon in 1935, to a variety show with Farrah Fawcett and Elliott Gould in 1977, to the format on ESPN we know and love today. Hall of Fame sportscaster Don Criqui recalls his long tenure as emcee of the Heisman gala. And to close things out, former Presidential speechwriter and current The Atlantic magazine writer David Frum shares with us his thoughts on three of the most f...

Send us a text Welcome to Heisman Week! The 2024 Heisman finalists are on their way to New York and 50th anniversary winner Archie Griffin rejoins the pod to talk about how the joy of dotting the "i" and how his life changed since he won his first of two bronze statues all those years ago. Friend of the pod Neil Everett also returns to share his perspectives on the playoff, the Heisman and Oregon football. And Heisman expert Cory McCartney rounds out the show with all kinds of gre...

Send us a text Fresh off leading his team to a 49-35 victory over USC, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard joins the pod to discuss why the middle eight minutes of a football game are important, how the Northern Illinois loss motivated him and his teammates, his connection with former NFL great Phillip Rivers, and why the Golden Dome was always in his future -- even growing up in Fairhope, Alabama. We then talk to 1999 Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne of Wisconsin, the NCAA's all-time leading...