Fans will cast the first vote for the Heisman Trophy this season under a new platform unveiled on Monday.
The website — hopefuls.heisman.com — will include official player data and updated player ratings for the “EA Sports College Football” video game.
Starting on Sept. 9, visitors can cast votes daily. The results of the fan vote will be unveiled live on ESPN during the weekend of conference championship games, with the players ranked first, second and third counting as the first official Heisman ballot.
“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 Trophy Trust CEO Jeff Price said.
While positions like quarterback and running back will naturally have more data available for voters to consider, advanced analytics are included to encourage fans to weigh players from all positions.
“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 said. “This platform, working hand in hand with the schools, helps us shine a light on those players and bring their stories forward all season long.”
Carnegie Mellon’s Sports Analytics Center is assisting Heisman with the platform along with Next League, Yangaroo and CLC.
“We’re creating a methodology to dynamically weight fan votes based on data observed throughout the season,” CMSAC director Ron Yurko said, per ESPN. “While fans will be allowed to vote each day throughout the season, CMSAC’s data-driven approach will guide how much weight to give votes each week.”
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the 2025 Heisman Trophy. The award has been presented annually to the top player in college football since 1935.