Ohio State QB Julian Sayin can outshine Fernando Mendoza for Heisman Trophy

On December 13th, the winner of the Heisman trophy will be announced. As it currently stands, Ohio State QB Julian Sayin and Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza are widely considered the top favorites. This Saturday, the two quarterbacks will lead their teams against each other in the Big Ten championship game. The result of the game could determine who takes home college football's most prestigious individual award.

According to most sportsbooks, Sayin and Mendoza hold the top two odds to take home the trophy. Some books have Sayin as a slight favorite, while others have Mendoza on top. Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia is the only other player in college football with a real chance to win the award. However, with Vanderbilt failing to secure a spot in their conference championship game, Pavia does not have another chance to make a statement.

Julian Sayin may not be the flashiest of the candidates, but he has certainly been the most efficient. On the year, Sayin has 3,065 passing yards, 30 touchdowns, and a 91.4 quarterback rating, while only throwing five interceptions. Additionally, he currently holds a 78.9% completion percentage, which is on pace to be the highest in a single season in history.

Fernando Mendoza has been the centerpiece of the best Indiana team in the school's history. This season, he has 2,758 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, an 88.3 QBR, and a 72% completion percentage to go along with five interceptions. He has also been effective as a runner, tallying 243 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

Saturday's matchup will be the first time since 2009 that the number one and number two teams in the country have faced off in a conference championship game. It comes as no surprise that arguably the two best quarterbacks in the country are leading these teams.

While this game will determine who secures the number one seed in the college football playoff, it may also determine which QB takes home the Heisman trophy.