Heisman Taps Carnegie Mellon University to Enhance Heisman Hopefuls Fan Voting and Analytics
The partnership with Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center will provide fans with a more informed and engaging voting experience while integrating advanced analytics into the new Heisman Hopefuls platform.
Since 1935, the Heisman Trophy has recognized the most outstanding college football player in the United States. To further honor excellence wherever it appears on the field, Heisman has signed a memorandum of understanding with Carnegie Mellon University and the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center (CMSAC) to develop metrics and tools that make it easier for fans to access and evaluate performance data for all positions, including those historically difficult to quantify. While certain positions have traditionally captured the spotlight, every athlete who steps onto a college football field begins the season with the opportunity to write a Heisman-worthy story. The new Heisman Hopefuls Platform is being designed to help tell those stories more fully.
“Our partnership with Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center will help us tell a more complete story of excellence by shining a light on outstanding performances wherever they happen on the field,” said Jeff Price, chief executive officer of the Heisman. “By combining the Heisman’s rich tradition with CMSAC’s world-class sports analytics, we’re giving fans deeper insight into the race for college football’s most prestigious award.”
Over the next three years, CMU’s statisticians and data scientists will work closely with Heisman to bring the most relevant sports analytics into the award conversation, while ensuring college football fans have a meaningful voice in the process throughout the season.
Since 1999, Heisman has allowed the public to take part in the official balloting process by including one fan vote in the final Heisman voting tabulation. Building on that tradition, CMSAC is helping redevelop the fan vote model to place greater emphasis on performances later in the year, recognizing that the Heisman race is often shaped by sustained excellence as conference races, rivalry games and postseason implications come into focus.
“Using historical college football data, we’re creating a methodology to dynamically weight fan votes based on data observed throughout the season,” said Ron Yurko, director of CMSAC and assistant teaching professor in CMU’s Department of Statistics & Data Science. “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.”
Heisman also plans to integrate advanced football analytics throughout the Heisman Hopefuls platform, building on the same innovative approach CMSAC recently brought to the 2026 NFL Draft as its exclusive university analytics partner. In that project, CMSAC worked with the NFL to analyze the historical value of draft picks using EA Sports’ Madden ratings and then made those insights accessible to fans through the NFL IQ AI chatbot. The tool could answer simple questions such as, “What’s the chance of getting a superstar player at the end of the first round?” or more specific questions about whether or not a team should trade back in the draft.
“As we begin to integrate stats and analytics into the Heisman Hopeful narrative, the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Center is clearly the leader in the field,” said Price. “The Heisman Hopefuls platform is being designed to showcase outstanding college football players across the country and celebrate excellence regardless of position. Our partnership with CMSAC will help tell those stories with authenticity and credibility.”
“The Heisman represents the peak of college football, and I’m beyond excited for CMSAC to bring our sports analytics expertise to the Heisman Hopefuls platform across multiple facets,” said Yurko. “From weighing the fan vote to integrating new data insights around every position in football, we are working to better reflect all the talents and achievements seen across the large pool of Heisman Hopefuls.”
Look for Heisman and CMSAC to unveil their new Heisman Hopefuls experience on Aug. 15 at Heisman.com.
CMU hosts the Carnegie Mellon Sports Analytics Conference each year, which features the latest research in sports analytics, talks by leaders in the field, active learning workshops and professional development opportunities. The 2026 conference is set for Oct. 23-24.
About Heisman: Heisman, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization has a mission to grow the legacy and preserve the integrity of the Heisman Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the most outstanding college football player in the United States. Rooted in excellence and empowerment, Heisman has evolved into a year round platform dedicated to developing future leaders and expanding opportunity through the power of sports.
Through its growing ecosystem of platforms and initiatives — including the Heisman Foundation, the Heisman Club, Heisman House, Heisman Hopefuls, and partnerships with values aligned organizations like the Aspen Institute and New York Community Trust — Heisman extends that commitment to empowerment 365 days a year. Together, these efforts invest in youth leadership development, advance athlete and coach education, and harness the power and enduring legacy of the Trophy, along with the inspiration of Heisman Winners, to expand opportunity and drive lasting impact in communities nationwide.
