when are heisman finalists announced

Heisman Trophy finalists are typically announced on the Monday before the televised Heisman ceremony in December, during ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown show.

Key timing

• The Heisman Trust explains that finalists are announced “on the Monday prior to the televised Heisman Trophy Ceremony.”

• In recent seasons, that Monday announcement has aired live during ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown in prime time.

Recent example

• For the 2025 Heisman, the four finalists were revealed on Monday, December 8, 2025.

• The winner was then announced at the Heisman Trophy Ceremony on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 7 p.m. ET on ABC.

What this means going forward

• You can expect future Heisman finalists to be named on the Monday before the ceremony, usually in early-to-mid December.

• Exact dates shift slightly year to year, so checking the official Heisman site or ESPN’s schedule each season will give the precise announcement date.

TL;DR: Heisman finalists are announced on the Monday before the Heisman ceremony, usually live on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown in early- or mid- December.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.