The Buzz: The latest Heisman news and views
Week 14 of college football – Rivalry Week – was an exciting lead-in to next week’s conference championships. Let’s see what’s being discussed in the Heisman world as Heisman ballots go out to voters…
(Disclaimer — The Heisman Trophy Trust and Heisman.com does not endorse any college football player for the Heisman Memorial Trophy. The information contained here serves as a platform of information for fans and media, and is not intended to contain a definitive and comprehensive list of possible contenders.)
The Buzz
Heisman front runners were all over the TV dial Saturday, making their cases to national audiences for a trip to the Big Apple, if not for the award itself.
No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 LSU remained unbeaten in one-sided affairs led by their respective candidates. That’s definitely plural for both teams.
Quarterback Justin Fields completed 14-of-25 passes for 302 yards and 4 TDs in OSU’s 56-27 win over Michigan at the Big House. Running back J.K. Dobbins had 4 TDs of his own with 211 yards rushing on 31 carries. Defensive stalwart Chase Young had a seemingly quiet day. But maybe not.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch chronicles Fields’ case for the Heisman. Fields spent his Saturday not quite on one leg, but certainly on one good one. He threw this TD pass on the run shortly after tweaking his left knee and donning an offensive lineman-size knee brace mid-game.
Dobbins had his ownimpressive notables noted here. And before the game, Michigan Heisman winner Charles Woodson discussed why he thought Young could join him as a defensive winner.
Ohio State Coach Ryan Day thinks all three of his Buckeye stars deserve to go to New York. Cleveland.com analyzed the prospect of such a thing.
LSU QB Joe Burrow had quite a senior day, kicked off by his emotional run out on the field wearing a jersey with the Cajun-esque “Burreaux” on the back. He then proceeded to lead the Tigers to a 50-7 win over Texas A&M with 352 yards and three TDs on 23-of-32 passing.
Fox analyst Joel Klatt made it clear who he’d vote for, but named nine others on his list, too. Fellow Fox reporter Bruce Feldman noted this gem about Burrow’s season.
Tiger teammates Clyde Edwards-Helaire (87 yards, 1 TD) and Ja’Marr Chase (seven receptions, 197 yards, two TDs) also closed strong.
Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts turned in a strong regular-season finale in the Sooners win at Oklahoma State with 13-of-16 passing for 163 yards and a score to go with 61 yards rushing and another TD … as well as a four-yard TD reception, scoring three different ways.
As noted here by 247sports, Hurts became the fifth player since 2000 with 30-plus passing TDs and 15-plus rushing scores. The other four (Tim Teblow, Cam Newton, Marcus Mariota and Lamar Jackson) won Heismans.
Oklahoma State RB Chuba Hubbard closed in on the magical 2,000 standard in the loss to Oklahoma with 104 yards on 24 carries and a score. He has a national-best 1,936 yards and 21 TDs, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. His 2,219 all-purpose also lead the country.
Bleacher Report featured the Canadian Hubbard and detailed not only his running prowess but his story coming from modest means and his goals for a life filled with philanthropy. ESPN featured him as well.
Up north, Wisconsin RB Jonathan Taylor capped his marvelous regular season with 76 yards and two TDs as the Badgers dispatched of Minnesota, 38-17, giving him 1,761 yards and 20 TDs this year. He also had this 28-yard TD catch.
The Athletic posted its latest Heisman straw poll with Burrow getting 50 of its 51 votes. Young, third, got the other with fellow Buckeyes Fields (second) and Dobbins (fifth) in the top 5. Hurts was fourth, Taylor sixth and Hubbard eighth.
Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown was seventh after he helped the Tigers down Alabama, 48-45, with 3.5 tackles for loss, including key stops on the Crimson Tide’s final drive. This college football expert thinks he’s deserving of a NYC trip. PFF noted this.
Still the quietest 12-0 team in recent memory, Clemson rolled South Carolina 38-3 to join Ohio State and LSU in the unbeaten class. QB Trevor Lawrence tossed the pigskin for 295 yards and three TDs and gained 66 yards on the ground. Yardbarker included him in its top 5 contenders.
Lawrence teammate Travis Etienne was 10th on FanSided’s top 10 list, Lawrence seventh. Burrow and Hurts remain at the top with Taylor third, Dobbins fourth and two more Buckeyes fifth and sixth.
Utah continues to feature an offensive 1-2 punch with QB Tyler Huntley (14-of-17 passing, 165 yards, two TDs, including this doozy) and RB Zack Moss (88 yards on 20 carries, 1 TD) leading the Utes to a Pac-12 South-clinching win over Colorado. Huntley is ninth on The Athletic’s chart. Tim Brando had high praise for both.
Baylor pummeled Kansas, 61-6 to remain in the playoff mix with QB Charlie Brewer posting 182 yards and a score.
Georgia blew out Georgia Tech, 52-7, as the Bulldogs clinched an SEC title matchup with LSU. QB Jake Fromm tossed four TD passes in the win and passed one notable former UGA QB in the record books.
A look ahead to 2020 Heisman lists could include Kentucky WR-turned-QB Lynn Bowden, who ran 22 times for 284 yards against Louisville on Saturday. As the Washington Post writes, he’s averaged 162.2 yards in his last seven games.
Buffalo sophomore Jaret Patterson could get some love, too. He ran for 298 yards and a Mid-American Conference record six TDs on 22 carries against Bowling Green Friday.
Many Heisman hopefuls will be pit against each other Saturday, noted this college football roundup.
Former Heisman winners
Auburn icon and 1971 Heisman winner Pat Sullivan passed away this week.
The Houston Chronicle took a look back at 1989 Heisman winner Andre Ware.
Heisman Trophy Winners In The NFL
A week after a huge win at the L.A. Rams, Heisman duo Lamar Jackson (2016) and Mark Ingram (2009) led Baltimore to a 20-17 win against formerly 10-1 San Francisco, the Ravens now joining the 49ers and New England at an NFL-best 10-2.
Jackson completed 14-of-23 passes for 105 yards and a score while rushing for another 101 yards and one more TD. Ingram ran for 59 yards on 15 carries.
Derrick Henry (2015) continues to be a major factor in Tennessee’s resurgence and gained 149 yards and scored once in the Titans’ 31-17 win at Indianapolis, going over 1,000 yards this year. He now has a career-best 1,140 with 11 TDs. Teammate Marcus Mariota (2014) did not play.
Tampa Bay’s Jameis Winston (2013) kept the Bucs win streak alive with 268 yards through the air on 21-of-33 passing.
Baker Mayfield (2017) threw for 196 yards and a score in a close loss at Pittsburg. Kyler Murray (2018) passed for 163 yards and had one rushing TD in a loss to the Rams.
