For the first time this season, we only have nine players listed in our Heisman watch. That is not to say these are the only men who are in the Heisman conversation. There are also players like Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and UNC's Mitch Trubisky making some noise. Unfortunately for them (and the other honorable mentions), they didn't do enough to warrant a top ten spot on this list. With that being said, they could definitely make it next week. Greg Ward Jr. was also denied a top ten spot after his loss to SMU. Let's get started.
9. Jalen Hurts, Alabama (Last Week: NR)- Hurts has been on the radar for a while now, but he finally breaks through after leading the Tide to a win over #8 Texas A&M. He accounted for three total touchdowns as 'Bama won by 19.
8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Cook had the week off, but he takes on Clemson at home next week. Cook has thus far been outshone by Donnel Pumphrey, but a great showing over Clemson would do wonders for Cook.
7. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 9)- Pumphrey has made headlines for his fantastic season thus far, but he's still flying a bit under the radar. If he wants to go to New York, he's going to need to continue to put up monster stats.
6. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 6)- I've said it countless times before, but I believe Seth Russell is not being taken seriously as a Heisman contender. Baylor isn't exactly seen as an elite team (like Michigan or Alabama), and his stats may be inflated by Baylor's pass-happy offense, but Russell's work should not go ignored.
5. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 4)- The Wolverines ran roughshod over Illinois, but Peppers had a relatively quiet game. He accounted for only two tackles and accounted for 72 total yards. A big performance against in-state rival MSU will help him tremendously.
4. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Barrett slips a spot after OSU was upset by unranked Penn State. There's still a good chance Barrett goes to New York though, He had a good game against Penn State and OSU still has an outside chance of making the playoffs.
3. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 5)- At the beginning of the season, it seemed like all of the Pac-12's Heisman hopes would be pinned on guys like Christian McCaffrey and Royce Freeman. Instead, Browning has emerged as one of the nation's best quarterbacks. Against Oregon State he threw his 26th touchdown of the season as the Huskies stayed unbeaten.
2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 2)- Watson and the Tigers had the week off to prepare for Florida State next week.
1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- At this point, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Jackson will win the Heisman. Against Virginia he threw for three scores and racked up more than 400 yards of offense.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Saturday, October 29, 2016
Friday, October 21, 2016
Heisman Watch Week 7
Week 7 was a pretty solid week for all of our Heisman contenders. There were a few slip-ups here and there, but nothing too egregious. That's why everyone who is in our Heisman list last week is still on there this week. Let's get started.
10. Trevor Knight, Texas A&M (Last Week: 9)- Knight's had a pretty good season thus far, but it will all be for naught if he doesn't do well against Alabama in Week 8. A good game and a win against the Tide will launch Knight up our Heisman list.
9. Donnel Pumphrey. San Diego State (Last Week: 10)- Pumphrey's Heisman chances took a plunge when San Diego State fell off the rankings, but it's hard to ignore Pumphrey's stats. Against Fresno State he ran for 220 yards and two scores. It was however, the first time all year he didn't record a reception.
8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Cook failed to find the end zone against Wake Forest, but he still did record 115 rushing yards. He's one of the best running backs in the country and needs to prove that in order to keep his Heisman campaign alive.
7. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 6)- Like Cook, Ward failed to find the end zone (he played against Tulsa) but he still racked up some impressive yardage: 254 passing yards and 142 rushing yards.
6. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 7)- Russell quietly has put up a fantastic season thus far. Against Kansas he accounted for four total touchdowns as the Bears won by 42. Russell has thus far been overshadowed by players like Deshaun Watson and J.T. Barrett.
5. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 5)- Browning was on a bye this week, but he stays steady at the #5 spot.
4. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 4)- Like Browning, Peppers stays put after a bye week. The #3 Wolverines take on Illinois next week.
3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- The Buckeyes were pushed to the brink by Wisconsin, but they ended up pulling out the win in Wisconsin. Barrett threw for a touchdown and added two more on the ground.
2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 2)- Watson and the Clemson Tigers were pushed to the limit by NC State. Watson accounted for all three of Clemson's touchdowns in this game two through the air and one rushing.
1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Louisville struggled against Duke, but Jackson still played quite well. He accounted for more than 300 total yards and two scores as the Cards won 24-14.
Thanks for reading everyone.
10. Trevor Knight, Texas A&M (Last Week: 9)- Knight's had a pretty good season thus far, but it will all be for naught if he doesn't do well against Alabama in Week 8. A good game and a win against the Tide will launch Knight up our Heisman list.
9. Donnel Pumphrey. San Diego State (Last Week: 10)- Pumphrey's Heisman chances took a plunge when San Diego State fell off the rankings, but it's hard to ignore Pumphrey's stats. Against Fresno State he ran for 220 yards and two scores. It was however, the first time all year he didn't record a reception.
8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Cook failed to find the end zone against Wake Forest, but he still did record 115 rushing yards. He's one of the best running backs in the country and needs to prove that in order to keep his Heisman campaign alive.
7. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 6)- Like Cook, Ward failed to find the end zone (he played against Tulsa) but he still racked up some impressive yardage: 254 passing yards and 142 rushing yards.
6. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 7)- Russell quietly has put up a fantastic season thus far. Against Kansas he accounted for four total touchdowns as the Bears won by 42. Russell has thus far been overshadowed by players like Deshaun Watson and J.T. Barrett.
5. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 5)- Browning was on a bye this week, but he stays steady at the #5 spot.
4. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 4)- Like Browning, Peppers stays put after a bye week. The #3 Wolverines take on Illinois next week.
3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- The Buckeyes were pushed to the brink by Wisconsin, but they ended up pulling out the win in Wisconsin. Barrett threw for a touchdown and added two more on the ground.
2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 2)- Watson and the Clemson Tigers were pushed to the limit by NC State. Watson accounted for all three of Clemson's touchdowns in this game two through the air and one rushing.
1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Louisville struggled against Duke, but Jackson still played quite well. He accounted for more than 300 total yards and two scores as the Cards won 24-14.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Thursday, October 13, 2016
Heisman Watch Week 6
The end of October and the beginning of November is when the Heisman conversation starts to get serious. Some of the front-runners, like Christian McCaffrey and DeShone Kizer, have vanished while new stars like Lamar Jackson and Jake Browning are lighting up the fields. The real contenders are emerging and the Heisman conversation is getting serious. Let's take a look at the Top 10 Heisman candidates.
While we have a number of honorable mentions (like Zach Terrell of Western Michigan and Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong Jr.), we have only one player who dropped off last week. That would be Stanford's Christian McCaffrey. Although he was #1 on this list just a few weeks ago, McCaffrey and the Cards have been on a very rough streak the last two weeks. McCaffrey has been playing at a level far below where he was last year.
10. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 9)- San Diego State is no longer undefeated nor ranked, but Pumphrey is still putting up big numbers. He put up nearly 200 all-around yards on Saturday as the Aztecs beat UNLV.
9. Trevor Knight, Texas A&M (Last Week: NR)- After weeks of being on the fringe, Trevor Knight finally makes it onto our Heisman watch. The Aggies beat #9 Tennessee in a thriller as Knight accounted for five total touchdowns and 349 total yards.
8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Florida State's chances at making the playoffs may be over, but Cook's Heisman campaign is still rolling. He rushed for 150 yards and had a touchdown catch as FSU upset the #10 Hurricanes.
7. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 7)- Russell continues to find himself on the edge of the Top 5. He and Baylor were off on Saturday, but the #11 Bears take on Kansas next week. Look for Russell to have a great game against them.
6. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 5)- Houston may have fallen to Navy, but Ward still put up big numbers. He threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another one. Ward's great stats are keeping him in the conversation, but he'll need to win out from here.
5. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 10)- Browning continues to be one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Against Oregon, he passed for six touchdowns and 304 yards while throwing zero picks.
4. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 6)- Last week, I questioned whether or not Peppers was a viable Heisman candidate. He really proved me wrong in Michigan's win over Rutgers. Not only did he record two tackles, but he also rushed for two scores.
3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- Barrett uncharacteristically struggled against Indiana. He went 9 for 21 while throwing a TD and a pick. However, he did have a strong ground game, as he rushed for 137 yards and one score.
2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 3)- Watson's been on a real roll the last two weeks. Against Boston College on Thursday, Watson threw for 270 yards and four scores. He also added 33 yards on the ground.
1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Jackson's last two weeks have featured a loss and a bye week. It's a real testament to his season that he's still #1 in our rankings. The Cardinals play Duke next week.
Thanks for reading everyone.
While we have a number of honorable mentions (like Zach Terrell of Western Michigan and Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong Jr.), we have only one player who dropped off last week. That would be Stanford's Christian McCaffrey. Although he was #1 on this list just a few weeks ago, McCaffrey and the Cards have been on a very rough streak the last two weeks. McCaffrey has been playing at a level far below where he was last year.
10. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 9)- San Diego State is no longer undefeated nor ranked, but Pumphrey is still putting up big numbers. He put up nearly 200 all-around yards on Saturday as the Aztecs beat UNLV.
9. Trevor Knight, Texas A&M (Last Week: NR)- After weeks of being on the fringe, Trevor Knight finally makes it onto our Heisman watch. The Aggies beat #9 Tennessee in a thriller as Knight accounted for five total touchdowns and 349 total yards.
8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Florida State's chances at making the playoffs may be over, but Cook's Heisman campaign is still rolling. He rushed for 150 yards and had a touchdown catch as FSU upset the #10 Hurricanes.
7. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 7)- Russell continues to find himself on the edge of the Top 5. He and Baylor were off on Saturday, but the #11 Bears take on Kansas next week. Look for Russell to have a great game against them.
6. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 5)- Houston may have fallen to Navy, but Ward still put up big numbers. He threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another one. Ward's great stats are keeping him in the conversation, but he'll need to win out from here.
5. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 10)- Browning continues to be one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Against Oregon, he passed for six touchdowns and 304 yards while throwing zero picks.
4. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 6)- Last week, I questioned whether or not Peppers was a viable Heisman candidate. He really proved me wrong in Michigan's win over Rutgers. Not only did he record two tackles, but he also rushed for two scores.
3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- Barrett uncharacteristically struggled against Indiana. He went 9 for 21 while throwing a TD and a pick. However, he did have a strong ground game, as he rushed for 137 yards and one score.
2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 3)- Watson's been on a real roll the last two weeks. Against Boston College on Thursday, Watson threw for 270 yards and four scores. He also added 33 yards on the ground.
1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Jackson's last two weeks have featured a loss and a bye week. It's a real testament to his season that he's still #1 in our rankings. The Cardinals play Duke next week.
Thanks for reading everyone.
Monday, October 3, 2016
Heisman Watch Week 5
Week 5 has come and go, and it was full of some pretty exciting games. Tennessee's improbable underdog season continued after a Hail Mary against Georgia, Clemson and Louisville went to the wire, and Michigan barely outlasted Wisconsin. Of course, we're here to talk about all of the Heisman implications. Who took a hit and who stepped up? Let's find out.
As we've had the last few weeks, we have a number of honorable mentions. I want to single out one player in particular: Alabama's Jalen Hurts. He may just be a freshman, but he's leading the best team in the country. We also have Patrick Mahomes II of Texas Tech, Tennessee's Josh Dobbs, UNC's Mitch Trubisky, Cal's Davis Webb, Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong Jr., Brad Kaaya of the Hurricanes, and Trevor Knight of the Texas A&M Aggies.
10. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: NR)- Washington was seen as a fringe team last week, but they now find themselves ranked #5. The Huskies ran all over #7 Stanford and Browning threw for 210 yards and three scores.
9. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 6)- Pumphrey plays weaker opponents compared to the other Heisman candidates, so he needed to win as many games as possible as well as racking up massive yardage in those games. He rushed for 151 yards and one score, but San Diego State lost to South Alabama and is no longer ranked. If the Aztecs lose again, Pumphrey's Heisman campaign may be over for good.
8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 9)- Florida State may have fallen to North Carolina, but Cook shone nonetheless. His 29 carries went for 140 yards and three scores. Florida State is still ranked, but as a running back, his Heisman campaign is not dependent on the success of his team.
7. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 8)- Russell had himself a solid outing against Oklahoma State. He threw for 178 yards and one score while also rushing for 88 yards and two scores. Baylor is still undefeated, and that might be the most important part of his Heisman campaign.
6. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 5)- Peppers had a rough day against Wisconsin, with only three tackles and 33 return yards. If Peppers want his Heisman campaign to be taken seriously, he'll need bigger games. Instead, he found himself overshadowed by his teammates in Week 5.
5. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 7)- Ward's Heisman campaign has fluctuated wildly, but he is now firmly planted in the Top 5. He had a phenomenal game against Connecticut, going 32 of 38 for 389 yards and three scores while adding 65 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. The injury concerns are still there, but Ward has done enough to earn his spot in the Top 5.
4. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 2)- McCaffrey has now gone two straight weeks without a rushing or receiving touchdown. His Heisman campaign is in serious danger, and he'll need to start putting up better numbers if he wants to contend with the likes of Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, and J.T. Barrett.
3. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 4)- During the first four weeks of the season, Watson's play can best be described as unspectacular. That all changed in Week 5 when Watson threw for 306 yards and five scores (he also added 91 rushing yards). More importantly, Clemson beat the number three team in the country
2. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Barrett has been inching closer towards the #2 spot for some time now, and he finally snags it this week. He threw for 236 yards and four TD's (as well as 46 yards on the ground) as the Buckeyes ran over Rutgers.
1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Yes, a QB's Heisman campaign is tied to his team's win record. And yes, Louisville lost to Clemson in Week 5. Still, it's hard to argue with the notion that Jackson has still been the most outstanding player in college football. Even in the loss to Clemson, he accounted for three scores and more than 400 yards of total offense.
Thanks for reading everyone. Check back next week for updated rankings.
As we've had the last few weeks, we have a number of honorable mentions. I want to single out one player in particular: Alabama's Jalen Hurts. He may just be a freshman, but he's leading the best team in the country. We also have Patrick Mahomes II of Texas Tech, Tennessee's Josh Dobbs, UNC's Mitch Trubisky, Cal's Davis Webb, Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong Jr., Brad Kaaya of the Hurricanes, and Trevor Knight of the Texas A&M Aggies.
10. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: NR)- Washington was seen as a fringe team last week, but they now find themselves ranked #5. The Huskies ran all over #7 Stanford and Browning threw for 210 yards and three scores.
9. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 6)- Pumphrey plays weaker opponents compared to the other Heisman candidates, so he needed to win as many games as possible as well as racking up massive yardage in those games. He rushed for 151 yards and one score, but San Diego State lost to South Alabama and is no longer ranked. If the Aztecs lose again, Pumphrey's Heisman campaign may be over for good.
8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 9)- Florida State may have fallen to North Carolina, but Cook shone nonetheless. His 29 carries went for 140 yards and three scores. Florida State is still ranked, but as a running back, his Heisman campaign is not dependent on the success of his team.
7. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 8)- Russell had himself a solid outing against Oklahoma State. He threw for 178 yards and one score while also rushing for 88 yards and two scores. Baylor is still undefeated, and that might be the most important part of his Heisman campaign.
6. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 5)- Peppers had a rough day against Wisconsin, with only three tackles and 33 return yards. If Peppers want his Heisman campaign to be taken seriously, he'll need bigger games. Instead, he found himself overshadowed by his teammates in Week 5.
5. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 7)- Ward's Heisman campaign has fluctuated wildly, but he is now firmly planted in the Top 5. He had a phenomenal game against Connecticut, going 32 of 38 for 389 yards and three scores while adding 65 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. The injury concerns are still there, but Ward has done enough to earn his spot in the Top 5.
4. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 2)- McCaffrey has now gone two straight weeks without a rushing or receiving touchdown. His Heisman campaign is in serious danger, and he'll need to start putting up better numbers if he wants to contend with the likes of Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, and J.T. Barrett.
3. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 4)- During the first four weeks of the season, Watson's play can best be described as unspectacular. That all changed in Week 5 when Watson threw for 306 yards and five scores (he also added 91 rushing yards). More importantly, Clemson beat the number three team in the country
2. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Barrett has been inching closer towards the #2 spot for some time now, and he finally snags it this week. He threw for 236 yards and four TD's (as well as 46 yards on the ground) as the Buckeyes ran over Rutgers.
1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Yes, a QB's Heisman campaign is tied to his team's win record. And yes, Louisville lost to Clemson in Week 5. Still, it's hard to argue with the notion that Jackson has still been the most outstanding player in college football. Even in the loss to Clemson, he accounted for three scores and more than 400 yards of total offense.
Thanks for reading everyone. Check back next week for updated rankings.
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