The Sports Examiner's 2018 Heisman Ballot

At the time of writing, the Heisman trophy will be presented today on December 14th. There are four finalists this year: Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts, Ohio State's Chase Young and Justin Fields, and LSU's Joe Burrow. While The Sports Examiner does not have an official Heisman ballot, we have been tracking the Heisman race all season long and have our own unofficial ballot.

Before we get to our top three, let's look at some honorable mentions. We start with Jonathan Taylor of Wisconsin and Chuba Hubbard of Oklahoma State. These two men were some of the nation's best running backs and were present in our Heisman watch all season long. Hubbard led the nation in rushing yards while Taylor finished second. They each had 21 rushing touchdowns, a number beaten only by LeVante Bellamy of Western Michigan. Our next honorable mention goes to the man that many had as their Heisman favorite entering the season: Trevor Lawrence. The sophomore was coming off of a dominant performance in the national title game and expectations were very high. Though Lawrence and the Clemson offense got off to a sluggish start, things would pick up and Clemson would go undefeated and earn a spot in this year's College Football Playoff. In the ACC Championship game against Virginia, Lawrence passed for 302 yards and four scores as the Tigers won their fifth straight ACC title. Our last two honorable mentions go to a pair of teammates: Ohio State's J.K. Dobbins and Chase Young. Dobbins was one of the nation's best backs, finishing third in rushing yards and scoring 20 rushing touchdowns. Young was arguably the nation's best player, offense or defense. Despite missing two games due to suspension, he still led the nation in sacks.

3. Justin Fields, Ohio State

The sophomore QB had a remarkable first season at Ohio State. The former Georgia Bulldog led the Buckeyes to an undefeated season and berth in the College Football Playoffs. Fields threw for 2,953 yards and 40 scores (which was third in FBS) with only one interception. That's right, just one interception.

Readers of this blog might remember that I actually had Fields's teammate J.K. Dobbins in the third spot last week. However, after watching Ohio State beat Wisconsin in the Big 10 title game last week, it was hard to keep Fields out of the top three. The QB helped engineer a second-half comeback to seal the deal.

2. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

I don't think a lot of people expected Hurts to have this great of a season. Before the rise of Joe Burrow, Hurts was the Heisman favorite. Though he faltered a bit in the second half of the season, Oklahoma still won the Big 12 and earned a spot in the playoffs. Hurts also boosted his draft stock considerably.

This season, Hurts completed 71.8% of his passes, threw for 3,634 yards, and passed for 32 touchdowns. On the ground, the former Alabama player ran for 1,255 yards and 28 touchdowns. All in all, this season has to be considered a major success for the former national champion.

1. Joe Burrow, LSU

Burrow is the easy and obvious pick. The real question is not whether he will the Heisman, it's how much of a landslide will it be. The LSU Tiger has been absolutely sensational this season. LSU is ranked #1 and coming off an undefeated regular season that featured wins over teams like Auburn, Alabama, and Georgia. If you're looking for a "Heisman moment" to encapsulate his season, look no further than his incredible play in the third quarter against Georgia (you know the one I'm talking about).

Burrow was second in the nation in passing yards (behind only Washington State's Anthony Gordon), first in completion percentage, and first in passing touchdowns. In other words, he's the complete Heisman package.

Thanks for reading everyone. 

Heisman Watch Week 14

I can't believe we've finally caught up. It's been a long few weeks, and I appreciate everyone's patience. Let's get started.

9. Travis Etienne, Clemson (Last Week: 8)- Etienne has pretty much zero chance of getting invited to New York, but he deserves credit for his great season. In Week 14,

8. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (Last Week: 7)- Hubbard had an impressive performance against Oklahoma on Saturday. On 24 carries, Hubbard ran for 104 yards and one score, though the Cowboys did fall to their in-state rivals.

7. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 6)- Taylor has a big opportunity against Ohio State on Saturday. If he delivers a standout performance (and Wisconsin at least makes it a competitive game), then he has a chance of becoming a Heisman finalist.

6. Chase Young, Ohio State (Last Week: NR)- There has been no football player more dominant this year than Chase Young. Despite missing multiple games due to suspension, Young leads the nation with 16.5 sacks.

5. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (Last Week: 5)- Clemson blew out in-state rival South Carolina in advance of their ACC Championship game against Virginia. Lawrence, who at one point completed 18 straight passes, threw three touchdown passes and ran for 66 yards.

4. Justin Fields, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)- To be completely honest, I thought J.K. Dobbins outplayed his teammate against Michigan. That's not to say Fields played badly (he threw four touchdowns), but Dobbins just felt more essential to OSU's win.

3. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Maybe I'm a little too high on Dobbins, but he really feels like a Heisman finalist at this point. He's fourth in the nation in rushing yards and fifth in touchdowns. 

2. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (Last Week: 2)- The early season favorite, Hurts feels like a lock to be a Heisman finalist. He's had a tremendous season, which includes throwing for 3,184 yards and rushing for 1,156.

1. Joe Burrow, LSU (Last Week: 1)- Even if LSU loses to Georgia, it's hard to imagine Burrow not winning the Heisman this year. That speaks to just how dominant the former Buckeye has been this year.

Thanks for reading everyone. Be sure to check back next week for our unofficial Heisman ballot.

Heisman Watch Week 13

I promise, we will have our final Heisman watch (with our official Heisman picks) before the award is given out. Let's get started.

We say goodbye this week to Oregon's Justin Herbert. The Ducks' loss to Ohio State not only ended Oregon's playoff chances but also Herbert's Heisman dreams.

8. Travis Etienne, Clemson (Last Week: 8)- The recent departures of Herbert and Tua Tagovailoa opened up a hole that Etienne stepped into. Per PFF, Etienne leads the nation in forcing missed tackles (among backs with at least 100 carries) and has a total of 16 scores. He's not going to win the Heisman, but he sure deserves some votes.

7. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (Last Week: 7)- Hubbard turned his 26 carries into 106 yards as the Cowboys beat West Virginia.

6. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 6)- Taylor had a great performance against Purdue this week. The junior ran for 222 yards and one touchdown on 28 carries. I still believe he can make it to New York City, but he'll need a few of the players ahead of him to slip up.

5. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (Last Week: 5)- Clemson had a bye this week.

4. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)- Dobbins had a good, not great, performance against Penn State as he ran for 157 yards and a score on 36 carries. He's currently on the cusp of being a Heisman finalist.

3. Justin Fields, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Like his teammate, Fields had a good, not great performance against Penn State in Week 13. The sophomore threw for 188 yards and two scores, but he also coughed up the ball three times.

2. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (Last Week: 2)- Oklahoma narrowly escaped TCU by a score of 28-24. Hurts completed only 11 of his 21 passes, but he made up for it with a great game on the ground. The Alabama transfer ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

1. Joe Burrow, LSU (Last Week: 1)- The Heisman favorite had another big game in Week 13. This time, it was against Arkansas. Burrow went 23 of 28 for 327 yards and three touchdowns.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 12

So, so close. Let's get started.

With the departures of CeeDee Lamb and Tua Tagovailoa, this list can finally be cut down to eight players.

8. Justin Herbert, Oregon (Last Week: 9)- Herbert and the Oregon Ducks drummed Arizona 34-6. Herbert was the main reason why, as he went 20 of 28 for 333 yards and four scores.

7. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (Last Week: 8)- The sophomore stud has accumulated 1,726 rushing yards for the season and is second in rushing touchdowns (only Western Michigan's LeVante Bellamy) has more. He had another strong performance in Week 12 as he ran for 122 yards and two scores in Oklahoma State's win over Kansas.

6. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 7)- Taylor ran roughshod over the Nebraska defense as he ran for 204 yards (the third time he's run for more than 200 yards against the Cornhuskers) and two touchdowns.

5. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (Last Week: 6)- Lawrence finally makes it back into the top five after a disappointing start to the season. He has been playing some lights out football recently, and it genuinely wouldn't surprise me if he finished in the top five this year.

4. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)- Dobbins had another productive game in Week 12 as the Buckeyes steamrolled Rutgers 56-21. The star back ran for 89 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries.

3. Justin Fields, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- At this point, it's hard to see how Fields does not make it to New York. The Georgia transfer has 41 total touchdowns and more than 2,100 passing yards.

2. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (Last Week: 2)- When the first half of the Baylor/Oklahoma game ended, it looked like Oklahoma's playoff chances were toast. Unfortunately for the Bears, no one told Jalen Hurts. The QB threw for three touchdowns in the second half and finished with more than 400 yards of total offense.

1. Joe Burrow, LSU (Last Week: 1)- The clear favorite in this year's Heisman race had another memorable Saturday against Ole Miss. Not only did the Tigers win by 19, but Burrow threw for a career-best 489 yards and five scores.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 11

After a ton of teams were on bye in Week 10, we finally got some excitement in Week 11. How did it affect our Heisman rankings? Let's get started.

10. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma (Last Week: 10)- Lamb injects a little life into his Heisman campaign thanks to his stellar performance in Oklahoma's narrow win over Iowa State. The star receiver caught eight passes for 167 yards and two scores (although he did lose a fumble).

9. Justin Herbert, Oregon (Last Week: 9)- Herbert stays put after not playing in Week 11.

8. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (Last Week: 8)- Hubbard and the Cowboys had a bye in Week 11.

7. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 7)- After a couple of disappointing losses, Wisconsin was able to bounce back and beat Iowa. Taylor certainly did his part, as he ran for 250 yards on 31 carries.

6. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (Last Week: 6)-  Lawrence has quietly put on some very good performances after a rather lackluster start to the season. Per FF, since Week 4, has thrown 18 touchdowns and is the second highest-rated QB.

5. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (Last Week: 5)- Tua drops a spot after Alabama's perfect season was ruined at the hands of LSU. To be perfectly honest, Tua's Heisman campaign is nearing its end. After his small injury and this loss, Tua seems to be out of the immediate Heisman race. Could he still become a Heisman finalist? Absolutely, but it won't be easy, and he'll need some help from the players ahead of him.

4. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State (Last Week: 5)- Dobbins finds himself in the top five after Ohio State beat the holy hell out of Maryland. Because of the Buckeyes' dominance, Dobbins only carried the ball 12 times, but he made the most out of those carries by running for 90 yards and two scores. 

3. Justin Fields, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Fields stays in the top three after accounting for 228 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns as OSU cruised to an easy win.

2. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (Last Week: 2)- Hurts had a decently solid game against the Iowa State Cyclones, but it would have been nice to see a bigger performance after the Sooners' loss to Kansas State last week. That being said, Hurts did have a statistically impressive night as he threw for 273 yards and accounted for five touchdowns.

1. Joe Burrow, LSU (Last Week: 1)- The Heisman is Burrow's to lose at this moment in time. The Tigers knocked off undefeated Alabama and cemented themselves as the team to beat in the SEC. Burrow played exceptionally well as he went 31 of 39 for no interceptions while leading the Tigers to 33 points in the first half.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 10

As much as I'd like to talk about the developments that occurred this last weekend, we can't do that without catching up on the Heisman watch. Let's get started.

10. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma (Last Week: 10)- Lamb and the Sooners were off in Week 10.

9. Justin Herbert, Oregon (Last Week: 9)- In Oregon's 56-24 win over USC, Herbert went 21 for 26 for three touchdowns while adding one on the ground. While he is currently on the fringe of the Heisman conversation, a Pac-12 title would certainly increase his Heisman chances.

8. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 7)- Taylor and the Wisconsin Badger were on a bye this week

7. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (Last Week: 8)- With Taylor slipping last week, Hubbard needed a big week this week, and he delivered. With his 20 carries, Hubbard ran for 223 yards and two scores as the Cowboys picked up their sixth win of the week.

6. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (Last Week: 6)- Lawrence put up impressive numbers against Wofford, but it wasn't enough to move him into the top five. Yes, the sophomore has run through unimpressive teams, but that's not going to convince anyone he's the nation's most outstanding player. As the weeks roll on, it becomes less and less likely Lawrence is a Heisman finalist.

5. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State (Last Week: 5)- The Buckeyes (like a lot of top teams) were on a bye this week

4. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (Last Week: 4)- Tua & the Tide had Week 10 off.

3. Justin Fields, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- As I stated in Dobbins's entry, the Buckeyes did not play in Week 10.

2. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (Last Week: 2)- BYE

1. Joe Burrow, LSU (Last Week: 1)- Yet another bye

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 9

We're getting there folks. Let's get started.

10. CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma (Last Week: 10)- I really wanted to put Chase Young here, but I couldn't ignore Lamb's five catches for 135 yards and a touchdown. Yes, it was in a huge loss to Kansas State, but Lamb still played well.

9. Justin Herbert, Oregon (Last Week: 9)- Herbert and the Oregon Ducks got a big conference win against Washington State, keeping their College Football Playoff hopes alive. In that game, Herbert engineered a game-winning drive while throwing for 222 yards.

8. Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (Last Week: 8)- Hubbard continues to fly under-the-radar, but his great work should not go unnoticed. His performance against Iowa State in Week 9 was another impressive one, as he ran for 116 yards and one touchdown.

7. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (Last Week: 4)- Taylor drops three spots after the entire Wisconsin offense was shut down by the fearsome OSU defense. His 20 rushing attempts netted only 52 yards (giving him a 2.6 yard per carry average) and zero scores. If Taylor wants to make it back into the top five, he'll need some big performances in November.

6. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (Last Week: 6)- Lawrence had a sneakily great performance in Week 9 against Boston College. He only threw 19 passes, but he completed 16 of them for 275 yards and three touchdowns.

5. J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State (Last Week: 7)- Finally, after weeks on the outside Dobbins finally crosses into the top five. After Ohio State's big win against Wisconsin, Dobbins is second in the nation in both rushing yards and YPC.

4. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (Last Week: 3)- In a scenario eerily similar to last year, Tua finds himself dropping in the Heisman watch after an injury. In this case, Tua sat on the sidelines and watched his team dismantle Arkansas.

3. Justin Fields, Ohio State (Last Week: 5)- Fields was actually outperformed by a couple of his teammates in Week 9 (sorry again Chase Young), but

2. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (Last Week: 2)- After weeks of being atop our Heisman watch, Hurts drops a spot after Oklahoma's shocking loss at the hands of Kansas State. Not only did the upset hurt Hurts's Heisman chances, but it put a serious dent in Oklahoma's playoff chances. Still, Hurts played well in the game as he completed 73.1% of his passes and ran for three touchdowns. Fortunately for Hurts, his resume is still very impressive and probably enough to get him to New York.

1. Joe Burrow, LSU (Last Week: 2)- LSU fans rejoice, as Joe Burrow is the new Heisman frontrunner. In a monumental game against #9 Auburn (which boasts arguably the nation's best defense), Burrow threw for 321 yards as LSU won 23-20. It wasn't one of Burrow's more spectacular games, but a win is a win.

Thanks for reading everyone.