Heisman Watch: My Top 3, who's rising, who's falling entering Week 9
The race for the Heisman Trophy isn’t much of a race after all, but voters are still hopeful that new candidates will bubble to the surface.
Roughly two-thirds of the way through the regular season, the Heisman appears to be Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson’s to lose. The seemingly indefensible dual-threat passer clowned N.C. State in Week 8 to add to his highlight reel.
In the SEC, Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly is officially and dead and buried — at least when it comes to the awards circuit — after a fourth loss in seven games. A pair of high-profile running backs, Georgia’s Nick Chubb and Tennessee’s Jalen Hurd, spent bye weeks licking their wounds, not dusting their mantels.
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That being said, the best conference in America did get some good news in Baton Rouge. LSU tailback Leonard Fournette, suiting up for the first time since Sept. 24, finally looked like himself against Kelly’s Rebels.
Here’s how I’m handicapping the Heisman battle thus far. For the first time in a few weeks, we have some movement at the top.
top 3
1. Louisville QB Lamar Jackson
Week 8: 20-34-355-3-0 passing, 17-76-1 rushing
2016: 134-230-2,161-18-4 passing, 130-908-16 rushing
In a 54-13 blowout of N.C. State, Jackson averaged 10.4 yards per attempt as a passer and then 4.5 as a rusher.
With 18 passing and 16 more rushing, Jackson is responsible for 34 touchdowns in seven games. That’s already a single-season record for the Cardinals, who remain in the College Football Playoff hunt at 6-1 and a No. 5 ranking.
Unfortunately, with Houston being upset Saturday and dropping out of the AP Poll, Jackson won’t face a ranked opponent the rest of the way.
2. Washington QB Jake Browning
Week 8: 14-28-291-3-0 passing, 5-21-1 rushing
2016: 118-172-1,709-26-2 passing, 31-69-4 rushing
The nation’s No. 2 passer in terms of efficiency rating, Browning has put together a sparkling TD-to-INT ratio of 26-to-2.
Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Aside from a 7-point win over Arizona back in Week 4, the No. 4 Huskies have been pounding the enemy both at home and on the road. Browning isn’t gratuitously racking up stats either, as he’s yet to throw more than 28 passes in any game.
With so many voters East of the Mississippi, Browning doesn’t get the attention he deserves out West. He’s legit, though.
3. Florida State RB Dalvin Cook
Week 8: bye
2016: 159-900-7 rushing, 21-356-1 receiving
Healthy or not, the bye didn’t come at an ideal time for Cook. He’d been red hot with four consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
In addition to his prowess on the ground, Cook is also a monster through the air. He averages an even 17 yards per reception out of the backfield, which is first nationally among running backs with enough catches to qualify.
Cook is fourth in the land in total yards from scrimmage. He’s also the only player in the Top 6 from a Power 5 conference.
on the rise
Oklahoma RB Joe Mixon
The top running back for the Sooners this season was supposed to be Samaje Perine, but he’s done little outside of a 214-yard explosion facing a bad Texas team. Mixon just had 263 in that 66-59 shootout at Texas Tech.
Adding to his video game-like numbers, Mixon hurt the Red Raiders with an additional 114 yards on 4 catches and scored 5 total TDs.
LSU RB Leonard Fournette
Even when in the lineup earlier this season, Fournette didn’t resemble the ball carrier that captured America’s attention for two months a year ago. An ankle injury had sidelined him for several weeks, too.
Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
But Fournette went full Fournette vs. Ole Miss, setting a Tigers record with 284 yards on only 16 rushes. Maybe it’s not too late for him.
Vanderbilt RB Ralph Webb
Going over the century mark for the fourth time in eight games, Webb only needed 9 carries to post 125 yards on the ground in a 35-17 defeat of Tennessee State. His average of 13.9 yards per attempt was a career best.
In workman-like fashion, Webb is 11th in the country with 855 yards rushing. He’ll be Vandy’s all-time leader by season’s end.
falling fast
Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett
While Barrett’s numbers throwing and running are impressive, his candidacy was based more on the Buckeyes’ status as an undefeated national-title contender. Therefore, getting upset at Penn State in Week 8 was a killer.
Barrett was only responsible for one touchdown against a Nittany Lions program that’s 10th in the Big Ten in scoring defense.
Arkansas QB Austin Allen
Before getting drubbed 56-3 at Auburn this past Saturday, Allen had fired at least 2 TDs passes in each of his first seven starts. However, he didn’t get the Hogs into the end zone once and threw for a season-low 187 yards.
Credit: John Reed-USA TODAY Sports
Allen has been one of the better stories in the SEC all year long. Perhaps the weekly punishment he’s taken is catching up to him, though.
Houston QB Greg Ward
When the Cougars were 5-0, their scheduled showdown Nov. 17 with Louisville looked like an eliminator for the College Football Playoff. But after losses to Navy and SMU the past three weeks, Ward vs. Jackson doesn’t have nearly the sizzle anymore.
Ward has thrown for 13 scores and run for 5 more, but a two-loss quarterback from the AAC isn’t getting anywhere near New York City.
John Crist is the senior writer for Saturday Down South, a member of the FWAA and a voter for the Heisman Trophy. Send him an e-mail, like him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.
