Joe Burrow a lock for the Heisman? Paul Finebaum says only 1 player can beat him out
By SDS Staff
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Joe Burrow is the best story in college football, and right now, the Heisman Trophy is his to lose. After the thrilling 46-41 win over Alabama in which Burrow threw for 393 yards and three touchdowns, he’s the talk of college football.
Saturday went a long way in cementing his Heisman candidacy, and there may not be anyone in college football who can catch him.
If there is one player that can catch him, however, Paul Finebaum thinks it’s Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, not Tua Tagovailoa or Jalen Hurts.
“I think it would be Justin Fields because he’s going to be on the biggest stage other than Joe Burrow,” Finebaum said Sunday morning on SportsCenter. “Penn State is coming up. Michigan coming up. Big Ten Championship Game. If he continues to do what he has done, he would have a shot. The irony is that he’s at the school that Joe Burrow left (Ohio State). Of course, Fields was at Georgia last year.”
Finebaum is right. As we’ve seen in recent history, the Heisman is usually awarded to the best player on the best team, and Fields is certainly in that discussion now, especially having the OSU spotlight following Chase Young’s suspension.
ESPN’s Jonathan Vilma noted that Georgia running back D’Andre Swift could actually help Fields overtake Burrow.
“I’m also looking at someone who could help Justin Fields. That would be (Georgia running back) D’Andre Swift,” Vilma said. “It’s really just the running game of the SEC title game. If Georgia can control the clock and not give Joe Burrow enough opportunities to throw the football … Swift could be the guy to help Fields win the Heisman.”
Finebaum, however, cautions that while Burrow is the Heisman frontrunner, he’s not a complete lock at this point — as no player has ever been after Week 11.
“Something could still happen. LSU goes to Ole Miss this week. Doesn’t look like much of a game, but it’s a little bit of a trap game,” Finebaum said. “And last year, Tua (Tagovailoa) had the Heisman wrapped up until he got hurt late into the season. I don’t think that’s going to happen, but that would be the only way to derail Joe Burrow right now — if he got knocked out of a game and somehow LSU inexplicably lost.”
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
