As we approach the College Football Playoff, there is another race going on. Rather than a team award, the Heisman trophy is awarded to the individual whose performance best exhibits the pursuit of excellence and integrity; the most valuable player. As the playoff race heats up, the competition for the Heisman does as well, here are the top 5 candidates going into week 12.
5) Jake Browning
Browning and the Huskies took a tough Week 11 loss, but that does not diminish the Sophomore’s season. He has still thrown the second most passing touchdowns in the FBS this season (35) and holds the third highest QB rating thus far (189.1). A stat almost no one realizes is his proficiency at not throwing interceptions, as he is currently at the top of the standings with a Division low 5 interceptions through 11 games.
Although he had a singular poor game, it should not hurt his Heisman hopes, provided he can bounce back next week. Poor play in the next game could hurt his chances, but that should likely not be the case. If this is a case of poor play under pressure, there may be an issue, but otherwise, his hopes are not yet dashed.
A strong performance next week against Arizona State will provide a decent outlook into what Browning needs to do to be awarded the Heisman.
4) Deshaun Watson
This week Watson’s stake took a significant hit. A loss to Pitt hurt his chances at becoming a Heisman hopeful, yet this year he will likely be on the ballot again.
He isn’t having quite the season he had last year, but his season is still noteworthy. At this point, his name is his biggest asset. He is currently second in total interceptions (13) within the FBS, while throwing 27 touchdowns. Throwing 580 yards as a dual-threat QB shows his throwing ability off, and yet the team still lost by a point. This could be a note more about Dabo Swinney than Deshaun in terms of utilizing the skills of his unique QB.
Going forward if Dabo allows Watson to play his game, and doesn’t force him to strictly push the ball downfield via his relatively inaccurate arm, there is promise for the QB.
3) D’Onta Foreman
The RB out of Texas is quickly adding himself to the Heisman competition. He has rushed for more than 100 yards 11 straight games.
His fallback may be the fact that the Longhorns are incredibly mediocre. He hasn’t been able to carry the team that would be expected from many of these other candidates. In terms of notoriety, he is very low as well, but his record-breaking performances cannot be overlooked.
Until last week, Foreman had put up 200 all-purpose yards in three straight games as well, missing by just a single yard last week. By becoming a premiere back and providing life to an otherwise stiff Longhorns offense, it has brought out the best in him. He has run for 13 TD’s thus far and is averaging 6.8 YPC. These are stats that have stayed consistent for him. The likeliness that Foreman will win the award is low, yet the chance is still there. If he continues to perform as admirably as he has, he could at least play himself into the conversation.
2) Jabrill Peppers
Peppers is by far the most interesting pick within this list. Peppers has been the jack of all trades to watch this year. A better athlete than last year’s Myles Jack, Peppers has tremendous upside and has shown that while playing as many as 12 different positions so far this year per Michigan representatives.
His biggest hurdle to overcome is his lack of highlight reel plays and eye-popping statistics. He benefits from the ability to change positions seamlessly, but that benefits him more within the draft process than the Heisman voting.
To win the award, Peppers would need the next player on the list to take a hit in the voting (a few bad games) while performing at or above his highest ability for the next couple weeks. Often the Heisman is given to the most exciting player, and although Peppers is by far the most versatile and likely means the most to his team, he is not nearly as exciting as some others on this list. Although this is the case, if he performs admirably throughout the rest of the season, he will not only be on the ballot but rather a serious contender to win the award.
1) Lamar Jackson
By far the easiest choice, there is no one who would be more deserving of the award this far into the season. All season, people have discussed what a unique talent Jackson is, and it has shown through week after week.
He has thrown just 6 interceptions while becoming the best dual-threat QB in the college game. He has passed for nearly 2,900 yards and rushed for over 1,300. To go with that, he has been responsible for a combined 46(!) touchdowns so far throughout the season.
He has shown unmatched skill this year and has placed him head and shoulders above the competition. Week 11 had him produce nearly 300 yards of total offense, and yet this was one of his worst games to date. Pair his consistently impressive performances with his calm and modest demeanor and there is a solid chance this young man is going to be the next NCAA Heisman winner.
