Heisman Watch: Week 10
Most eyes have turned to the race for the four College Football Playoff spots given to the best teams in the country. However, there are many impact players behind those teams vying for a top four spot and those players are in another heated race, for the Heisman. Let’s take a look at how these players stack up heading into week 10:
Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
Joe Burrow continues to strengthen his resume as the senior quarterback and his team picked up another top 10 win over Auburn this past weekend. The Tigers play caller added 321 yards and one touchdown in the 23-20 victory. Burrow consistently puts up incredible numbers through the air as he ranks second in both passing yards and passing touchdowns for the entire NCAA.
Burrow and the No. 1 ranked Tigers will take the week off as they prepare for the biggest clash of the season on Nov. 9 as they will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to take on the No. 2 ranked Crimson Tide. Look for this matchup to play a huge role in the Heisman race as Burrow will face off against another Heisman hopeful in Tua Tagovailoa.
Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
The Sooners were upset in a 48-41 loss to Kansas State, but Hurts can’t be the scapegoat in the loss. The Alabama transfer threw for 395 yards on a 73.1 percent completion percentage and added a touchdown through the air. Not to mention, Hurts ran for 96 more yards on the ground and found the endzone three more times with his legs. Oklahoma may have taken their name out of playoff contention but Hurts definitely kept his name in the Heisman race.
Hurts is ranked sixth in the country in passing yards, 18th in rushing yards, and leads the nation in total touchdowns with 34 touchdowns. Oklahoma will take an extra week to recover from the loss and prepare for Iowa State on Nov. 9 where Hurts will look to add to his strong Heisman resume.
Chase Young, DE, Ohio State
Chase Young made a statement on Saturday and legitimately entered his name into the Heisman conversation. It’s rare for a defensive player to be a finalist, but Young has been that good. In a dominating Buckeyes 38-7 win over Wisconsin, Young put up an unheard of performance against one of the most highly regarded offensive lines. The junior had four sacks, five tackles for a loss, and two forced fumbles.
Young has 13.5 sacks on the season and will surely break the Ohio State single season record of 14 set in 2007. Young will have his eyes set on 20 as Ohio State continues their undefeated campaign Nov. 9 against Maryland.
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
Tagovailoa was out of action this week with an ankle injury but Alabama didn’t miss a beat. Sophomore Mac Jones stepped in and led the Crimson tide to a 48-7 rout of Arkansas while throwing for three touchdowns. Tua was in the top two for the Heisman race before his injury, which may cost him the trophy. Coach Nick Saban says Tua will be a game time decision for the Nov. 9 matchup with No. 1 LSU. If Tua is good to go, look for him to put on a show and get his name back on the top of the conversation.
Outside Looking In:
Justin Fields: 1,659 passing yards, 33 total touchdowns
Justin Herbert: 2,104 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns
Charlie Knezevic is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email charlieknez@gmail.com.
