With the regular season of college football now over, the bowl games and playoff seedings are now set. With that, the Heisman Trophy finalists were also named, which includes four immensely talented football players. What makes this class great is that only two of them are draft-eligible, showing how college football is dominated by all classes. Let’s meet the Heisman Finalist and analyze my prediction on who takes home the trophy in 2021-22.

Kenny Pickett: QB, Pittsburgh

With his best Joe Burrow impression, Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett burst onto the scene as a Senior in college, winning the 2021 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award while leading Pittsburgh to their first ACC title, beating Wake Forest 45-21. While Pickett’s “fake slide” is headlining the news right now, do not let it distract you from the fact that he threw for 42 TD and 7 INT on 67.2% CMP and 4,319 passing yards, which are all career highs. He also complimented that with five rushing touchdowns, showing versatility. Because of Pickett’s play, the Panthers will face off against (10) Michigan State in the Peach Bowl on December 30th at 7:00 P.M. He may not be the favorite to win it, but Pickett still put together a senior season to remember, while vastly improving his draft stock as well.

Aidan Hutchinson: EDGE, Michigan

Kayvon Thibodeaux got all the love coming into this season, but that did not stop Aidan Hutchison from wrecking defenses for the Michigan Wolverines. If Thibodeaux is the consensus number one overall pick, Hutchinson should be second, or even argue for the top spot in this year’s draft. Hutchinson had 13 sacks and a whopping 15.5 tackles for loss through 13 games this season, helping the Wolverines to a Big Ten title and a dominant win over Ohio State, their longtime rival. In that game against Ohio State, Hutchinson had three tackles for loss and three sacks in the victory. Quarterbacks usually dominate this award, but I would pin Hutchinson as a dark horse to win the award because of how he shined in big games against Ohio State and Penn State when everybody was watching. Hutchinson will now look to bring home a national championship to Michigan starting on December 31st at 7:00 P.M., where they take on (3) Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

Bryce Young: QB , Alabama

If he was draft-eligible this year, QB Bryce Young would for sure be the first quarterback taken off the board, if not the first player. Young helped Alabama continue their dominance of college football, winning the SEC and claiming the number one spot in the college football playoff, where they will take on (4) Cincinnati in the semifinals. Young has continued the sudden dominance from the quarterback position at Alabama which started with Jalen Hurts, who passed it to Tua Tagovailoa, followed by Mac Jones, and now to Young, who may be better than all of them. Young had 43 passing TD’s to just four interceptions in 13 games this season, throwing for 4,322 passing yards on 68% CMP in his sophomore campaign, but first-year starting. In the SEC championship game, Young shredded top-ranked Georgia by scoring four total touchdowns on the way to a victory. In Georgia’s first 12 games, they gave up seven touchdowns. Young scored four himself. There is a reason why he is the favorite to win the award and I do not see a way where he does not win it either.

C.J. Stroud: QB, Ohio State

While his name became less popular after Ohio State’s loss to Michigan, QB C.J. Stroud should still be regarded as one of the top quarterbacks in college football and this Heisman finalist nod proves it. In his first year starting for the Buckeyes, Stroud had 38 TD’s and five interceptions, completing near 71% of his passes in only 11 games played. Despite not making the playoff, Stroud led the Buckeyes to the sixth-ranked spot in the country and a spot in the Rose Bowl against (11) Utah. The game will be played on New Years Day at 5:00 P.M. Expect Stroud to be right back in the Heisman conversation next year as he attempts to lead Ohio State to a national title.

My Prediction

While all candidates are worthy, Bryce Young’s performance against Georgia all but sealed the deal for him to be this year’s Heisman Trophy winner. He would be the second straight Alabama player to win the award, following Eagles WR DeVonta Smith. Young was head over heels the best player in college football and I fully expect him to take home the trophy.

Stats and award info from profootballreference.com

Writer

-By: Richie Dordas

  With the 2021 college football season commencing in 82 days, it’s time to start breaking down my top ten Heisman Trophy candidates and which players have the best chance at winning the award. Since the year 2000, 17 out of 20 winners have been quarterbacks and I expect this trend to continue in the 2021 college football season. With that being said, this list is composed mainly of quarterbacks with a couple of running backs in the mix. 

10. Bijan Robinson - Texas, Running Back 

Bijan Robinson is set to have a breakout year in 2021 as new head coach Steve Sarkisian will look to have him involved in the offense. Sarkisian has a reputation for getting his best players touches in an explosive offense as we saw at Alabama. In 2020, Sarkisian gave Najee Harris 294 total touches accumulating about 1900 total yards and 30 total touchdowns. While ex-Alabama running back Keilan Robinson just transferred to Texas, Bijan Robinson will still see the majority of touches as he averaged almost 9 yards an attempt in 2020. With Sarkisian’s history and Bijan Robinson’s frame of 6 feet 222 pounds, success is determined to happen in 2021. 

9. Breece Hall - Iowa State, Running Back

Simply put, Breece Hall is one of the most talented players in the nation and the most talented at his position in the country. Having one more year under his belt compared to Bijan Robinson, experience is on his side. In 2020, Hall had 93 more carries than he did as a freshman in 2019 and I see no reason for that number to decrease in 2021 barring injury. Hall had almost 1600 rushing yards and he scored 23 total touchdowns in 2020. After having a season full of accolades, including being a first-team All-American, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and a Top 6 Heisman candidate, Hall looks to finally capture the trophy in 2021. 

8. C.J. Stroud - Ohio State, Quarterback

C.J. Stroud is the most unique candidate to win the 2021 Heisman Trophy on this list. He has the potential to surprise the field as he lies a bit under the radar due to inexperience as he is one of two quarterbacks on this list that have yet to start a game. Any Ohio State quarterback is a threat in this race due to the explosive offense and receiving power they possess, with arguably two of the Top 5 receivers in the nation returning in Chirs Olave and Garrett Wilson. Coach Ryan Day has yet to announce the starting quarterback for the 2021 season as the race is between three quarterbacks, however, the belief in Columbus is that Stroud will get the starting job. Stroud displayed his skill in 2020 when he broke out for a 48-yard touchdown run versus Michigan State. 

7. Desmond Ridder - Cincinnati, Quarterback 

Sitting at No. 7 due to his experience and success at the collegiate level is Desmond Ridder. The Cincinnati quarterback is one of the most accomplished yet underrated quarterbacks in the landscape of college football and I believe this is due to the lack of respect that non-power five schools get. Returning to school for his senior year and coming off a heartbreaking loss in the 2021 Peach Bowl, Ridder is out to make noise for not only his school but himself nationally as he wants to display his abilities one more time. Ridder has led the Bearcats to a 31-5 record over the past 3 years and is coming off a season where he threw 19 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. 

6. D’Eriq King - Miami, Quarterback

The University of Miami might officially be back with the stud quarterback play that they will have this upcoming football season with D’Eriq King under center. King returns to Miami after tearing his ACL in the Cheez-It Bowl and this will be his 6th year playing college football. King has never played in the same offensive system for two years in a row so this is great reasoning for why King will have an explosive year. King’s dual-threat ability allows him to make plays with his legs and arms scrambling out of the pocket. Miami’s entire offensive line is returning for the 2021 campaign which should allow King to improve his numbers from the 2020 season of 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He will have something to prove this year to pro scouts and myself as his knee injury could have an impact putting him at number 6 on the list. 

5. Kedon Slovis - USC, Quarterback

Kedon Slovis has one of the toughest jobs in the entire country: being the starting quarterback for the USC Trojans. He has a lot of pressure on his back with being one of the top NFL prospects and trying to bring back greatness to a somewhat dying program. But with pressure comes opportunity and Slovis’ talent is nothing short of amazing as he has great accuracy and touch on the football. Slovis has the highest passer grade on throws that took three seconds after the snap to pass which is higher than any other quarterback. USC has three offensive starters on the offensive line returning however they lose Alijah Vera-Tucker who was Slovis’ main pass protector. After only playing 6 games in the 2020 season due to the pandemic, Slovis will look to get back to his freshman year numbers and throw over 30 touchdowns.

4. Bryce Young - Alabama, Quarterback

One thing that I have tried to keep consistent on this list is experience as it truly matters but for Bryce Young, the situation is different when you are the starting quarterback of the reigning national champions. Stroud and Young are very comparable in the experience department but the difference is Young is already slated to get the gig while Stroud is still battling it out. While he saw very little action in the 2020 season with Mac Jones running the offense in Tuscaloosa, Young was a five-star quarterback coming out of high school and the number one quarterback in the nation as a recruit. With Steve Sarkisian leaving and Bill O’Brien taking over, there will be a new offense he has to learn but there is a new crop of players ready to take over. With the departure of Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, new skilled players will emerge such as John Metchie III and Jameson Williams, who transferred from Ohio State and runs one of the best go routes in college. Bryce Young is set to lead the tide to yet another title defense. 

3. Sam Howell - UNC, Quarterback

At third on the list is Sam Howell, quarterback for the Tar Heels. Coming up on his third year in the program, Howell and Mac Brown are steadily increasing the status of the football program at UNC. Being one of the top prospects for the 2022 NFL Draft, Howell has outstanding numbers as he has thrown for 68 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his career. It is not just that his numbers are Heisman-worthy but he is timely. Howell is the most impactful quarterback in college football as he has led college football with 19 touchdowns in the 4th quarter and he looks to continue this trend in 2021. 

2. D.J. Uiagalelei - Clemson, Quarterback 

You might wonder why Uiagalelei is second on the list when he has not been a starter for a full year like some of the others on this list. Uiagalelei has come in and proven to the national and the Clemson faithful that he is more than capable of running the offense in Death Valley. In his two starts when Trevor Lawrence had COVID-19, he put up similar numbers to the reigning number 1 overall pick. In two games he has a completion percentage of 69.55% on 85 attempts resulting in 4 touchdowns and almost 800 yards. Uiagalelei is ready to take the reins from Trevor Lawrence and prove to the world that he can be as successful as his predecessor.

1. Spencer Rattler - Oklahoma, Quarterback

My Heisman Trophy preseason favorite is the Oklahoma quarterback, Spencer Rattler. Out of everybody on this list, Rattler possesses the dual-threat skills that the voters enjoy. He is quick twitch and can explode for big plays, both with his feet and arms similar to past winners like Lamar Jackson or Kyler Murray. Coming off a season where he played 11 games and was the starter, Rattler threw 28 touchdowns and ran for 6 more. Coming off a season where he was named national freshman of the year by CBS Sports he is ready to take the Sooners back to the College Football Playoff which they missed in 2020. Rattler is ready to take his game to new heights and prove to the nation that he can continue Oklahoma’s trend of Heisman trophy success in recent years. 

Spencer Rattler Accolades: https://soonersports.com/sports/football/roster/spencer-rattler/14679

Sam Howell Stats: https://247sports.com/college/north-carolina/Article/Sam-Howell-Heisman-Odds-UNC-Football-158534232/

Kedon Slovis Stats: https://247sports.com/college/usc/Article/LOOK-USC-QB-Kedon-Slovis-early-2021-Heisman-odds--158643620/

Stats: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/

Writer

-By: Justin Howard

On December 24th, the four finalists for the 2020 Heisman trophy were announced. The Heisman memorial trophy, won last year by Joe Burrow, commemorates the most outstanding player in NCAA football. The candidates for this year's trophy are Clemson’s Quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Alabama’s Quarterback Mac Jones, Florida’s Quarterback Kyle Trask, and Alabama’s wide receiver Devonta Smith. Here is each player's case to be the 2020 Heisman Memorial Trophy winner.

Honorable Mention: Najee Harris, RB Alabama

The most notable omission from the Heisman finalist list was Alabama running back Najee Harris. After watching Harris all season, and after considering his stats, I feel that Najee Harris at least deserved to be a finalist. I believe that Najee Harris had as good of a Heisman case as any to make it a 5 candidate race this year. 

Currently, Harris is 3rd in the NCAA in rushing yards with 1262. He is 2nd in yards from scrimmage with 1578, narrowly behind Iowa State’s Breece Hall. Najee Harris is by far the leader in touchdowns from scrimmage this season with 27 total touchdowns, five more than 2nd place. He also leads in rushing touchdowns with 24, 5 more than Hall. Harris this season has only one less touchdown than Derrick Henry did his Heisman winning season, despite playing 4 fewer games. With a teammate at quarterback and wide receiver as Heisman candidates, Harris has been able to still find the endzone more than any other skill position player. To me, that deserves consideration and a spot as a Heisman finalist. 

Mac Jones, QB Alabama

Redshirt junior quarterback Mac Jones has led 11-0 Alabama to the #1 ranking in the country. Jones lead Alabama to an SEC championship victory over Florida, and has his Crimson Tide as the #1 seed in the College Football Playoffs. He has completed 250 of his 327 passing attempts for a nation-leading 76.5% completion percentage. He also leads the nation in passing efficiency rating, with a rating of 202.3. He is 2nd in the nation in passing yards with 3739, 3rd in passing touchdowns with 32, and has only thrown 4 interceptions in 11 games. He has led Alabama to the most points per game for any power 5 conference, the Crimson Tide averaging 49.7 points per game. In 2020, Jones has been the head of the best offense in all of college football, and looks to add a Heisman Trophy alongside a potential National Championship.

Kyle Trask, QB Florida

Redshirt senior quarterback Kyle Trask leads in virtually all quarterback categories this season. He leads the league in completions with 285, passing yards with 4125, and passing touchdowns with 43. Trask finished with a 69.7% completion percentage and only threw 5 interceptions, leading Florida to an SEC title game and an 8-3 record. With Trask at the helm, Florida led the nation in passing yards per game with 388.4. The Gators averaged 41.6 points per game.

Trevor Lawrence, QB Clemson

The college football world has been patiently waiting for Trevor Lawrence to get his shot at the Heisman award. Ever since he led Clemson to back to back National Championships, losing only one game during that span, fans have wondered when it would be Lawrence’s time to hoist the Heisman. It may be his year, with Lawrence turning in another great regular season. Lawrence was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year after leading Clemson to an ACC title victory over Notre Dame. Clemson currently is the 2nd seed in the College Football Playoffs, and are undefeated under Lawrence.

Lawrence has improved statistically from last season. He boasts a 69% completion percentage, completing 198 of his 286 passes. He has thrown for 22 touchdowns in 9 games and rushed for an additional 7 touchdowns. He has only thrown 4 interceptions this year. Lawrence has not yet lost a game this season starting for Clemson, he was unavailable for Clemson’s previous loss this season to Notre Dame due to COVID-19 protocols.

Devonta Smith, WR Alabama

How good has Devonta Smith been this season? He is the first wide receiver to be a Heisman finalist since Dede Westbrook in 2016, a year that included 5 candidates. He has been the most dominant receiver, leading the nation in receptions with 98, as well as in receiving yards with 1511. He has over 300 more receiving yards than runner-up Elijah Moore. He is 2nd in the nation in receiving touchdowns with 17. He was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year. In the toughest conference in football, Devonta Smith has stood out and easily been the best skill position player in all of college.

My Pick For Heisman

I truly believe that for the first time since Desmond Howard in 1991, the Heisman should be given to a wide receiver. Against top competition in the SEC, Devonta Smith has looked like a man amongst boys this year. He has the accolades to back him up this year with his SEC Offensive Player of the Year Award, and he has the dominant stats to back up his selection. I do not believe that Kyle Trask should be the Heisman after missing out on a College Football Playoffs Berth, and I don’t believe that Mac Jones stats are nearly as good as Trask’s. Lawrence, I don’t feel you can make that much of a case for after the regular season statistically. Smith was the most dominant player on the top team in college football this season, and I believe that should win him the Heisman.

Writer

-By: Jacob Keppen