The 2019 college football season is in full swing, so let’s look at out contenders for the Heisman Trophy. From now, until the trophy is presented in New York City in early December, we’re officially on Heisman watch.
The Game Haus offers its weekly rankings of the top five candidates for college football’s most prestigious award. Here’s a look at this week’s version of the Heisman watch with the current contenders as we see it.
Last week’s ranking in parenthesis. All times eastern.
Photo courtesy of apnews.com
This week: at No. 24 Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m., Saturday
The Breakdown: Here’s some food – or numbers – for thought. In the Crimson Tide’s 45-23 victory over Texas A&M last season, Tagovailoa was 22 of 30 for 387 yards with four touchdown passes, no interceptions and he also scored on the ground. While we don’t expect that kind of dominance this weekend, Tua (23 passing touchdowns, zero interception) should still get the job done.
This week: vs. No. 11 Texas (at Dallas), Noon, Saturday
The Breakdown: A big game against the Longhorns in the Red River Showdown and Hurts could top this list. It’s really his first major test while with the Sooners. Hurts has played in plenty of big games with Alabama, so the environment should not be an issue, but Texas will be amped to stop him, and we can’t wait to see how it goes.
This week: vs. No. 7 Florida, 8 p.m., Saturday
The Breakdown: Burrow is the big mover of the week on the Heisman watch, but based on the way Tagovailoa and Hurts are playing, he probably won’t go higher than No. 3. He’s completing 78.4 percent of his passes this season and has thrown for 11 of his 22 touchdowns in the last two game. Burrow was dogged by the Gators (two interceptions, fumble, five sacks) in 2018, so he’ll have some payback on his mind Saturday.
4. Jonathan Taylor, RB, No. 8 Wisconsin (3)
Photo courtesy of detroitnews.com
This week: vs. Michigan State, 3:30 p.m., Saturday
The Breakdown: Taylor dropped in our Heisman watch only because Burrow and LSU have looked so good. Then again, Taylor’s Badgers aren’t too shabby. Closing in on that 5,000-yard mark (he’s at 4,916), Taylor is facing the Spartans for the first time. Michigan State usually plays solid defense, but it just allowed Ohio State to run for a whopping 323 yards last weekend.
This week: idle
The Breakdown: Fields and the Buckeyes have the week off before visiting Northwestern next Friday night. It’s been quite the start to an Ohio State tenure for Fields, who has thrown for at least two touchdowns in each of the six games and rushed for a score in every contest. He just threw his first interception last week versus Michigan State, but those 18 TD passes should make up for it.
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