Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 7

Heisman Watch

The Leaders:

1. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, Quarterback, Junior.

   Call it my Ohio State bias. Call it Stroud being the biggest preseason favorite living up to the hype. But with 24 touchdown passes, (averaging four per game) and a running game to back him up, and a defense that is light years better than it was last year, this is still Stroud’s to lose. The competition however is heating up, and the pressure for a huge game on November 26th in The Game is mounting.

2. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, Quarterback, Senior

   Hooker has the best “Heisman Moment” of the season with his win over Alabama, Tennessee’s first since 2006. Hendon Hooker was 21 of 30 for 385 yards and five touchdowns passing with 14 carries for 56 yards rushing. On the season he is 119 of 170 for 1,817 yards and 15 touchdowns passing with 59 carries for 287 yards and three touchdowns rushing. After that big win, the distance between him and Stroud is very thin.

3. Max Duggan, TCU, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   Duggan is a huge reason that Sonny Dykes and TCU are undefeated and at the top of the Big 12. Duggan is 116 of 167 for 1,591 yards and 16 touchdowns (only one interception) passing and 43 carries for 261 yards and four touchdowns rushing on the season.

4. Blake Corum, TTUN, Running Back, Junior.

   

   Corum is playing like the best running back in college football. He had 28 carries for 166 yards and two touchdowns against a stout Penn State defense and has 146 carries for 901 yards and 13 touchdowns. With Donovan Edwards and J.J. McCarthy, he’s not having to carry this offense all by himself, making him that much more dangerous to opposing defenses.

5. Drake Maye, North Carolina, Quarterback, Freshman.

   Most likely the best freshman in the country, Maye has UNC at 6-1 and isn’t playing like a guy in his first year in college. May is 162 of 231 for 2,283 yards and 24 touchdowns passing with 84 carries for 378 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Keeping up this production and winning record will go a long way toward this freshman’s Heisman chances.

In the Race:

1. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   Having UCLA undefeated and in first place in the Pac-12 has Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the race for the Heisman Trophy. DTR has over 1,700 yards of total offense and 19 total touchdowns and the Bruins are at 6-0.

2. Garrett Shrader, Syracuse, Quarterback, Junior.

   

   It’s mid-October and Garrett Shrader has the Syracuse Orange undefeated. That’s a tough feat. Shrader is good this year going 106 of 152 for 1,434 yards and 13 touchdowns passing with 78 carries for 300 yards and 5 touchdowns rushing. The longer the Orange keep winning the longer Shrader stays in this race.

3. DJ Uiagaleilei, Clemson, Quarterback, Junior.

   

   Uiagaleilei had jumped into this race by just winning tight games and having Clemson in the top 5 nationally and leading the ACC. On the year he is 137 of 213 for 1,665 yards and 17 touchdowns passing with 81 carries for 337 yards and four touchdowns rushing. I’ve made the mistake of sleeping on Clemson and Uiagaleilei this season and won’t do that again any time soon.

4. Bo Nix, Oregon, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   Nix and the Ducks host DTR and the UCLA Bruins and the winner will stay in this race and the loser likely fall to having a great season but not one winning the Heisman. Both teams had a BYE week and are looking to get huge that huge conference win this week.

5. Bryce Young, Alabama, Quarterback, Junior.

   

   Throwing for 455 yards and two touchdowns in a loss doesn’t hurt his chances, just puts him in the middle of the pack at the moment, along with his missed game with an injury. Young will need 300-yard and four-touchdown games from here on out to have a chance to repeat, but he can very well do just that.

Making Noise:

1. Stetson Bennett, Georgia, Quarterback, Senior.

   Stetson Bennett is still here mainly because he is the quarterback on the #1 team in the country but that is keeping afloat less and less every week because his production is considered modest. But Bennett, Georgia, and Dawgs fans everywhere are more than happy to just keep winning.

2. Adrian Martinez, Kansas State, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   Martinez and K-State had a BYE this week, so he moved up by default of some other guys ahead of him suffering losses and dropping down. Still, Martinez’s play has him in this conversation right now. He’ll need to sustain it and K-State to keep winning to stay in the race.

3. Chase Brown, Illinois, Running Back, Junior.

   

   Chase Brown is the star of the Fighting Illini who are in first place in the Wild Big Ten West. Brown has 192 carries for 1,059 yards and six total touchdowns. He is the tank of the Illinois offense and makes more noise with every win for the Illini.

4. Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   The good news for Sanders is while one loss hurts a Heisman campaign it doesn’t end it. Sanders was 16 of 36 for 245 yards and a touchdown passing with 11 carries for 68 yards and two touchdowns rushing. On the year he is 120 of 205 for 1,639 yards and 13 touchdowns passing with 69 carries for 309 yards and eight touchdowns rushing. Like his Oklahoma State Cowboys and their hopes for a Big 12 championship, Sanders can’t afford another loss.

5. Caleb Williams, USC, Quarterback, Sophomore.

   

   The loss to Utah hurts his chances but by no means eliminates them. Despite the loss, Williams was 25 of 42 for 381 yards and five touchdowns with eight carries for 57 yards. On the year he is 147 of 230 for 1,971 yards and 19 touchdowns to one interception, with 61 carries for 239 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Williams is very much in this race but can’t afford another hiccup or his shot might be gone.

Down but not out:

1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State, Wide Receiver, Sophomore.

   

   Marvin Harrison Jr., is having a great season. His only problem when it comes to the Heisman buzz is that his quarterback is getting all the headlines when it comes to the Buckeyes. Harrison has 31 catches for 536 yards and nine touchdowns but his Heisman campaign may have to wait until 2023.

2. Bijan Robinson, Texas, Running Back, Junior.

   

   Robinson had a good game in the Longhorns’ win over Iowa State. He had 28 carries for 135 yards and four catches for 36 yards. On the season he has 110 carries for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns and 12 catches for 203 yards and a touchdown. These are great numbers for any running back, but at the moment they aren’t Heisman-winning numbers and with less time left to put those up it looks like Robinson is almost out of the race for the Heisman. He does, however, have Texas in the race for the Big 12.

Fallen Out but Great Seasons. 

1. Mohammed Ibrahim, Minnesota, Running Back, Senior. Ibrahim had a solid game with 15 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown but the Gophers lost to Illinois for their second loss in a row. This essentially sinks his Heisman hopes but Ibrahim will still have a good season and opportunities to shine at Minnesota.
2. Jalon Daniels, Kansas, Quarterback, Junior. Trying to heal a shoulder injury and the Jayhawks suffering their second straight loss without him likely sinks Daniels’ Heisman hopes. Don’t forget his name though going forward in college football this year if he returns from his injury and definitely next year.
3. Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, Quarterback, Junior. McCall’s Coastal Carolina Chanticleers suffered their first loss effectively sinking McCall’s slim Heisman chances. Still, McCall had a good game against Georgia Southern as the was 26 of 34 for 358 yards and three touchdowns. The problem was McCall was sacked six times. On the year though McCall is having a season Chanticleer fans will never forget.
4. Will Anderson Jr., Alabama, Linebacker, Junior. Anderson only had three tackles and 0.5 for a loss in the Tide’s loss to Tennessee. Anderson and Bama will bounce back and likely make it to Atlanta in December with a shot at the playoffs but Will Anderson Jr., isn’t winning the Heisman this year.
5. Will Rogers, Mississippi State, Quarterback, Junior. Rogers had a bad game in the Bulldogs’ loss to Kentucky. He was 25 of 37 for only 203 yards and one touchdown. Rogers is 227 of 319 for 2,313 with 24 touchdowns but without a great team record to go with it in Mike Leach’s system, Rogers will have a great year but not a Heisman-winning year.

National Players of the Week

National Player of the Week:

Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee, Wide Receiver, Junior.

Jalin Hyatt had the kind of game against Alabama that kids everywhere dream about having against their team’s most hated foe. Hyatt had six catches for 207 yards and five touchdowns. Yes, FIVE touchdowns! Only one catch of his didn’t go to the end zone. I can hear Rocky Top being sung from here in Ohio tonight thanks to Jalin Hyatt.

National Offensive Player of the Week:

Michael Penix Jr., Washington, Quarterback, Senior.

Penix was 36 of 44 for 516 yards and five total touchdowns. Penix has had a great season for the Huskies and the more noise the Huskies make in the Pac-12 the more Penix will make nationally as he is playing at such a high level in Seattle.

National Defensive Player of the Week:

Akheem Mesidor, Miami, Defensive Lineman, Junior.

Akheem Mesidor had a big night for the Hurricanes as he came up with eight tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 3.5 tackles for a loss in Miami’s 20-14 win over Virginia Tech.

National Special Teams Player of the Week:

Chase McGrath, Tennessee, Kicker, Senior.

McGrath was only five of six on his extra points against Alabama but his one-made field goal was legendary. It was an ugly wounded duck of a football flying through the air, but what I’ll forever call the “Knoxville Knuckleball,” went through the uprights and beat Alabama and on into Volunteers’ memories and hearts forever.

Honorable Mention of the Week:

Blake Watson, Old Dominion, Running Back, Junior.

Watson had 18 carries for 256 yards and three touchdowns as the Monarchs of Old Dominion knocked Grayson McCall and Coastal Carolina from the ranks of the unbeaten.

Brad Roberts, Air Force, Fullback, Senior.

Roberts had 29 carries for 144 yards and three touchdowns. Roberts is having a fantastic season for the Falcons. He has 149 carries for 853 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Falcons.

Kyle Vantrease, Georgia Southern, Quarterback, Senior.

Vantrease was 38 of 64 for 578 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles beat the previously undefeated and #25-ranked James Madison.

Carson Steele, Ball State, Running Back, Sophomore.

Carson Steele dives for the touchdown (Photo by Amber Pietz, Daily News)

Steele had 32 carries for 179 yards and three touchdowns in Ball State’s win over UConn. Steele is having a great season with 168 carries for 789 yards and eight touchdowns.

John Rhys Plumlee, UCF, Quarterback, Junior

John Rhys Plumlee was responsible for seven touchdowns as UCF crushed temple 70-13. He was 18 of 22 for 373 yards and four touchdowns with seven carries for 37 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Plumlee is 107 of 168 for 1,516 yards and 11 touchdowns passing and 87 carries for 468 yards and seven touchdowns rushing.

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Check out every week of the Heisman Watch so far this season!

0. Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 0
1. Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 1
2. Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 2
3. Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 3
4. Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 4
5. Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 5
6. Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 6