Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week-Week 8

Heisman Watch

The Leaders:

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

   

   Against one of the top defenses in the nation, Stroud had some early struggles but was very sharp late. He was 20 of 30 for 286 yards and four touchdowns. On the season he is 133 of 190 for 2,023 yards and 28 touchdowns. Stroud has a quarterback rating of 92.6 which is the best in the country. It is still his race to lose but Hendon Hooker is making the margin between the two razor-thin.

2. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   Hooker was 18 of 24 for 276 yards and three touchdowns as the Vols routed UT-Martin 65-24. Hooker is 137 of 194 for 2,093 yards and 18 touchdowns passing with 63 carries for 315 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Hooker has a quarterback rating of 91.4, second only to Stroud.

3. Max Duggan, TCU, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   Duggan was solid again in the Horned Frogs’ fourth straight win over a ranked opponent. He was 17 of 26 for 280 yards and three touchdowns. Max Duggan is 116 of 167 for 1,871 yards and 19 touchdowns passing with 58 carries for 274 yards and four touchdowns running. As long as he keeps producing and TCU keeps winning he’ll keep getting closer to Stroud and Hooker.

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

   

   While he and the wolverines had the week off, Corum is still among the leaders in this race and the best running back in the nation with 146 carries for 901 yards and 13 touchdowns. Up next is its in-state rival the Michigan State Spartans.

5. Bo Nix, Oregon, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   Nix has played very well this season. In the Ducks’ win over UCLA Nix was 22 of 28 for 283 yards and five touchdown passes. On the year Bo Nix is 153 of 214 for 1,809 yards and 17 touchdowns in the air with 48 carries for 382 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. Nix’s first game will work against him but if they keep winning the Pac-12 in dominating fashion he’ll get an invite to New York in December.

In the Race:

1. Bryce Young, Alabama, Quarterback, Junior.

   

   Bryce Young was 21 of 35 for 249 yards and two touchdowns in Alabama’s win over Mississippi State. While these are modest numbers for Young, the lack of turnovers and the grace shown by a high-powered offense for Alabama has Young very much still in this race. On the season Young is 146 of 221 for 1,906 yards and 21 total touchdowns.

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

   

   The Tar Heels had the week off, but Maye is still playing at a high level and is the best Freshman in the country. His 162 of 231 for 2,283 yards and 24 touchdowns passing with 84 carries for 378 yards and four touchdowns rushing along with UNC’s 6-1 record have him still in the race for the Heisman.

3. Caleb Williams, USC, Quarterback, Sophomore.

   

   Caleb Williams and USC had an off week after their heartbreaking loss to Utah. Williams is 147 of 230 for 1,971 yards and 19 touchdowns passing with 61 carries for 235 yards and three touchdowns rushing. The good thing for Williams and USC is they control their destiny toward a Pac-12 Championship and in Williams being a top-five player at the end of the year.

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

   

   Spencer Sanders has led the Cowboys solidly all year long and did so again against Texas. Sanders was 34 of 57 for 434 total yards and two touchdowns. For the year the Cowboys signal caller is 154 of 262 for 2,030 yards and 15 touchdowns passing with 80 carries for 352 yards and eight touchdowns rushing. Sanders is in a similar boat as Williams. He’ll need some guys ahead of him to stumble in the Heisman race, but regardless he is having a great season.

5. Stetson Bennett, Georgia, Quarterback, Senior.

   

   Bennett and the Dawgs being undefeated and the top team in the nation is what’s keeping him here. Bennett is 162 of 229 for 2,033 yards and 12 total touchdowns on the season. They had this week off before facing Florida next week, and Tennessee in November. With a big game against the Gators, then the Vols, and in an SEC Championship game and Bennett can climb back into the top five.

Long Shots:

1. Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee, Wide Receiver, Junior.

   

   Hyatt burst onto the scene against Alabama and helped the Vols throttle UT-Martin. He had seven catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns. On the season, he has 40 catches for 769 yards and 12 touchdowns. Like Marvin Harrison, his problem is he’s got another Heisman candidate slinging the ball to him which is why he falls in the group with the long shots.

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

   

   After their loss to Oregon, DTR’s Heisman hopes are greatly diminished though not quite gone. He was 27 of 39 for 300 total yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Thompson-Robinson stands at 149 of 202 for 1,772 yards and 17 touchdowns passing with 50 carries for 269 yards and four touchdowns to go with it on the year. UCLA has a good chance to still win the Pac-12 but DTR’s Heisman chances may not recover from this loss.

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

   

   Chase Brown has 207 touches for 1,166 total yards and six total touchdowns. While Brown’s yardage is impressive, his lack of touchdowns detracts more than his yards add. However, his continued output and Illinois leading the Wild Big Ten West means he refuses to go away.

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

   

   Harrison had seven catches for 62 yards and a touchdown in the Buckeyes’ win over Iowa. He has 38 catches for 598 yards and 10 touchdowns on the year. Harrison is like Wyatt and being the favorite target of a Heisman leader would hurt his chances at the trophy but Harrison is still having a great year.

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

   

   Robinson had another good game despite the Texas loss. Bijan had 25 touches for 181 total yards and two total touchdowns. On the season he has 162 carries for 920 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing with 17 catches for 280 yards and two touchdowns receiving and he is as good as any running back in America. However, Texas’ record of 5-3 may be too much for him to overcome without a few 200-yard games before the end of November.

Farewell: Great Player, Great Year, but no Heisman this season.

1. Garrett Shrader, Syracuse, Quarterback, Junior. Shrader and Syracuse needed to beat Clemson to keep his Heisman hopes alive. Even with his stats being 124 of 178 for 1,601 yards and 13 touchdowns passing with 99 carries for 371 yards and six touchdowns rushing, Shrader needed the upset they nearly pulled off against Clemson to have his season be Heisman-worthy. Still, the Orange and Shrader having a great year.
2. DJ Uiagaleilei, Clemson, Quarterback, Junior. Uiagaleilei is playing well overall for Clemson but getting benched after having four giveaways against Syracuse isn’t conducive to a Heisman campaign. Uiagaleilei could have some monster games to jump back into this race but it seems unlikely and while Clemson looks to be playoff bound Uiagaleilei is a key to that, his Heisman hopes are gone at the moment.
3. Adrian Martinez, Kansas State, Quarterback, Senior. Martinez was like Shrader, he needed to have a solid game against the best opponent on their schedule. While there are still some big games left for Martinez, his injury has him as a bigger question mark right now for the Wildcats and the Heisman race. Still a special year for Adrian and Martinez and K-State. He has 1,472 passing and rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns.

National Players of the Week

National Player of the Week:

Jayden Daniels, LSU, Quarterback, Junior.

Jayden Daniels had a huge game as LSU gave #7 Ole Miss their first loss of the season. Daniels was 21 of 28 for 248 yards and two touchdowns passing and had 23 carries for 121 yards and three touchdowns rushing as LSU defeated Ole Miss 45-20 to go to 6-2 on the season. If Daniels has a game like this in two weeks against Alabama he’ll find himself in the Heisman race.

National Offensive Player of the Week:

Luke McCaffery, Rice, Wide Receiver, Sophomore.

McCaffery had a game his prestigious football family would be proud of. He’s found a home at wide receiver after starting out as a quarterback. He had 10 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns and three carries for 31 yards and a touchdown rushing in the Owls 42-41 OT win over Louisiana Tech. 13 touches for 202 yards and three touchdowns is enough to get a wide receiver offensive player of the week.

Co-National Defensive Player of the Week:

Marcus Fuqua, Buffalo, Safety, Junior.

Fuqua had a fantastic game-changing performance for the Bulls against the Rockets. Fuqua had four tackles and more importantly picked off the Toledo quarterback three times. Three interceptions is a feat that doesn’t happen often and it helped Buffalo win the game and they are now 5-3 and 4-0 in and in first place in the MAC East.

Brandon Johnson, Duke, Defensive Back, Sophomore.

Brandon Johnson dominated Miami in every defensive aspect of football. He had nine tackles, two tackles for a loss, two sacks, a fumble recovery, and an interception returned for a touchdown in Duke’s 45-21 win over the Hurricanes.

National Special Teams Player of the Week:

Xavier Legette, South Carolina, Wide Receiver, Senior.

Legette took the opening kickoff by Texas A&M 100 yards for a Gamecocks touchdown. This led to South Carolina winning the Bonham Bowl 30-24 to move to 5-2 on the season.

Honorable Mention of the Week:

Owen Porter, Marshall, Defensive Lineman, Junior.

Porter was in the backfield all game long against James Madison. Porter had nine tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, a pass defended, and a fumble forced as the Thundering Herd beat James Madison 26-12.

Dae Dae Hunter, Liberty, Running Back, Sophomore.

Dae Dae Hunter had a huge game for Liberty as they beat BYU to go to 7-1. Hunter had 27 touches for 244 yards and a touchdown. BYU couldn’t stop Liberty because they couldn’t stop Dae Dae Hunter.

Titus Swen, Wyoming, Running Back, Junior.

Titus Swen has been great for the Cowboys this season. Against the Utah State Aggies this week he had 28 carries for 160 yards and three touchdowns.

Deneric Prince, Tulsa, Running Back, Senior.

Deneric Prince had a day against Temple for the Hurricanes. Prince had 22 touches for 260 total yards and two touchdowns as Tulsa beat Temple 27-16.

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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
7. Heisman Watch and National Players of the Week – Week 7

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