Heisman Watch: Jayden Daniels Emerges As a Dark Horse

As LSU continues to improve, Jayden Daniels is emerging as a dark horse in this year's Heisman race.

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Well, we had two top 10 match-ups in the SEC on Saturday night, and we had two Heisman-esque performances. If I had told you that heading into the weekend, you’d bet on Hendon Hooker and Bryce Young lighting it up. But, that wasn’t exactly the case. Jayden Daniels continues to climb as a dark horse in this year’s Heisman race after a gutsy performance in LSU’s upset of Alabama. He was 22/32 for 182 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while leading the Tigers in rushing with 95 yards and a score on the ground. He had his definitive Heisman moment when he sprinted for a 25-yard score in overtime and then completed the pass to Mason Taylor to convert the two-point attempt and ice the upset for the Tigers.

Meanwhile in the Georgia-Tennessee game, Stetson Bennett really set the tone for a punishing performance against the Vols with a tough rushing touchdown to go up 7-3. The Bulldogs never looked back in a game that was nowhere near as close as the final score would suggest. Bennett was 17/25 for 257 yards and two touchdowns, with the 13-yard score on the ground to go with it.

If you hang 10 tuddies on the board, you’re going to get a spot in the Heisman Watch. That’s exactly what SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai did in a 77-63 fireworks show against Houston. Mordecai went 28/37 for 379 yards and nine touchdowns with 54 yards and a score on the ground. Just downright gaudy and disgusting.

Out West, Caleb Williams and Bo Nix continue to stack their resumés. Williams added five more touchdowns to his season total on Saturday, throwing four and rushing for a fifth as the Trojans held off Cal 41-35. Nix had another four-touchdown performance (two passing and two rushing), this time against the lowly Buffaloes of Colorado. I don’t think either guy is out of the race yet.

A couple of running backs reminded us of their value to their respective teams. Bijan Robinson took 30 carries and turned it into 209 yards and a touchdown as the Longhorns stunned a Kansas State team that was coming off of a throttling of Oklahoma State. It took ’em an entire half to wake up, but once they did, Michigan pounded Rutgers in the second half with its stout rushing attack led by Blake Corum. Corum had 109 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries.

HEISMAN POINTS (WEEK 10)

  1. Jayden Daniels
  2. Stetson Bennett
  3. Tanner Mordecai
  4. Bo Nix
  5. Bijan Robinson

HEISMAN POINTS (SEASON)

  1. Hendon Hooker – 19
  2. CJ Stroud – 14
  3. Caleb Williams – 12
  4. Jalin Hyatt – 11
  5. Jayden Daniels – 10
  6. Bryce Young – 9
  7. Stetson Bennett – 8
  8. Blake Corum, Bo Nix – 6
  9. Brock Bowers, Cam Rising – 5
  10. Jordan Addison, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Will Shipley – 4
  11. Will Anderson, Chase Brown, Sam Hartman, Tanner Mordecai, Anthony Richardson, DJ Uiagalelei – 3
  12. Max Duggan, Michael Penix, Jr., Will Rogers, Deuce Vaughn, Mike Wright – 2
  13. Dorian Thompson-Robinson – 1

If you haven’t already, be sure to go subscribe to the College Football Roundup Podcast, on which Steven McCash and myself break down all the action from the college football world and look ahead to the week to come. 

Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.

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