This isn’t to say there weren’t any gutsy performances this week in college football, but at least among the playoff contenders, it sure as hell didn’t feel like we had any real gut-check type of “Heisman moments.” There was an awful lot of stat-padding going on, and hey – I can’t say that I blame them! I’m not mad about it.
Let’s start with the frontrunner for this award, Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker. In the dominant 66-24 win over Missouri, Hooker went 25/35 for 355 yards and three touchdowns, with 50 yards and a score on the ground. Some might’ve complained about the Vols really pouring it on, but damn, it’s about style points for this Vols team that is very much still in the playoff hunt. No complaints from me.
In the Big Ten, Ohio State absolutely steamrolled lowly Indiana, where CJ Stroud went 17/28 for 297 yards and a whopping five touchdowns. Stroud now sits tied atop the FBS with 34 passing yards on the season. And, out west, Caleb Williams posted five total touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) and made short work of Colorado. His passing stat line read 14/26 for 268 yards, and the three touchdowns. But, since he also threw a pick, we’re docking him points from Hooker and Stroud. Boring stuff, it feels like, huh? It seems like every season, we have a week or two like this where the Heisman Watch is just kinda like “meh.”
Big Penix energy was back on Saturday night, as Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw a couple of deep shots to Ja’Lynn Polk (76 yards) and Taj Davis (62 yards). The Huskies were able to upset Oregon and end the Ducks’ playoff chances, and it would’ve made for a quintessential “Heisman moment” if Penix didn’t throw a pick that drastically shifted moment in Oregon’s favor for a bit. Nonetheless, Penix adds on to his FBS-leading passing yardage total, which now sits at 3,640 yards.
North Carolina’s Drake Maye has been lighting it up all season, and he’s moved on up to third in the FBS in passing yards with 3,412 and he’s tied with Stroud atop the FBS in passing touchdowns with 34 on the season. In the upset over Wake Forest, he 31/49 for 448 yards and three touchdowns, with 71 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown to boot. Don’t look now, but North Carolina is 9-1 and looks like a legitimate threat to steal the ACC this season.
Finally, let’s mention Bert Emanuel Jr., the freshman quarterback at Central Michigan has been apart of a quarterback rotation, but posted 293 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns against Buffalo. Y’all know the rules…you push 300 yards any way, you get a tip of the cap in the Heisman Watch. *tips cap*
HEISMAN POINTS (WEEK 11)
- Hendon Hooker
- CJ Stroud
- Caleb Williams
- Drake Maye
- Michael Penix Jr.
HEISMAN POINTS (SEASON)
- Hendon Hooker – 24
- CJ Stroud – 18
- Caleb Williams – 15
- Jalin Hyatt – 11
- Jayden Daniels – 10
- Bryce Young – 9
- Stetson Bennett – 8
- Blake Corum, Bo Nix – 6
- Brock Bowers, Cam Rising – 5
- Jordan Addison, Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Will Shipley – 4
- Will Anderson, Chase Brown, Sam Hartman, Tanner Mordecai, Michael Penix Jr., Anthony Richardson, DJ Uiagalelei – 3
- Max Duggan, Drake Maye, Will Rogers, Deuce Vaughn, Mike Wright – 2
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson – 1
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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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