Despite the myriad of big games on the schedule this week, it kind of felt like another subpar week on the Heisman Watch front. Not a lot of college football’s stars really padded their stats or had key moments in the big games. So, I’m taking the opportunity to pass out a couple of “season long” honorable mentions this week.
Heisman Watch: Week 8, 2024
5. QB Avery Johnson, Kansas State – Johnson had another big game passing the ball, going 19/29 for 298 yards, three touchdowns, and a smooth 96.5 QBR as the Wildcats topped the Mountaineers 45-18 in West Virginia.
4. QB Rocco Becht, Iowa State – Becht has been one of the more under-the-radar quarterbacks in the country this season, but pulling off a gutsy drive to steal the win with 30 seconds left in the game is going to get him some flowers this week. Becht’s stat line doesn’t read all that well with two interceptions, but his three total touchdowns and rising to the occasion when his team needed him will earn him a spot on this week’s list.
3. RB Dylan Sampson – Give Sampson his due. When his team needed to calm things down and run the ball, he answered the bell. 139 yards and two touchdowns after your quarterback couldn’t get the passing game going is admirable. He was at his best in the team’s biggest game of the season so far.
2. QB Bryson Daily, Army – It’s fair to say we need to be talking about this Army team a lot more than we are right now. Item #1: the quarterback of the team. Army rocked East Carolina 45-28 on Saturday behind Daily’s SIX total touchdowns. His final stat line reads 7/10 for 147 yards and a touchdown passing with 171 yards and five scores on the ground to go with it. He has 15 total touchdowns in the last three games…that’s right, he’s averaged five touchdowns per game over the last quarter of the season. Army is 7-0 this season.
1. QB Cam Ward, Miami – He just seems to know when to turn on the magic, folks. We have to acknowledge that. Ward was 21/32 for 319 yards and four touchdowns. Miami won 52-45 in Louisville. There’s just not much more to say about Ward at this point. I’m getting major “team of destiny” vibes from this squad.
Heisman Watch 2024 Standings
- Cam Ward – 21 (total points)
- Ashton Jeanty – 17
- Jalen Milroe – 11
- Dillon Gabriel – 8
- Kaleb Johnson – 7
- Quinn Ewers – 5
- Abdul Carter, Bryson Dailey, Jaxson Dart, Travis Hunter, Garrett Nussmeier, Shedeur Sanders, Dylan Sampson – 4
- Will Howard, Tetairoa McMillan, Jam Miller – 3
- Luke Altmyer, Rocco Becht, Luther Burden III, Miller Moss, Diego Pavia, Ryan Williams – 2
- Tahj Brooks, Ethan Hampton, Avery Johnson, Arch Manning – 1
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, third on Football & Other F Words, co-host of The Hot Read Podcast, analyst for Stacking The Inbox, 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, the NFL Draft, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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