Stanford’s sophomore running back Christian McCaffrey led the Pac-12 in rushing yards (1,847) and receiving yards amongst running backs (540). The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Mark Ingram in 2009, edging Stanford’s Toby Gerhart by one percent of the vote.
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Stanford standout running back Christian McCaffrey’s stellar season has earned him a trip to NY as one of three finalists for the Heisman Trophy alongside Alabama tailback Derrick Henry, and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson.
McCaffrey, a 200-pound sophomore, broke Barry Sanders’ NCAA record for all-purpose yards in a season with 3,496.
Granted, he’s done it in 13 games, two more than Walker.
Henry is the nation’s leader in rushing yards with 1,986 and rushing touchdowns with 23.
“It is a very special honor for me to be selected as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy”, Henry said in a press release.
Watson and Clemson will play Big 12 champion Oklahoma and Alabama will face Big Ten Champion Michigan State in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoffs on December 31. All Heisman winners perform well in big games and Watson has not disappointed this year.
The victor of the Heisman Trophy will be announced on Saturday, Dec. 12 at the Best Buy Theater in NY.
On Thursday, Watson will go to Atlanta for the College Football Awards show where he’s a finalist for the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award, Bourret said. Both players are not even in the top 50 for yards per rushing attempt, but are first and second for number of rushing attempts on the season. Watson has thrown for 3,512 yards with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for the nation’s only undefeated team.
The Stanford back is clearly a jack of all trades, and it’s no surprise ESPN has him tabbed as the prohibitive favorite to win the Heisman in their latest experts’ poll. Those are the only Clemson players to finish in the top 10 of the Heisman voting since the award began in 1935. Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon was a finalists last season and finished second to Mariota, with Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett finishing fifth and IN running back Tevin Coleman finishing seventh. QB Deshaun Watson Watson isn’t just the quarterback of the top-ranked Tigers, college football’s last remaining unbeaten team. But the Cardinal aren’t headed to the playoff, which is why heading into championship week this writer viewed McCaffrey more as a player that would make the ceremony and less as a guy that could realistically win the award. Considering he is not even a year removed from ACL surgery, Watson’s perseverance and strength that he displayed all season will likely be factors that voters take into consideration.
“When you meet him in the hole”, Ragland says now, “you better bring everything you’ve got”.
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Who’s going to win the Heisman?
