Tonight a new member will be inducted into college football’s most exclusive and most prestigious fraternity, the brotherhood of Heisman Trophy winners.
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Alabama running back Derrick Henry, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey, and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson have been named the three finalists for this year’s Heisman Trophy.
Read on for all the info on how to watch the ceremony, as well as a breakdown of the three finalists and the odds outlook for each player. Let’s break them down. However, while Ingram is regarded as one of the weaker Heisman winners, the same would not be said for Henry, who far outpaces his predecessor.
McCaffrey has averaged a nation-leading 268.92 yards per game this season, compared to 160.23 by Henry.
ESPN has even pegged McCaffrey as the favorite in their Heisman poll, and there’s reason for McCaffrey optimism given that the two Southern teams’ players (DeShaun Watson and Henry) might very well split the Southern vote, giving McCaffrey a window to win. Clemson had defeated three top-team teams and Watson passed for more than 1,000 yards in those games.
-Henry’s lowest rushing total this season was 95 yards against Arkansas. Many who have watched closest are on the McCaffrey bandwagon.
Campbell ground out 1,744 yards and scored 18 rushing touchdowns on his way to winning the 1977 Heisman.
Watson said it was a good opportunity for the three to bond and learn more about each other.
HEISMAN-DEFINING MOMENT: In the regular-season finale, Clemson saw its 18-point lead over SC dwindle to 28-25 in the fourth quarter. He is the only Heisman finalist in Clemson football history, but came in riding a wave of quarterback popularity.
Watson showed flashes of his talent with 14 touchdown passes and two interceptions in his injury-shortened freshman season.
OHIO STATE: Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Rutgers coach Greg Schiano was hired as co-defensive coordinator of the Buckeyes.
Henry had a stellar game against LSU and upstaged LSU running back Leonard Fournette.
“I don’t know that there’s any player on the team that the team means more to them than it does to Derrick”, Saban said. “And then once he sees it, he takes off. He’s as good with that – setting the blocks up and bursting through it – as anybody I’ve seen”. However, the journey to Heisman finalist hasn’t been an easy one for Watson. I just try to get better and better as the game goes on. Could Henry and Watson split some votes among voters in the South? The versatility of McCaffrey is what makes him such a rare player, and the criteria of “outstanding player” is clearly why he is in the conversation.
HEISMAN-DEFINING MOMENT: Henry made one cut behind the line and sprinted toward the end zone while Auburn defenders seemed to be moving in slow motion.
And while it shouldn’t count toward the Heisman, it should be noted that McCaffrey is also an Academic All-American, too.
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“It was hard at times when you get done with the game and you see the other kids going to see their parents and I’m not able to go and see mineâit was hard”. McCaffrey became just the fifth player in FBS history to reach 200 yards rushing and 100 receiving in the same game. To many Cardinal fans, these perceived snubs were examples of a pervasive “East Coast bias” that discounted the strength and difficulty of the Pac-10/Pac-12 Conference.
