Players Who Will Start 2017 Heisman Campaigns This Bowl Season
If you were paying attention last December, you saw the exact point where Lamar Jackson’s Heisman Trophy campaign got its sea legs. In an otherwise nondescript Music City Bowl against Texas A&M, the Louisville freshman quarterback ended his 2015 season in impressive fashion. Jackson torched the Aggies for 453 yards of total offense (227 through the air, 226 on the ground) and four touchdowns in a 27-21 win.
It was the perfect springboard for his transcendent 2016 season, which saw Jackson throw for 3,390 yards with 30 touchdowns against nine interceptions, adding 1,538 rushing yards and 21 scores. Those numbers are impressive, but those who watched the Music City Bowl had Jackson on their radar well before his six-touchdown effort against Charlotte or the 63-20 rout of Florida State. They knew.
Jackson is only a sophomore, and he’ll return next fall to chase another Heisman Trophy. But this month, a cadre of players will attempt to build their own buzz. Here’s a look at 10 players who could start their own 2017 Heisman Trophy campaigns this bowl season.
Penn State RB Saquon Barkley
1 of 10
Penn State authored one of the nation’s biggest breakouts this fall, going from 7-5 to 11-2 and Big Ten champion in James Franklin’s third season at the helm. New offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead’s fast-paced system helped, but the Nittany Lions got help from a talented run game paced by sophomore tailback Saquon Barkley.
Barkley rushed for 1,302 yards and 16 touchdowns, adding four 100-yard rushing games and a pair of 200-yard efforts. Penn State just missed the College Football Playoff but hopes to show why it's in the Rose Bowl Jan. 2 against Southern California. Barkley can show the nation why he should be in the conversation for the Heisman, too.
Washington QB Jake Browning
2 of 10
Washington emerged as one of the nation’s best teams this fall, finishing 12-1 and making its first College Football Playoff appearance. There are many reasons, but the effort of sophomore quarterback Jake Browning is one of the biggest.
Browning was good as a freshman, throwing for 2,955 yards, 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions but has been far better in 2016. He has thrown for 3,280 yards with 42 touchdowns against seven interceptions, including a pair of six-touchdown games against Cal and Oregon.
Of course, he’ll have a huge test against Alabama, which features the nation’s best defense keyed by All-America defensive end Jonathan Allen, one of the nation’s top pass-rushers. But if Browning can move the ball in the Peach Bowl, he’ll get plenty of love from Heisman voters who tune in New Year’s Eve afternoon.
Georgia RB Nick Chubb
3 of 10
Nick Chubb’s recent announcement that he’ll return for his senior season, along with fellow tailback Sony Michel, was one of the highlights of Kirby Smart’s uneven first season at Georgia. It delighted fans, and for good reason: Chubb has the potential to be one of the nation’s best backs. He had an impressive freshman season, rushing for 1,547 yards with 14 touchdowns, before suffering a serious knee injury midway through 2015.
Chubb rehabbed hard and returned for this season’s opener against North Carolina, churning for 222 yards and two touchdowns. He had some up-and-down efforts but still has 988 yards and seven touchdowns entering the Liberty Bowl against TCU, including four 100-yard rushing games.
With another offseason to strengthen his knee, Chubb could again be one of the nation’s most powerful runners next fall. Running against a shaky Horned Frogs defense on Dec. 30 is as good a place as any to start.
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Southern California QB Sam Darnold
4 of 10
Southern California was one of the nation’s most improved teams from the beginning to the end of 2016. The Trojans began 1-3 but finished with an eight-game winning streak that included handing College Football Playoff qualifier Washington its only loss in a decisive 26-13 final. The key to that turnaround? Quarterback Sam Darnold.
Inserted after starter Max Browne went 1-2, Darnold lost his debut to Utah 31-27 following a late Utes rally but was unblemished the rest of the way, throwing for 2,633 yards with 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions while completing 68.1 percent of his passes.
If top receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster returns, Darnold will have an impressive top target to throw to, but he should have a talented cadre of receivers regardless. He has a huge spotlight ahead in the Rose Bowl against Penn State Jan. 2.
Virginia Tech QB Jerod Evans
5 of 10
Virginia Tech returned to relevance under first-year coach Justin Fuente, going 9-4, winning the ACC Coastal Division and pushing Clemson to the limit before falling 42-35 in the ACC title game. The man at the center of the revival? Fuente’s first VT recruit, quarterback Jerod Evans.
Evans threw for 27 touchdowns against seven interceptions with 3,309 yards passing, completing 63.5 percent of his passes. He was also Tech’s leading rusher with 759 yards and 10 touchdowns and was the focal point of the offense.
The Hokies will face off against Arkansas in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 29, and if Evans can slice through the Razorbacks defense, it could give him a platform for 2017 much like the one Lamar Jackson enjoyed this past offseason.
Florida State QB Deondre Francois
6 of 10
Three years ago, a Florida State redshirt freshman quarterback named Jameis Winston set the college football world on its ear. Winston took the starting role and ran with it, leading FSU to a national title, winning the Heisman Trophy and setting his course as the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft a year later.
It was natural (and also unfair) that Deondre Francois would receive those comparisons as a redshirt freshman quarterback with a big arm and athleticism. And let’s make it clear: Francois didn’t match Winston in his first season leading Florida State’s offense, but he was impressive regardless. He threw for 3,128 yards with 18 touchdowns against six interceptions and had five 300-yard games (including a 419-yard effort against Ole Miss in his collegiate debut).
Francois has room to grow and improve, and he’ll get a good test against a nasty Michigan defense in the Orange Bowl Dec. 30. If he passes that exam, he’ll soar up 2017 Heisman Trophy lists.
LSU RB Derrius Guice
7 of 10
Leonard Fournette raised some eyebrows nationally when he announced he would not play in the Florida Citrus Bowl against Louisville, ending his collegiate career and entering the NFL draft. He is supported by his LSU teammates, according to Jim Kleinpeter of NOLA.com.
However, for Tigers fans, there shouldn’t be that much anger about his decision. Fournette had a stellar three-year career and battled through leg injuries this fall to rush for 843 yards and eight touchdowns.
Besides, Derrius Guice isn’t going anywhere right now. Fournette’s struggles allowed Guice to emerge as a star. While sharing carries with the Heisman candidate, the sophomore rushed for 1,249 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging an eye-popping eight yards per carry. He finished on a high too, ripping Arkansas for 252 yards and two touchdowns and adding 285 yards and four scores in the regular-season finale against Texas A&M.
With Fournette gone, Guice will have the offensive backfield all to himself in Orlando on New Year’s Eve. It will be Lamar Jackson’s first action since winning the Heisman, but Guice could kick-start his own campaign with a big day.
Alabama QB Jalen Hurts
8 of 10
Alabama coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin had had tremendous success with a pair of one-and-done senior starting quarterbacks in Blake Sims and Jacob Coker, winning a pair of SEC championships, making two College Football Playoffs and a national title. This fall, the Crimson Tide went in a different direction, naming true freshman Jalen Hurts as the starter.
Boy, did the risky move pay off.
Hurts has made plays with his arm and legs and shown uncommon poise for a first-year player. He has thrown for 2,592 yards with 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions and rushed for 841 yards and 12 scores as the Tide’s No. 2 rusher. He is a tremendous leader and will face a big test against Washington’s talented, stingy defense.
Hurts’ college career is only beginning, and if he can lead the Tide to a national title, his Heisman candidacy will receive a big shot of momentum before it officially begins.
Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield
9 of 10
Over the past two seasons, Oklahoma has proved it is one of the nation’s truly elite programs. The Sooners have won 21 games and a pair of Big 12 titles and made a College Football Playoff appearance, and they have quarterback Baker Mayfield to thank. The Texas Tech transfer runs Lincoln Riley’s Air Raid offense with swagger and style, and he puts up big numbers, too.
This fall, Mayfield threw for 3,669 yards with 38 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions, finishing as a Heisman Trophy finalist along with receiver Dede Westbrook (74 catches, 1,465 yards and 17 touchdowns). He finished third in Heisman voting after finishing fourth last year.
He will return for his senior season, as ESPN.com's Jake Trotter reported.
"I'm coming back," Mayfield said. "I'll be here for another year for the opportunity of a three-peat and the ultimate goal of winning a national title."
While Mayfield won’t have Westbrook, who is graduating, to throw to, he’ll again post impressive stats in a pass-happy offense. A standout effort against a solid Auburn defense in the Sugar Bowl Jan. 2 would serve as a reminder he isn’t going anywhere but up in 2017.
Ohio State RB Mike Weber
10 of 10
This fall, Ohio State had a major hole in its backfield following Ezekiel Elliott’s departure to the NFL. Elliott has excelled with the Dallas Cowboys, but the Buckeyes needed to replace him. They found the answer in redshirt freshman Mike Weber.
Weber claimed the starting role with 100-yard efforts in three of Ohio State’s first four games. He had only one more the rest of the way but still finished with 1,072 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He runs with power and has big potential, and he can make an even bigger name for himself against Clemson in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.
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