The Buzz: Heisman news and views
This time next month, the Heisman finalists will be on their way to New York to take part in the Heisman ceremony. So we’re getting closer to the moment of truth. As part of a new weekly feature on Heisman.com, we’ve rounded up the latest news and updates from around the media world to help keep you posted on what’s happening with current contenders and past winners.
The Buzz…
Oregon’s Heisman contender, Marcus Mariota, is ‘more show than tell’, writes Ralph Russo of the Associated Press. Mariota showed up big against Utah this past Saturday, passing for 239 yards, rushing for 114 and totaling four touchdowns in the Ducks’ 51-27 road triumph.
Many of Mariota’s games are played post-prime time. He is not on Twitter. He doesn’t do pregame speeches or sideline rants. He might be college football’s best player, but he’s not its face. Make no mistake though, in this corner of the country, Mariota can do no wrong. They even have a nickname for him. It’s not quite as catchy as Johnny Football or Famous Jameis.
“Saint Marcus they call him around here,” said Nico Avila, a senior at Oregon.
Both Mariota and 2013 Heisman winner Jameis Winston will be coveted by the NFL when they choose to enter the league, writes the Washington Post’s Mark Maske. The NFL.com’s Charles Davis compares Mariota to 2011 Heisman winner Robert Griffin III.
Among the other contenders, don’t forget the names Trevone Boykin and J.T. Barrett, says Cleveland.com. The electrifying Boykin wowed viewers with a flip over the goal line in TCU’s win over Kansas State:
Meanwhile, Barrett totaled five touchdowns in Ohio State’s win over Michigan State. The redshirt freshman is second nationally with a passer rating of 172.92. Down ACC way, StateoftheU.com wonders if Duke Johnson can burst onto the scene with a big game against FSU next Saturday.
Boykin wasn’t the only Heisman aspirant with acrobatic highlights over the weekend. Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon rushed for 205 yards against Purdue, but his most impressive play of the day came on this pass reception:
NFL scouting legend Gil Brandt says that Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott is a better NFL prospect than 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow. The Clarion-Ledger broke down where Prescott measures up compared to past Heisman winners. Prescott and the Bulldogs take on Alabama this Saturday in a huge matchup with Heisman implications.
A defensive player to New York? SBNation thinks Louisville’s Gerod Holliman fits that bill. Holliman, a redshirt sophomore safety, already has 13 interceptions for the Cardinals, just one shy of the FBS record set by Washington’s Al Worley in 1968.
The big Heisman games…
Speaking of huge Heisman matchups, here are three key contests to keep an eye on this coming weekend. Tune in and you should see a few future Heisman finalists at work:
No. 1 Mississippi State vs. No. 5 Alabama
Prescott and Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper highlight the battle of top five teams.
No. 13 Nebraska at No. 25 Wisconsin
Ameer Abdullah and Melvin Gordon — two of the top running backs in the country — square off for Big Ten supremacy.
No. 2 Florida State at Miami
This fierce rivalry showdown features last year’s Heisman winner, JameisWinston, and Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson.
More Heisman news…
Save the following dates:
Monday, Nov. 24: Heisman voting window begins.
Monday, Dec. 8: Heisman ballots due by 5 p.m. ET.
Monday, Dec. 8: Heisman finalists announced a little after 6 p.m. ET.
Saturday, Dec. 13: The 2014 Heisman ceremony, 8 p.m. ET.
Monday, Dec. 15: The 80th annual Heisman gala dinner. Get your tickets here.
Finally, Our condolences go out to 2002 Heisman winner Carson Palmer, who appears to have a torn ACL. The veteran quarterback was having a special season while leading the Arizona Cardinals to an NFL-best 8-1 start.
