Last week when we broke down the top 2020 Heisman Trophy favorites, Florida quarterback Kyle Trask was among the top-10 candidates. But that was prior to the Gators’ season-opener.
Now that Florida is 2-0 with wins over Ole Miss and then South Carolina, 38-24, on Saturday, college football fans are pushing for a another Gator to be in the Heisman conversation: tight end Kyle Pitts.
Only two tight ends have ever won the Heisman: Larry Kelley for Yale in 1936 and Leon Hart for Notre Dame in 1949. So it’s been a while, but the Kyle-to-Kyle connection has been practically unstoppable so far this season, and if it continues, perhaps both players will be serious Heisman contenders by the end of the season.
How good is @GatorsFB's @kylepitts__?
He’s the only @SEC TE in the last 25 seasons to record 6 TD catches over a 2-game span 😤 pic.twitter.com/kbLKFR69Be
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 3, 2020
Against the Gamecocks, Pitts, a junior, had a particularly strong first half and finished with four catches for 57 yards and two touchdowns. In Florida’s 51-35 win over Ole Miss last week, he had eight catches for 170 yards and four touchdowns.
So to recap, Pitts had six touchdowns through the first eight quarters of 2020, which is the same number South Carolina as a whole has this season. That ties him for second-most among SEC players in two-game period in the last 25 seasons, per ESPN Stats & Info.
Though it’s difficult to argue when some conferences haven’t played their first games yet, but Pitts might be the best tight end in the country. He’s stunningly faster than you might expect for a 6-foot-6, 240-pound player, he can make some incredibly unlikely catches and, so far, defenders are struggling to stop him.
Kyle Pitts is a cheat code.
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 26, 2020
It’s obviously still very early in this nontraditional college football season, so it’s possible Pitts could drop out of the Heisman conversation as quickly as he entered it, especially once the Big Ten and Pac-12 start playing. But if he continues at this pace — which is 30 touchdowns for the regular season after Saturday’s game — he would almost certainly deserve to be a contender.
And after two games, Florida fans and college football Twitter love that idea.
Kyle Pitts is the best tight end in college football and if he keeps playing like this he might be a candidate for Club Heisman next week
— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) October 3, 2020
Kyle Pitts should — legitimately — be under very early consideration for the Heisman Trophy. Six touchdowns and 227 yards already in 1.5 games. #Gators
— Adam Silverstein (@SilversteinAdam) October 3, 2020
Kyle Pitts should be near the top of anyone's Heisman Trophy list through five weeks of this season. Never know if it's going to last, but there's no question what he has already done and how impossible he looks to cover. #Gators
— OnlyGators.com 🐊 Florida Gators news (@onlygators) October 3, 2020
And I don't think you can watch the first 6 quarters of play this season and not have Kyle Pitts in your Heisman Top 3.
South Carolina worked all week on eliminating him. He has two touchdowns and 57 yards on four catches.
— Brad Crawford (@BCrawford247) October 3, 2020
I need Kyle Pitts Heisman odds RIGHT NOW https://t.co/yOIA58s5ty
— Jackson Ramer (@JacksonRamer) October 3, 2020
Kyle Pitts for Heisman? 🏆
Through six quarters, Florida’s tight end is putting up INSANE numbers
💥 12 catches
🔥 227 receiving yards
🤯 6 TD’sThe last Gator to win the Heisman was Tim Tebow 🐊 pic.twitter.com/pxVi4usprp
— The Harris Highlights Show (@TheHHShow_) October 3, 2020
If Kyle Pitts keeps this up, is there a world where he’s invited to New York as a Heisman Finalist?
— Inside The Swamp (@ITS_Gators) September 28, 2020
Kyle Pitts for Heisman. GIVE THE TIGHT END THE HEISMAN.
— Haunt the Damn Brian 👻👻 (@Dr_BrianMD) October 3, 2020
Can the Heisman be awarded to two players? Because a Kyle Trask/Kyle Pitts joint Heisman could be cool.
— Riley Gates (@Riley_Gates) October 3, 2020
I wonder who is going to join Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts in New York as this year's other Heisman Trophy finalists.
— Scott Bell (@ScottBellDMN) October 3, 2020
Kyle Pitts for @GatorsFB really struggling offensively to start the season. I hope he puts it together bc he cld have left early last year for the NFL. 6 TD’s in 6 Qtrs. Lawd have mercy he can’t be stopped.
— David Pollack (@davidpollack47) October 3, 2020
New week, same Kyle Pitts
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 3, 2020
If I'm Kyle Pitts I'm opting out at halftime. Yal have seen enough.
— quincy_avery (@Quincy_Avery) October 3, 2020
Dude, Kyle Pitts… Israel Mukuamu never stood a chance.pic.twitter.com/tigSdjuox1
— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) October 3, 2020
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