4. QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia
The stats aren’t there, but he’s been the steady veteran leader for a team that lost a gajillion players to the NFL and still came up with a dominant season. He’ll get a three-plus hour Heisman infomercial against LSU in the SEC Championship, and if he’s brilliant, he might be No. 3 on everyone’s ballot.
Why Stetson Bennett Will Win the Heisman: 25-of-31 for 368 yards and two touchdowns in the 49-3 win over Oregon. 17-of-25 for 257 yards and two touchdowns and no interceptions – none against Oregon, too – in the 27-13 win over Tennessee.
67%, 3,151 yards, 16 touchdowns, six interceptions – none of the picks really mattered – seven touchdown runs, No. 1 team in college football that’s this close to going 13-0. Ol’ Stetson did just fine.
Why Stetson Bennett Won’t Win the Heisman: Again the stats aren’t there.
16 touchdown passes seemed like a half for Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., and he’ll get lumped in as a caretaker on a team loaded with NFL talent.
Few will see him as the Best Player in College Football – even if he might be the leader of the best team in college football.
3. QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State
Does CJ Stroud play defense? No. Was it his fault Ohio State lost to Michigan? Maybe a wee bit, but … no.
Was he still able to rip apart team after team even though star WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba was hurt for most of the year? Did he put the team on his back and run for 79 yards in the storm game against Northwestern? Was he consistently brilliant all year? Yes, yes, and … yes.
It’s going to be lost in history, but …
Why CJ Stroud Will Win the Heisman: Stroud hit 65% of his passes for 349 yards and two touchdowns against Michigan. He threw two interceptions, but that game wasn’t on him.
Even with the loss, he’s still the most efficient quarterback in college football, he’s going into the bowl season averaging ver nine yards per pop, and the 37 touchdown passes and six picks
Why CJ Stroud Won’t Win the Heisman: Michigan 45, Ohio State 23.
Stroud will make a whole lot of ballots again for the second year in a row, but nope.
It’s not right, and it’s not fair, but he’s not winning the Heisman because for the second straight year That Team Up North is playing in The Big Ten Game That Really Matters in Indianapolis.