Tag: 2020 Heisman Trophy

Heisman Trophy ceremony set, delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic

As announced on ESPN, the Heisman Trophy Ceremony will be delayed and take place on January 5. Go get ’em Justin Fields.

The Heisman Trophy Ceremony, much like a lot of sporting events this year, will be delayed. So much so that it will stretch into 2021. Come to think of it, maybe that’s not a bad thing to get the whole deal out of a very unforgettable 2020.

According to an announcement on ESPN Saturday, the Heisman Ceremony will not be set for January 5. Leading up to that, the finalists will be announced on December 24 (yes Christmas Eve folks), after the voting deadline of December 21.

This bit of news is obviously something Ohio State fans will want to follow because there’s a pretty good quarterback doing his magic on the banks of the Olentangy named Justin Fields. He currently is the bettors favorite to take home the bronze statue according to BetMGM. There’s a long way to go, but it’s hard to believe he won’t be in New York (virtually) for all the fun.

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IF, and it’s still a big if no matter how you slice it, Fields happens to bring home the most coveted individual award in all of American sports, it’ll be the record-breaking eighth Heisman winner for Ohio State.

Justin Fields leapfrogs Trevor Lawrence in USA TODAY’s Heisman Watch

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has officially passed Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence in the USA TODAY Heisman Watch. Can he grab No. 1?

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Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is making moves in the latest USA TODAY Heisman Watch. Each week a panel of USA TODAY experts vote on the Heisman race by voting for their first, second, and third-place contenders. Fields was behind several players that had a jump start on him before he even played a game, but things have changed drastically since Fields stepped off the bus for the first time to break the seal on a very delayed Big Ten sesason.

And now, after just three games, he’s gone from an afterthought in the poll all the way up to No. 2 behind only Alabama quarterback Mac Jones. He climbed his way up to the No. 3 spot last week, but with his performance against Rutgers in combination with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence sitting things out because of COVID-19 protocols, he has been on an accelerated climb.

Fields received five first-place votes, thirteen second-place votes, and just one for third. That gave him 42 points, and has significantly closed the distance between Jones’ sixteen place votes that led to 54 points.

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Lawrence drops to third after not receiving any first-place votes, followed by Kyle Trask of Florida.

NEXT … What USA TODAY’s Eddie Timanus says about Fields

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Justin Fields now Heisman co-favorite with this player according to BetMGM

BetMGM has updated its Heisman odds and Justin Fields is now at the top with another player from one of college football’s elite.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has only played three games in 2020, but what a three-game stretch it has been. He’s averaging over 300 yards of offense, has yet to throw an interception — and get this — has more touchdowns than incompletions.

It’s been a master class show at the quarterback position and he’s just getting started. Guys like Trevor Lawrence of Clemson and Alabama quarterback Mac Jones may have gotten an earlier start to the season, but Fields is closing the perception gap when it comes to the best in the game.

So much so that BetMGM Sportsbook has now made Fields the favorite along with Jones, at +150 odds. Lawrence has dropped to No. 3 in the odds after missing two games because of a positive COVID-19 test. He sits at +400. After Lawrence, it gets kind of murky. Here are the top nine in the race.

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+250 – Justin Fields, Ohio State
+250 – Mac Jones, Alabama
+400 – Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
+550 – Kyle Trask, Florida
+2,000 – Zach Wilson, BYU
+2,500 – D’Eriq King, Miami
+2,500 – Ian Book, Notre Dame
+4,000 – Najee Harris, Alabama
+5,000 – DaVonta Smith, Alabama

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With five more regular-season games to go and one more Big Ten championship week game on the docket, there’s plenty of more time for Fields to make his mark and position himself as the lead candidate to stiff-arm his way to Ohio State’s eighth total Heisman.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano on Justin Fields: ‘I think he will probably win the Heisman’

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano thinks that Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields ‘will probably win the Heisman.’

Everybody knows that Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is one of the best players in the country. And so far in 2020, he looks like he’s even better than the Heisman finalist version we say last season.

All the kid is doing is completing a ridiculous 85.7 percent of his passes, throwing gobs of touchdowns, and keeping the ball away from the other team (no interceptions). And it’s not like he’s throwing a low volume of high percentage throws. He’s averaging over eleven yards per completion. Maybe the most unbelievable stat of all is that through three games the OSU gunslinger has as many incompletions as touchdowns (11).

What?

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano was asked about Fields after Rutgers played the Buckeyes Saturday and he didn’t hold back. The reporter alluded to him perhaps being the Heisman winner and Schiano agreed.

“He’s really good,” Schiano said. “I think he will probably win the Heisman. He’s that good. When he starts to running around, he’s so dangerous.”

Georgia fans troll Ohio State QB Justin Fields, Buckeyes clap back
Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

It’s one thing to have your head coach sing your praises, but when the opposing head coach who has no skin in the game starts talking about the bronze statue, it means more.

There’s still a lot of season to go for a team like Ohio State, but the fact that Fields is doing things we marvel at has put him right in position to bring home Ohio State’s eighth Heisman Trophy.

Joel Klatt touts Justin Fields as Heisman frontrunner

Justin Fields has only played two games in the 2020 season, but Joel Klatt sees something Heisman worthy about the Ohio State quarterback.

Respected FOX college football analyst, Joel Klatt, says he has a new leader in the clubhouse to take home the Heisman Trophy. Just two games into the season and Klatt has seen enough to put Justin Fields at the top of his Heisman list.

We’ve been seeing Fields trend this direction with his nearly flawless performances against Nebraska and Penn State. We shared with you that USA Today has Fields listed at No. 3 in the Heisman race, but taking great strides forward, as well as climbing the betting odds.

Klatt has not only been impressed with Fields’ game statistics, but how he has put the extra work in preparation and attention to details. Klatt has telling comments on Fields:

“You’re not a great player until you are a great preparer for each game. Being detail oriented in your preparation, understanding the coaching points, making great decisions, all of those things take no talent at all. It takes a commitment to the detail and a commitment to the offense to take it out there and manage the game properly. That’s what Justin Fields did against Penn State.” Joel Klatt

There’s still a lot of football to be played this season and with the way 2020 is going, things can change at a moment’s notice. But for now, we’re going to enjoy watching the greatness that is Justin Fields.

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Justin Fields tightening things in USA Today’s Heisman Watch

With an otherworldly first two weeks of the 2020 campaign, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has tightened up the Heisman race.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has been otherworldly so far in 2020. It’s only been two games, but when you complete over 87% of your passes for almost 600 yards and have a touchdown to interception ratio of six to zero, well — that’s enough to impress almost anyone.

And the opinion-makers and experts are starting to agree. They are starting to include Fields in the thick of the Heisman race, and giving him some moves up rather quickly. Now, it helps that Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is out because of COVID-19 protocols, but Fields has done everything in his power to get back into the race.

In fact, according to the USA TODAY Heisman Watch, Fields is still No. 3 like he was last week, but he has made significant strides in tightening things up. Alabama’s Mac Jones surpassed Lawrence for the No. 1 spot, and Fields is right on the heels of the Clemson QB as well with a slew of second-place votes and even two first-place votes.

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So, even though the Ohio State signal-caller is still in third, he now has 30 total points and is just behind Lawrence’s 35 points. Jones is a little further ahead with 43 points, but there’s still plenty of time for Fields to make a mark.

The bottom line is that the OSU QB has put himself right in the thick of things very, very quickly, and has a great chance of making it to New York.

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Heisman Trophy Watch After Week 6

Who are the leaders to watch in the race for the 2020 Heisman Trophy?

Who are the leaders to watch in the race for the 2020 Heisman Trophy?

Top Heisman Contenders After Week 6 Are …

– Contact/Follow @PeteFiutak

The crickets you’re hearing is American not being interested in the 2020 Heisman Trophy race … yet.

There’s just no buzz – partly because the Big Ten hasn’t started up, there isn’t a Heisman-caliber signature star on Georgia or Notre Dame, and Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence is a better football player than everyone else – but it’s coming.

If the NFL can be all-in on the MVP discussion a month into its season, then it’s time to start making the 2020 Heisman a thing.

This isn’t about who the best players are. This is about who’s in the hunt to win the greatest individual trophy in all of sports.

Player of Week 6
(outside of the main guys on this list)

LB Monty Rice, Georgia
The Bulldogs held the Tennessee running game to -1 yard in the 44-21 win. Rice made a team-high eight tackles, two tackles for loss, and came up with a sack, forced fumble, and recovered fumble for a score to all but put the game away.

5 Other Players On The Heisman Trophy Watch List

In alphabetical order

QB Ian Book, Notre Dame
QB Sam Ehlinger, Texas
RB Travis Etienne, Clemson
QB Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
QB Zach Wilson, BYU

Bet on Heisman Trophy with BetMGM

5. QB Justin Fields, Ohio State

Of course, he hasn’t started playing yet, but because no one has been able to run away and hide with the Heisman race, he should be able to swoop in and shine once Ohio State kicks things off against Nebraska on October 24th. The talent is there, the numbers will be fantastic, and he’ll be in the spotlight each and every week for a team that will be knee-deep in the national title chase.

4. QB Kyle Trask, Florida

It’s not his fault the Gators blew it against Texas A&M. Had the defense been able to hold on in the 41-38 loss, he might be on top of this list. He’s second in the nation in touchdown passes with 14 – and with one fewer game than Sam Ehlinger of Texas, who has thrown 16 so far – on a pace that’s starting to approach 2019 Joe Burrow territory.

On the year he has completed 72% of his passes for 996 yards and those 14 scores with just one interception. Forget the A&M loss – he was brilliant in it, by the way – his chances will come to get back in this.

3. RB Najee Harris, Alabama

He doesn’t lead the nation in rushing, and his numbers probably won’t be off-the-charts compared to what the quarterbacks are doing across college football, but on Saturday night against Ole Miss he looked and played the part of the next Heisman-winning back from Bama.

He was held in relative check by Texas A&M and wasn’t needed much against Missouri, but he ran for five touchdowns in the first two games. Against the Rebels, though … 23 carries, 206 yards, five touchdowns. He couldn’t be stopped.

2. QB Mac Jones, Alabama

It helps to have an NFL receiving corps to work with, but he’s been flawless.

The numbers have been unbelievable considering the job wasn’t supposed to be his coming into the season. Super-recruit Bryce Young was going to arrive on campus, take over the gig, and that was going to be it, but Jones has completed 80% of his throws for 1,101 yards and eight touchdowns with a pick, averaging well over 13 yards per pass.

 1. QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

His brilliance is being taken for granted.

Of course he’s the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Of course he’s the best quarterback in college football. Of course he’s expected to lead his team to another ACC Championship and another College Football Playoff and – yawwwwwwn – another national title appearance.

He has made the amazing appear to be routine.

There’s nothing boring about 73%, 1,140 yards, 9.8 yards per throw, ten touchdown passes, four rushing scores, no interceptions, no drama.

Best of all this year, he’ll have more national spotlight games that matter to boost his Heisman resumé.

Week 6 Roundup: 5 Things That Matter
Rankings AP | Coaches | CFN 1-127 Rankings
Week 7 Early Line Predictions
College Football Playoff Chase, Who’s Alive?
Bowl Projections | Week 6 Scoreboard, Predictions
5 Thoughts: Texas A&M – Florida | Texas – OU

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Justin Fields appears in Matt Leinart’s top five Heisman hopefuls

FOX College Football’s Matt Leinart broke down his top five Heisman hopefuls for 2020 and Ohio State’s Justin Fields is included.

We’re still waiting for three of the five Power Five college football conferences to get going in 2020 including — Ohio State (pending a Pac-12 decision) — but there’s a little bit of game tape to look at. Plus, there’s a couple of big guns that have come back that should be a part of the Heisman conversation because of what they’ve done in the past.

Discussions on the most coveted individual trophy in all of American sports will ramp up as things heat up in October and November, but it’s never too early to debate. FOX College Football’s Matt Leinart is ready to take the bait, and provided his top five Hiesman hopefuls in a video shared to FOX College Football’s Twitter account.

As you would expect, Buckeye signal caller Justin Fields is among those top five at No. 2, just behind Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The three right behind those two favorites are D’eriq King of Miami, Texas QB Sam Ehlinger, and QB Spencer Rattler of Oklahoma.

Leinart includes Fields despite no games until late October because he’s that dynamic and shouldn’t be left off any Heisman list.

“I felt like I couldn’t leave him off this list because he’s so (expletive) good,” said Leinart. “We asked coach Day last week on Big Noon Kickoff just what can he do to get better, and really the only thing he said was become a better leader. We know he’s been a great leader off the field for — not only his conference — but for college football. But on the field, I think, anytime he’s (got) a year experience now at Ohio State, you know, the reps, all of that matter. So I think we’re just going to see a much more locked in and focused Fields which is really, really scary.”

Watch Leinart break down all five of his 2020 Heisman hopefuls by clicking on the video Twitter video below.

Ohio State and Fields kick off the season on October 24 against Nebraska. It’ll be the Big Noon Kickoff Game of the Week in the Noon window. Get your plans ready now.

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BetMGM releases new odds on 2020 Heisman with Justin Fields back in fray

BetMGM has released updated odds on the 2020 Heisman Trophy and Ohio State QB Justin Fields is one of the favorites.

Now that the Big Ten is back on the college football map, that means Justin Fields is going to be able to start thinking about team and individual awards again for 2020. One of those awards includes the venerable Heisman Trophy.

Fields was always one of the favorites heading into the season, but once the Big Ten decided to sideline fall sports amid concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic, he was thought to have missed an opportunity for the most revered individual trophy in all of American sports.

But now he’s back, and the betting websites are releasing new odds. One of those sportsbook websites is one we follow extensively, BetMGM. And, according to the newest odds on the bronze statue, Fields is the favorite to take it home in 2020 along with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence at +250.

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Here are the top nine Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook:

Justin Fields, Ohio State QB +250

Trevor Lawrence, Clemson QB +250

Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma QB +700

Racey McMath, LSU WR +1000

Sam Ehlinger, Texas QB +1100

D’Eriq King, Miami QB +2000

Mac Jones, Alabama QB +2000

Myles Brennan, LSU QB +2000

Kyle Trask, Florida QB +2000

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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ESPN’s Heisman Watch: Texas QB Sam Ehlinger, two other Big 12 players rise

Three Big 12 players were listed on ESPN’s Heisman voting watch after one week of the 2020 college football season.

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Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger was awarded Big 12 and national weekly honors after his record-setting first half performance against UTEP on Saturday. Continue reading “ESPN’s Heisman Watch: Texas QB Sam Ehlinger, two other Big 12 players rise”