Heisman Watch: Justin Fields moves up one spot to No. 4 following Week 3

Justin Fields might have only played one half due to the Ohio State Buckeyes blowing out Indiana, 51-10, in the Big Ten opener last Saturday, but he did enough to still be impressive. In just one half of work, the quarterback threw for 199 yards and three touchdowns while completing 14-of-24 passes. He also added four carries for 11 yards and a touchdown on the ground as well.

As he has done through the first quarter of the season, Fields once again proved that he is one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Whether it’s making plays with his arm or his legs, the sophomore can do it all. Take away his passing game? He’ll dominate you with his running ability. Take away his ability to run for yardage? Fields will find receivers all over the field to beat you through the air.

The more playing time and experience the quarterback gains, the more he will improve and the better he will be. Through his first three games with the Buckeyes, head coach Ryan Day already believes that Fields is “light years” beyond where he thought the sophomore would be already. That speaks volumes due to it being from a quarterbacks coach like Day, a coach that has been known to develop NFL quarterbacks in the past.

Three weeks into the season, Fields finds himself at No. 4 in ESPN’s latest Heisman Watch, one spot ahead of where he was last week. It’s clear that Fields is continuing to put the college football world on notice.

Notable: Fields finished with three TD passes in just over a half of play as Ohio State crushed Indiana, 51-10. He threw for 199 yards and also rushed for a score.

Quotable: “We’ve got a lot of weapons. You’ve got to watch out for us.” — Ohio State RB J.K. Dobbins

With Big Ten season looming after this week’s matchup against Miami (Ohio), the quarterback will (finally) get to prove himself against much better opponents. With that said, he has done all he has had to do so far, no matter the opposition. His throws are on target, he’s not turning the ball over, he scrambles when needed, and most importantly, he makes big plays when they are there.

Heisman Watch:

1. QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (45 points, six first-place votes): 49-of-61, 880 yards, nine touchdowns; 38 carries, 373 yards, four touchdowns
2. QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (40, two): 70-for-91, 1,007 yards, 12 touchdowns; nine carries, 36 yards, one touchdown
3. QB Joe Burrow, LSU (32, two): 75-of-90, 1,122 yards, 11 touchdowns, two interceptions; 17 carries, 40 yards, one touchdown
4. QB Justin Fields, Ohio State (13): 52-of-74, 657 yards, nine touchdowns; 25 carries, 114 yards, four touchdowns
5. RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (six): 35 carries, 237 yards, five touchdowns; five catches, 65 yards, three touchdowns
6. QB Trevor Lawrence, Clemson (five): 59-of-97, 831 yards, five touchdowns, five interceptions; 11 carries, 55 yards, three touchdowns
7. QB Sam Ehlinger, Texas (four): 82-of-112, 956 yards, 11 touchdowns; 32 carries, 121 yards, one touchdown
8. RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (two): 66 carries, 521 yards, seven touchdowns
9. RB D’Andre Swift, Georgia (one): 31 carries, 290 yards, two touchdowns; three catches, 73 yards, one touchdown…QB Justin Herbert, Oregon (one): 77-of-105, 868 yards, 11 touchdowns…QB Anthony Gordon, Washington State (one): 96-of-122, 1,324 yards, 12 touchdowns, two interceptions

The fact that an Ohio State quarterback and former Buckeye quarterback (Joe Burrow) are both in the top four is quite impressive. Burrow has turned LSU into a legitimate national championship contender with his play and has been the first legit quarterback the Tigers have had in quite some time. Jalen and Tua might have a big lead right now, with Burrow lurking right behind and then a big drop off before Fields, but with conference play set to begin in the next week or two, things could get much more interesting going forward.

Bovada‘s top-10 2019 Heisman Trophy odds:

1. Tua Tagovailoa: 11-to-4
2. Jalen Hurts: 3-to-1
3. Joe Burrow: 9-to-2
4. Trevor Lawrence: 15-to-2
5. Justin Fields: 11-to-1
6. Jonathan Taylor: 12-to-1
7. Jake Fromm: 14-to-1
8. Justin Herbert, Sam Ehlinger: 25-to-1
9. D’Andre Swift, Travis Etienne: 30-to-1

Previous Heisman Watches: Week 1 | Week 2