Mid-Week Pontification: Living in the moment
October 3, 2019
Previewing the Browns vs. 49ers on Monday Night Football: While We’re Waiting
October 4, 2019When the Ohio State Buckeyes dominate a team like Nebraska, 48-7, some members of the scarlet and gray are guaranteed to get recognized by some of the media members across college football, especially when the beatdown happens away from Columbus. That, paired with some Buckeyes dominating through the first five weeks of the season, and Ohio State continues to get recognized as the weeks go on throughout college football.
That seems to be the case in ESPN’s latest Heisman Watch. Following a game where Justin Fields completed 15-of-21 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns and also added 12 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown on the ground, the quarterback once again came in at No. 4, jumping Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor after the Badger took over the No. 4 spot for the first time last week.
Notable: Fields threw for 212 yards and tossed three TDs (and ran for another) in Saturday’s blowout victory at Nebraska. He also has yet to throw an interception this season for the No. 5 Buckeyes.
Quotable: “I think we’re very confident right now,” Fields said. “We came into Lincoln — the crowd is amazing here — and it was loud at the beginning. We handled it well, jumped on them early and didn’t let up.”
For the first time this season, Fields isn’t the only Buckeye on the list. After dominating through the first five games of the season, Chase Young is also listed among voters. The defensive end is the only player on that side of the ball on the list. Somehow, even with plenty of expectations prior to the season, The Predator has continued to impress not only people from across the college football world but NFL Draft analysts as well. Even though there may no longer be a Bosa brother in Columbus, Young might be even better than that duo, which truly says a lot given the fact that the Bosa brothers both dominated during their respective times at Ohio State. With his impressive season to date, Young checks in at No. 8 in this week’s Heisman Watch, his first appearance on the watch list.
Notable: Through five games this season, Young already has eight sacks — which leads the country and puts him on pace to shatter last season’s mark of 10.5. On a Buckeyes team getting noticed for its explosive offense, Young has proved to be a force on defense.
Quotable: “Sometimes we hype up prospects before the season, and then they’re slow to make an impact. Not Young.” — ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
Not too shabby for a group of Buckeyes that had plenty of questions heading into this season, especially with a first-year head coach and quarterback. Fields has continued to look like one of the best quarterbacks in the country and will only improve as the weeks go on and he gains more experience. Meanwhile, Young is by far the best defensive end in the country. Keep in mind, he has three strips sacks in Ohio State’s last two games.
Heisman Watch:
- QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma (47 points, seven first-place votes): 66-of-85, 1,295 yards, 12 touchdowns, one interception; 47 carries, 443 yards, five touchdowns
- QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama (39, two): 113-of-148, 1,718 yards, 23 touchdowns; 16 carries, 45 yards, two touchdowns
- QB Joe Burrow, LSU (26, one): 100-of-124, 1,520 yards, 17 touchdowns, two interceptions; 19 carries, 20 yards, one touchdown
- QB Justin Fields, Ohio State (21, zero): 81-of-116, 1,092 yards, 16 touchdowns, zero interceptions; 46 carries, 222 yards, seven touchdowns
- RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin (12, zero): 84 carries, 559 yards, eight touchdowns; nine catches, 85 yards, three touchdowns
- RB Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State (two, zero): 128 carries, 938 yards, 10 touchdowns; four catches, 21 yards
- QB Sam Ehlinger, Texas (one, zero): 102-of-140, 1,237 yards, 15 touchdowns, one interception; 42 carries, 191 yards, one touchdown
- DE Chase Young, Ohio State (one, zero): 17 tackles, eight sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup, one quarterback hit, three forced fumbles, one blocked field goal
- QB Jake Fromm, Georgia (one, zero): 62-of-82, 788 yards, six touchdowns, zero interceptions; five carries, 12 yards
The fact that Young is the only defensive player on the list shows just how good and dominate the defensive end has been so far this season. Meanwhile, Fields is just doing what he does best on the offensive side of the ball.
Bovada‘s top-10 2019 Heisman Trophy odds:
- Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa: 9-to-4
- Joe Burrow: 4-to-1
- Justin Fields: 11-to-2
- Jonathan Taylor: 19-to-2
- Jake Fromm: 20-to-1
- Sam Ehlinger: 30-to-1
- D’Andre Swift: 40-to-1
- J.K. Dobbins, Justin Herbert, Trevor Lawrence: 50-to-1
- Jerry Jeudy: 80-to-1
- Travis Etienne: 100-to-1
Some key things to notice in the odds:
- Former Buckeye and current LSU quarterback Joe Burrow might still have the second-best odds, but Jalen Hurts jumped in front of him and the Oklahoma quarterback is now tied for first.
- Ohio State running back J.K. Dobbins still has the same odds (50-to-1) but moved up on the watch list.
- Justin Fields’ odds improved (from 10-to-1 to 11-to-2) but the quarterback still remains the
