Two weeks ago, the Heisman Trophy race suffered a shake-up when Leonard Fournette and LSU fell to Alabama. Despite that loss, Fournette managed to keep his spot at the top of our poll.
This past weekend, LSU lost once again, this time to Arkansas. Fournette failed to reach the 100-yard mark for the second straight game.
With Fournette faltering, this week should serve as a “changing of the guard” in the poll. The big question: Who will be the beneficiary if voters chose to move away from Fournette?
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What you’ll see each week in the TSS Heisman Poll:
* The top total vote getters, with quotes from the voters in support of their candidate
* A list of all players receiving votes
* Poll notes that look at some interesting facts, figures and trends of the poll
* The TSSHP Roll Call of voters, with links to their respective blogs and twitter accounts
Without any further ado, the third 2015 installment of the TSS Heisman Poll:
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1) Derrick Henry (RB – Alabama): 15 points, 31.25% of votes, 4 first-place votes
Last week ranking: No. 2
Last week: Beat Mississippi State 31-6
Game stats: 22 carries for 204 yards, 9.27 ypc, 2 TD
Season stats: 240 carries, 1458 yds rushing, 6.08 ypc, 19 rushing TD, 9 receptions
This week: vs Charleston Southern
OK, I’m sold that LSU’s Leonard Fournette is no longer the frontrunner in the Heisman Trophy race, and I have to give props for the numbers Henry is putting out in big games for Alabama. I am not sold he will be my guy at the end, but I’ll give him the props right now.
– Kevin McGuire, The Student Section
In my mind, there’s no question that Henry is the most outstanding player in college football. In three games against ranked opponents, Henry is averaging 187 yards per game and 7.62 yards per carry, with 8 touchdowns. No one else in the country has played that well against elite competition this fall.
– Terry Johnson, The Student Section
While Leonard Fournette and LSU have folded during their stretch run, Derrick Henry and Alabama just keep getting stronger. In three of his last four games, Henry has rushed for over 200 yards. When Bama has needed Henry, he’s been the best player on the field. In games not against MTSU and ULM (games in which Bama didn’t need Henry), Henry has averaged 163 ypg. He’s a man among boys and unless someone has a “Heisman moment,” it looks like he could very well go home with the trophy.
– Kevin Causey, The Student Section
What he’s done the last two weeks is enough to pass my eye test. He’s been a beast, and it’s no coincidence that Alabama has been a beast too.
– Scott Halasz, Buckeye Battle Cry
2- tie) Deshaun Watson (QB – Clemson): 9 points, 18.75% of votes, 2 first-place votes
Last week ranking: No. 3
Last week: Beat Syracuse 37-27
Game stats: 34 of 47 passing (72.3%) for 360 yards and 2 TD vs 1 INT, 105 yds rushing, 1 rushing TD
Season stats: 216 of 308 passing (70.1%) for 2,593 yards with 23 TD vs 8 INT, 598 yds rushing, 5 rushing TD
This week: vs Wake Forest
Watson once again came up big when the top-ranked Tigers needed him. The consistent Watson threw for over 300 yards and rushed for 100 more, while chipping in three touchdowns. He just missed that combination against Florida State by three yards passing. For the season, Watson has now contributed 28 touchdowns. There is no way that the Tigers would have avoided “Clemsoning” a game or two away this year without Watson. Right now, we’re just waiting for that one Heisman moment to lock it all up.
– Ryan Palencer, The Student Section
The Heisman has a feel of wide-open meets “hitting the home stretch,” and Watson feels like the guy that’s going to put his arms around this thing and hug it. If you want stats, he’s been getting stats. If you want leadership, he’s been doing that too. If he was going to stay healthy, he was going to be the guy. He’s beginning to separate in my mind.
– Bart Doan, The Student Section
2- tie) Ezekiel Elliott (RB – Ohio State): 9 points, 18.75% of votes, 0 first-place votes
Last week ranking: No. 4
Last week: Beat Illinois 28-3
Game stats: 27 rushes for 181 yards with 2 TD
Season stats: 220 rushes for 1,425 yards with 16 TD, 6.48 ypc, 24 receptions
This week: vs Michigan State
3- tie) Leonard Fournette (RB – LSU): 4 points, 8.33% of votes, 1 first-place vote
Last week ranking: No. 1
Last week: Lost to Arkansas 31-14
Game stats: 19 carries for 91 yards, 1 TD, 3 receptions
Season stats: 214 carries for 1,474 yards, 6.89 ypc, 17 rushing TD, 10 receptions
This week: at Ole Miss
3- tie) Keenan Reynolds (QB – Navy): 4 points, 8.33% of votes, 0 first-place votes
Last week ranking: unranked
Last week: Beat SMU 55-14
Game stats: 14 carries for 137 yards rushing, 9.79 ypc, 4 rushing TD, 2 of 9 passing for 81 yards and 1 TD vs 0 INT
Season stats: 182 carries for 928 yards rushing, 5.10 ypc, 17 rushing TD, 31 of 65 passing for 597 yards with 4 TD vs 0 INT
This week: at Tulsa
Also receiving votes: Dalvin Cook (RB – Florida State) 3 points; Luke Falk (QB – Washington State) 2 points; Baker Mayfield (QB – Oklahoma) 1 point; Jordan Howard (RB – Indiana) 1 point
Dropped Out: Will Fuller (WR – Notre Dame); Corey Coleman (WR – Navy); Christian McCaffrey (RB – Stanford); Trevone Boykin (QB – TCU); Greg Ward Jr (QB – Houston)
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Poll Notes:
– Leaders from the past: At this point in the 2011 season, Andrew Luck remained the leader, but his margin for error was shrinking. In 2012, Collin Klein remained in first place for the fourth straight week. In 2013, Jameis Winston was in control with Johnny Manziel as the runner-up. Last season, Marcus Mariota held onto the top spot for the second straight week.
– Last week Leonard Fournette remained in the top spot despite failing to gain 100 yards. This week almost all of his supporters abandoned him. Fournette placed on only two ballots this week.
– Derrick Henry gained two first-place votes this week, and that was enough to give him the top spot. He has dominated solid competition over the last two weeks. This week, Alabama plays down in competition. The big question is if this will affect the momentum Henry has gained.
– The battle for second place between Deshaun Watson and Ezekiel Elliott is an interesting one. Elliott placed on more ballots, but those who placed Watson on ballots thought more highly of him than Elliott’s voters.
– This week is Elliott’s chance to really bolster himself in the poll. The Buckeyes play their first top-25 team of the year as they face off with Michigan State. A great showing against Michigan State will mean a lot for Elliott’s campaign.
– Keenan Reynolds of Navy has made his way into the poll. Reynolds is definitely worthy of consideration, although he has certainly benefited from the many players that have exited the race.
– Is everybody just a placeholder waiting for someone to have that “Heisman moment”? An interesting comment from our managing editor Matt Zemek on his ballot (and his rationale behind giving FSU RB Dalvin Cook his first-place vote):
This has become a very cluttered race, and it’s become cluttered not due to every contender soaring, but no contender clearly emerging as the best of the best. Cook is in many ways a placeholder.
This season has been a weird one for the Heisman but it’s not an unfamiliar one. Back in 2012, Collin Klein was in the lead at this point. Some of you reading this may not even remember where Klein went to school. The 2012 Heisman ended up being won by Johnny Manziel. In 2011, Andrew Luck was in the lead. Much like Klein, he was having an extremely consistent and solid season, but it wasn’t necessarily “Heisman”-worthy. Then Robert Griffin III had his Heisman moment against Oklahoma.
Is Derrick Henry a placeholder as we await someone’s “Heisman moment,” or will he go on to win this year’s trophy?
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TSS Heisman Poll Roll Call
Andrew Coppens – Madtown Badgers (@andyonfootball)
Bart Doan – The Student Section (@TheCoachBart)
Kevin Causey – The Student Section (@CFBZ)
Kevin McGuire – Nittany Lions Den/The Student Section (@kevinoncfb)
Matt Zemek – The Student Section (@SectionMZ)
Ryan Palencer- The Student Section (@RyanPalencer)
Scott King – Bearcats Blog/The Student Section (@bearcatsblog)
Scott Halasz – Buckeye Battle Cry (@ohiostatescott)
Terry Johnson – The Student Section (@SectionTPJ)
