Heisman race: Trevor Lawrence gains some momentum in ESPN poll |
An unusual college football season is rendering a race for college football's top individual prize unusual as well.
According to Vegas odds and experts, the top-3 in the Heisman Trophy battle are Florida's Kyle Trask, Alabama's Mac Jones and Clemson's Trevor Lawrence. With uncertainty over schedules, where the trio settles on games played is still up in the air, but all three are on championship contenders that are favored to play up to the deadline for the Heisman vote (after Dec. 19 action). ESPN's Heisman Watch is the most hopeful for Lawrence to stage a comeback after sitting out more than a month. He picked up two of the site's 14 Heisman votes after throwing for over 400 yards with two TD passes in the 52-17 win over Pittsburgh. They have Jones with two more first-place votes than Trask (7-5) and Lawrence 19 points off from cracking the top-2 (after being fourth overall behind BYU's Zach Wilson and 20 points out last week). Trask leads USA TODAY's Heisman poll (56 points) over Jones (50) and Lawrence (14) with 22 total voters there. Trask leads the nation in TD passes (34) and ranks in the top-5 in passing yards per game (2nd; 351.2 YPG), total offense (3rd; 362.2) passing yards (4th; 2,810) and passing efficiency (5th; 196.8). Also having played eight games, Jones is top-5 nationally in passing efficiency (2nd; 108), passing yards per attempt (2nd; 12) completion percentage (2nd; 76.2), passing yards per game (4th; 341), passing yards per completion (5th; 15.8) and total offense (5th; 340.6). In a game fewer than Trask and Jones, Lawrence ranks in the top-10 in a number of those categories currently but his strongest case is more unconventional, including with Pro Football Focus' analysis. He grades slightly above Trask on the year there (92.4-92.2) but trails Jones (94.5), who has six fewer dropbacks to pass than Lawrence on the season (Trask has 43 more dropbacks than Lawrence). Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said Tuesday that Lawrence would have the Heisman lead if that was his or the team's goal but there's no question on who the top player in college football is: According to BetOnline's Heisman odds earlier this week, Trask leads the way (2/3) then Jones (3/2) and Lawrence (9/1) and Ohio State's Justin Fields (9/1). For comparison this season, here are 4Q stats:
Lawrence: 14 att, 1 pass TD, 140 yards
Jones: 14 att, 4 pass TD, 214 yards
Trask: 46 att, 4 pass TD, 400 yards
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