Week 3 didn’t have many surprises, as many of the top teams in the country took care of business. On the Heisman front, two guys really solidified themselves as the top two candidates while others saw their stock move up or down.
1. Bryce Young, Alabama
Up until this week, the only question that needed to be answered on Young was whether he could do it against a more formidable opponent. He did just that, as he went into the Swamp in Gainsville and led Alabama to a narrow victory. Although it wasn’t his best day, Young did what he had to do, throwing for 240 yards and three touchdowns on 22 of 35 passing. The sophomore now has 811 yards and 10 touchdowns to no interceptions on the season, which has included two matchups against top-25 teams (Miami and Florida).
2. Matt Corral, Ole Miss
It’s fair to say that Young and Corral are really 1A and 1B in this race right now, as both have been uber-impressive. On Saturday, Corral was incredible as he had a historic performance for the Rebels. The junior’s passing stats – 23-of-32 for 335 yards and three touchdowns – were already impressive enough. But he added even more with his legs as he had 81 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. His seven total touchdown’s tied the school record for individual scores in a game, which he did before the third quarter even ended.
Corral now has 997 passing yards and nine passing touchdowns on the season, along with five rushing touchdowns. He also has the now 13th ranked Ole Miss as a contender in the SEC. The biggest matchup of him and the Rebels’ season comes in two weeks. After their bye week, they travel to Alabama to take on Young and the number one ranked Crimson Tide. It has the makings of an incredible matchup and really give us answers in the race for the Heisman.
3. Sam Howell, North Carolina
After a rough first week, the Tar Heel junior saw his Heisman stock rise for the second straight week. Howell manhandled the Virginia defense for 307 yards and five touchdowns on 14-of-21 passing (did have an interception) while adding 112 yards on the ground. On the season, he now has 259 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 867 passing yards, and nine touchdowns in the air. Howell will have to continue that pace to really be in contention for the award, especially considering North Carolina’s lighter schedule compared to the others.
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4. Spencer Rattler, Oklahoma
The preseason favorite has continued to underwhelm this season, as he drops another couple of spots this week. While the Sooners squeaked out a narrow victory over Nebraska on Saturday, Rattler didn’t put up overly impressive numbers. He didn’t throw any interceptions in this game, but he only had one touchdown and three for just 214 yards on 24-of-34 passing. The Oklahoma offense never found much consistency which started with him. Rattler has to find consistency to put himself back into contention, and Oklahoma easily could have lost the game they were essentially gifting to Nebraska.
5. Blake Corum, Michigan
Week in and week out, the sophomore running back continues to show he is an elite talent. He becomes the first non-QB to make this list. In the Wolverines’ blowout win over Northern Illinois, Corum rushed for 125 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries. He has rushed for over 100 yards in all three games and now has 407 yards and eight total touchdowns on his resume. If Corum can continue running efficiently as the level of competition ramps up, he will be a legitimate contender.
On the outside looking in: Desmond Ridder, Kenneth Walker III, Taulia Tagovailoa
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