Although Week 5 of the college football season will be known as the one where a handful of Top 10 teams took a tumble, it was also an important weekend for the Heisman Trophy race. There weren’t as many surprises in this race as there were in the one for the college football playoff. Even so, let’s examine how the race is shaping up now that we’ve moved into October.
Leonard Fournette, LSU Tigers
Running Back
Fournette is the outright favorite to win this year’s Heisman and it isn’t even close. The stud sophomore running back has rushed for more than 200 yards in three straight games. With 864 yards and 11 touchdowns through four LSU wins, he has experts criticizing the NCAA policy that won’t allow him to declare for next year’s NFL Draft where he would undoubtedly be a top pick.
The Tigers have a tough road ahead of them in the loaded SEC and some think it’s impossible for their star back to keep up his current pace. He has been dominant so far and right now the Heisman race isn’t even close with Fournette leading by a mile.
Nick Chubb, Georgia Bulldogs
Running Back
With Fournette playing at such an incredible level and Georgia coming off a tough loss to Alabama, there is no doubt that Chubb is a step behind in the Heisman race. Even so, he has at least 120 rushing yards in each of the Bulldogs’ first five games this season and was their only real threat again in their 38-10 loss to Alabama.
Even though Georgia’s ranking took a big hit with that failure, Chubb hasn’t fallen in the Heisman race. He has run for 745 yards and seven touchdowns through five games and while he will have a tough time catching up to Fournette, he is currently listed second behind only LSU’s stud back in terms of the betting odds to win the Heisman trophy.
Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State Buckeyes
Running Back
The Buckeyes entered this season with the most talented quarterback stable in the country but the reality is that they are 5-0 in spite of poor play at the position. Elliott has been their most dangerous offensive weapon to this point. The junior running back has rushed for 729 yards and eight touchdowns including a 274-yard, three-touchdown performance in this past week’s 34-27 win over Indiana, which was oh-so-close. It’s not a stretch to think that he will figure in to the mix for the Heisman trophy – especially if Ohio State goes undefeated and Elliott is the star on offense that leads the way.
Trevone Boykin, TCU Horned Frogs
Quarterback
The fact that Boykin is the only quarterback on this list makes his stock that much more intriguing as he has improved with every start. He is the biggest star on a TCU team that is now 5-0. Boykin has thrown for 1,802 yards and 19 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions while running for more than 200 yards and another score.
At this point, there isn’t a quarterback in the country with a better Heisman resume. Boykin is still listed behind Fournette, Chubb and Elliott according to the updated Heisman trophy betting odds but he might be worth taking a shot on now as a sleeper pick at the quarterback position.
Derrick Henry, Alabama Crimson Tide
Running Back
The final spot on this list belongs to another star running back in Derrick Henry, who has rushed for 570 yards and nine touchdowns through Alabama’s first five games. A loss to Ole Miss hurt the Tide’s chances in both the SEC and in pursuit of a College Football Playoff spot but they have responded with back-to-back blowout wins and Henry has been outstanding.
Fournette’s dominance at the top means it doesn’t make sense to buy in on Henry’s Heisman stock right now but he is undoubtedly on the radar heading in to Week 6 of the college football season.
