Heisman Watch 2016: Week 14 players to watch
By John Buhler
It’s conference championship week in college football. Here are five players that could improve their perception in the 2016 Heisman Trophy race this week.
For most teams in Division I college football, the regular season came to an end last week. However, there are still a few Big 12 games and some others in the Power 5 left to be played. It is also important to point out that it is conference championship weekend, as a matter of fact.
Nine conferences will play their conference championships, including all four of the Power 5 conferences that have at least 12 teams. There is also a de facto conference championship game in the Big 12 between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the Bedlam Series on Saturday.
While stats from conference championship games don’t impact the Heisman Trophy voting, who is to say that great play in those games wouldn’t change a player’s perception in the eyes of voters? Here are the five players on Heisman Watch in Week 14.
Since Oklahoma started the season in a 1-2 hole, the Sooners have bounced back to win eight straight games in Big 12 play and could be undefeated in the conference at the end of Bedlam versus in-state rival Oklahoma State.
Oklahoma is the only school in Division I that has two potential Heisman Trophy candidates in 2016. The first and possibly most likely player to reach the presentation in New York City is quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield has gone on an absolute tear in the last two and a half months. He has completed 71.4 percent of his passes for 3,381 yards, 35 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His yards per attempt of 10.9 and adjusted yards per attempt of 12.0 are just insane.
Mayfield’s quarterback rating of 194.7 is about as good as it gets. He is even doing damage on the ground for the Sooners with 71 carries for 138 yards and six touchdowns. Though his slender stature might hurt his draft stock, this guy could very well win the Heisman if he shines spectacularly in Bedlam on Saturday.
No. 7 Oklahoma hosts No. 11 Oklahoma State in the Bedlam Series on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 12:30 p.m. ET at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman. FOX will have the telecast.