Heisman Watch 2016: Week 14 players to watch
By John Buhler
The Clemson Tigers will reach the College Football Playoff for the second straight season if they can knock off the Virginia Tech Hokies in the 2016 ACC Championship Game in Orlando. With a quarterback as dynamic as junior Deshaun Watson, this should be easy pickings for the Tigers on Saturday.
Watson has been a top-five Heisman Trophy contender for most, if not all, of 2016. His dual-threat ability last year had him as one of three finalists to receive the invite to New York and he would finish third behind Alabama’s Derrick Henry and Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey. Watson was the best quarterback in college football as a sophomore, but has several tough challengers from the signal-caller position in 2016.
In twelve 2016 regular season games for Clemson, Watson completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 3,626 yards, 34 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Watson’s poor decision-making will likely cost him the 2016 Heisman Trophy, but he is quarterbacking the best team in the ACC this season. He will go pro at the end of the year, maybe with Clemson winning its first national championship since 1981.
No. 3 Clemson will meet No. 19 Virginia Tech at Camping World Stadium in Orlando for the 2016 ACC Championship Game. Kickoff will be at 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 3. ABC will have the telecast.