Heisman Watch 2017, Week 8: Bryce Love gaining ground

Heisman Watch 2017, Week 8: Bryce Love is in the air

PALO ALTO, CA - OCTOBER 14: Bryce Love #20 of the Stanford Cardinal scores on a five yard touchdown run against the Oregon Ducks during the first quarter of the NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Palo Alto, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

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MADISON, WI – OCTOBER 14: Jonathan Taylor #23 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs with the ball in the first quarter against the Purdue Boilermakers at Camp Randall Stadium on October 14, 2017 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

4. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin

In all the talk about the great running backs in college football coming into the season, there wasn’t much talk about anyone in the Wisconsin Badgers backfield. Given the departure of Corey Clement from a year ago, that made sense. However, freshman Jonathan Taylor is making it hard for that to stay the case. He’s carved out a massive workload for himself in the offense and has been delivering in big ways.

Taylor’s latest exploits came on Saturday against the Purdue Boilermakers. The 5-foot-11, 214-pound ball-carrier toted the ball 30 times on the day and made the most of it with 219 yards rushing. He also found the end zone once on the day. That total marks Taylor’s third 200-yard rushing game on the season in only six games. What’s more, he’s now at 10 touchdowns for the season and has scored in every game while averaging 7.8 yards per carry to this point.

Much like with Barrett, though, the undefeated Badgers haven’t played much of anyone to this point. The best defense that they’ve faced was Northwestern, and that so happens to coincide with Taylor’s worst performance of the season to date (19 carries, 80 yards, two touchdowns). Thus, as the schedule increases in difficulty for Wisconsin, Taylor’s viability as a Heisman candidate will be put to the test.

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