If not Justin Fields, then who? Ranking the rest of the Big Ten’s Heisman contenders

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is the Big Ten’s best Heisman bet, but these players — including another Buckeye — could be in contention if Fields slips up

The Big Ten season gets underway this season and with it, the player in a position that has been a springboard to claiming the Heisman Trophy.

Seven times a player has finished third and came back the next season to win the award – the most of any spot in the voting — and that’s where the Ohio State quarterback stood a year ago, a trip to New York ending with him behind Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts.

Fields is the conference’s clear, unquestioned favorite to make a run at the award as he tries to follow the likes of Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield – he was third in 2016 and the winner a year later – but the Buckeye star isn’t the Big Ten’s only player in this Heisman mix.

Who’s for real and whose campaign will fizzle before it even gets started? Let’s run down the rest of the Big Ten’s top contenders, from those least to most likely to challenge Fields.

Big Ten Heisman candidates besides Justin Fields

Adrian Martinez, Nebraska

No one has a bigger opportunity to throw themselves into the mix in the Big Ten on the opening weekend than Adrian Martinez. He and the Cornhuskers head Ohio Stadium to take on Fields and the No. 6 Buckeyes. Make some noise there, and Martinez and Co. could be set up for an intriguing run with No. 16 Wisconsin the following week, No. 9 Penn State on Nov. 14 and a regular-season finale against No. 24 Minnesota.

All that said, Martinez has teased with the potential more than he’s delivered on it. He threw for 384 yards against Wisconsin in 2018 and 323 a week later against Purdue, both losses, and last season he threw 10 touchdowns to nine interceptions. It doesn’t help matters that the Cornhuskers had to replace all five starters along their offensive line. The schedule could help him rise above dark horse status, but it’s tough seeing Martinez sticking the landing against the Buckeyes – who he threw for 47 yards and three interceptions against lats season – to capitalize on it.

Joe Milton, Michigan

First, Wolverines fans, take a breath before we rehash what FOX analysts Matt Leinart and Urban Meyer said about Joe Milton. Meyer compared his size (6-foot-4, 240 pounds) to Cam Newton and Leinart ratcheted up the hyperbole when he likened Milton’s arm to Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. He may have the stature and the tools, but we have literally no idea what Milton is going to be able to do in the starting role. He’s attempted all of 11 passes his first two seasons in Ann Arbor with one touchdown and two interceptions, with the most action he’s seen coming in last year’s blowout of Rutgers.

The offensive line is a serious work in progress with four starters lost to the NFL draft, and while it got a lift from the return of tackle Jalen Mayfield opting in, it’s rarely a good combination when a first-time starter steps behind an inexperienced line. Milton will have some toys to play with, though, with speed at wideout in Ronnie Bell and Giles Jackson, two stout backs in Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins keeping defenses honest and Nick Eubanks can provide a security blanket at tight end. If the comps are viable, Milton could be a breakout star, but he’s too much of an unknown to buy quite yet.

Sean Clifford, Penn State

Sean Clifford showed promise in his first season as a starter in throwing for 2,654 yards and 23 touchdowns in a sophomore season impacted by injury and will look to elevate those numbers with new coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca coming over from Minnesota. Considering what Ciarrocca did with Morgan – the Golden Gophers passer went from 1,401 yards, nine scores and six interceptions in 2018 to those aforementioned 3,000-plus yards and 30 touchdowns in ‘19 – Clifford makes for a compelling candidate, and is going to be key given the question marks Penn State faces on defense with just four starters returning.

Like the rest of the nation’s quarterbacks, Clifford wasn’t able to have that additional time to build a rapport with his receivers with no spring practice. That’s a point of concern not only from the end of a new offense but also from the personnel standpoint as the Nittany Lions have only one wideout in Jahan Dotson who had more than 10 catches in 2019.

Trey Sermon, Ohio State

Trey Sermon, an Oklahoma transfer, is all too familiar with what a Heisman Trophy-contending passer looks like having shared the backfield with winners Mayfield and Kyler Murray and finalist Jalen Hurts before landing in Columbus. Much like another noted runner at Clemson, who has one of the top candidates on his roster, Sermon will have his work cut out for him in redirecting the attention his away.

But consider this: Fields was the clear best contender on the Buckeyes, they had a defensive player in the mix in Chase Young and J.K. Dobbins still did enough damage to make the top six. Sermon may be behind Fields in the Ohio State pecking order, but don’t discount his remaining a factor or even being next in line on his squad if Fields should falter as half of the Buckeyes’ schedule includes opponents who ranked 83rd in FBS in rushing defense last season.

Tanner Morgan, Minnesota

The Gophers have a new offensive coordinator, the top wide receiver in program history is playing on Sundays and so too is a running back who went over 1,100 yards last season. Tanner Morgan lost some key pieces that helped him pass for 3,253 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, but this is still going to be one of the top attacks in the conference with Rashod Bateman at receiver. Morgan kept some lofty company last year when he had a 178.7 rating that was fourth in the nation behind Heisman winner Burrow, Fields and Hurts, was the Big Ten’s leader at 10.2 yards per attempt (which also ranked fourth in FBS).

He’s on the radar now and if he and Minnesota can get past No. 19 Michigan this weekend in Minneapolis, it’s a schedule that’s tailor-made for Morgan to make his case. West rival No. 16 Wisconsin, who the Gophers face Nov. 28 on the road, is only the only other currently ranked opponent and four teams Minnesota faces were 64th or worse in defense in 2019. If Morgan to lead the Gophers to a West crown, and a likely date with Fields and Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game, no rival player may have a better opportunity to supplant the Buckeyes passer.

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