Heisman watch 2020: DeVonta Smith is the best player in college football
Heisman watch candidate No. 4: Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
After time off due to COVID-19 cancelations, Justin Fields was back in the fold in a matchup with Michigan State in Week 14 and had less than ideal circumstances. With three starting offensive linemen ruled out for the game, it was up to the quarterback to lead the charge with a superstar type performance, especially to keep him relevant in the Heisman watch. Fields delivered just that.
While his passing numbers were pedestrian, going 17-of-24 for 199 yards and two scores, Fields used his legs better than he has in any game yet this season, rushing 13 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns on the day. In five games now, Fields has 1,407 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and only three interceptions to go with 239 rushing yards and five more touchdowns. His limited schedule may keep him from winning this award but he’s done all he can to stay in the mix when on the field.
Heisman watch candidate No. 3: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
Before Jaylen Waddle went out for the season with an injury and especially after, DeVonta Smith has been dropping jaws every time he’s taken the field. And it shouldn’t come as a shock that, with some bad blood boiling after last season as they faced LSU on Saturday, it shouldn’t be a surprise that Smith put together another monster performance. But perhaps his Heisman résume and case as the best player in the country can best be summed up by one catch:
DEVONTA SMITH IS RIDICULOUS pic.twitter.com/NhCkPJAccB
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) December 6, 2020
In the first half alone, Smith went off as he caught seven balls for 213 yards and three touchdowns, including that absurd grab shown above. He added one more catch for 18 yards on the day, which now gives Smith 80 receptions for 1,307 yards and 15 touchdowns. He’s on his way to re-writing the Alabama single-season receiving record book in a truncated year. That speaks to how incredible he’s been and, in a world where this wasn’t a quarterback award, Smith would be the winner. Without question, though, he’s earned a spot as a finalist.