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Texas football: Bijan Robinson is the clear-cut Heisman favorite

By Cody Williams

Oct 2, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson (5) runs with the ball as TCU Horned Frogs safety La'Kendrick Van Zandt (20) and safety Nook Bradford (28) defend during the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2021; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson (5) runs with the ball as TCU Horned Frogs safety La'Kendrick Van Zandt (20) and safety Nook Bradford (28) defend during the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports /
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Bijan Robinson is separating himself from the pack as the workhorse for Texas football and is the easy early-season choice to win the Heisman Trophy.

When Texas football suffered an early-season loss to Arkansas, everything about the Longhorns was written off. They weren’t going to compete in the Big 12, running back Bijan Robinson’s Heisman Trophy chances went by the wayside and Texas was, in fact, not back under Steve Sarkisian.

Fast-forward to Week 5 on the heels of Texas earning a strong road win over TCU and the narrative has changed. Most notably, Robinson’s Heisman chances aren’t just alive, but the sophomore back has established himself as the obvious favorite for the most prestigious individual award in college football.

Against TCU, Robinson set a career-high with 216 rushing yards and two touchdowns while also adding 22 receiving yards as well. And that adds to an already impressive season that the young runner is putting together.

No one has the Heisman Trophy résumé Bijan Robinson does right now

Following the win in Fort Worth, Robinson now has 652 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground along with 10 receptions for 218 yards and two more scores.

The Heisman race early in the year has been turned on its head with the struggles of Spencer Rattler, Sam Howell (and North Carolina as a whole), and several others who were considered favorites. And yes, there are surely other contenders with the likes of Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral, Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III and others putting together their own candiacies.

None of them are doing what Bijan Robinson is, though. Particularly with Casey Thompson now at quarterback for Hudson Card, Texas’ entire offense is the dynamic running back — and he’s delivering the goods. The Longhorns are now 4-1 on the year and Robinson has carried them to that point with his prolific production.

That’s not going away, either. Thompson (and Card for that matter) are limited as passers. Robinson, thus, becomes the bread and butter for Texas on offense. He’s an elite runner who consistently provides highlight-reel plays and carries the offense. Furthermore, he’s a capable pass-catcher who will keep putting up numbers in the passing game as well.

Barring Texas football going into a tremendous slump, Bijan Robinson is asserting his spot at the top of the Heisman race. And if he keeps this up, it’s going to take a tremendous effort to catch him.

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