Saturday Blitz 2014 College Football Awards: Marcus Mariota, Scooby Wright Lead the Pack

Dec 6, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Missouri Tigers safety Braylon Webb (9) forces Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver Amari Cooper (9) out of bounds in the first quarter of the 2014 SEC Championship at the Georgia Dome. Alabama beat Missouri 42-13. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Most Outstanding Wide Receiver: Amari Cooper, Alabama Crimson Tide- 115 Receptions for 1,656 Yards and 14 Touchdowns

Awards: Fred Biletnikoff Award

Amari Cooper’s performance in big moments is what has put him here in the top spot for the most outstanding wide receiver. Leading the nation in receiving in the SEC is good enough, but add to it the fact that he had multiple 200-yard games and was the difference-maker against Auburn, LSU, and Mississippi State, the three biggest wins for the Tide, and it becomes clear that he is the best wide receiver.

Cooper managed to always step up when needed most, such as breaking the game open against Florida when it was close early, coming through with a huge opening against Tennessee, or putting up a 200-yard performance when his team was down two scores to Auburn. For that, he deserves to be recognized as this year’s most outstanding receiver.

Other Finalists:

Rashard Higgins, Colorado State Rams- 89 Receptions for 1,640 Yards and 17 Touchdowns

Rashard Higgins has a strong case to make for winning the award, especially when you consider what he has had to work with at Colorado State. And he has flourished under Jim McElwain’s system. But he hasn’t done what Cooper’s done in the biggest moments, and his numbers aren’t comparable, so we had to put him in as runner-up.

Kevin White: West Virginia Mountaineers- 102 Receptions for 1,318 and 9 Touchdowns

Kevin White had eight 100-yard games, one that came in a huge upset win against Baylor, and he also had a 200-yard game in a shootout against Maryland. That shows coming through in big games and close games, and he potentially could have been the top receiver. But he tapered off at the end with only one 100-yard game in the past five games, so he had to be knocked down.

Next: Most Outstanding Tight End