Heisman Trophy Watch 2017: Big upsets shift order in Week 6

Squaring off against UNLV on Saturday night, Rashaad Penny had a rough start. The San Diego State tailback had eight carries for only 32 yards on the opening drive, and he coughed up the ball on 2nd and goal when the Aztecs were poised to open the scoring. It was an inauspicious beginning for one of the nation’s top running backs.

But Penny rebounded quickly, running for 138 yards and two touchdowns on his last 19 carries of the game. Finishing with 178 total yards (including two receptions for eight yards), Penny once again asserted himself as the linchpin of the San Diego State offense.

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Through San Diego State’s first five games of the year, Penny is third in the nation with over 165 rushing yards per game. He is now seven yards away from becoming the second runner to break the 1000-yard mark for the season, and he also ranks first in the nation with over 220 all-purpose yards per game.

When FBS career leader Donnel Pumphrey graduated after last season, it opened the door for Penny to finally feature as the starting back for the Aztecs. He has responded with one of the hottest starts of the year, outpacing the yards per carry posted by his predecessor. As long as San Diego State remains in the Group of Five race, Penny will continue hanging around the Heisman hunt.