Heisman Trophy watch 2021: Top 5 contenders going into Week 6

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) walks onto the field before the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind.Cincinnati Bearcats At Notre Dame Fighting Irish 208 /

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(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Heisman Trophy Candidate No. 3: Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati

The biggest disadvantage that Desmond Ridder has in the 2021 Heisman race is that he plays for Cincinnati, which isn’t exactly recognized as a college football powerhouse.

However, the one thing that Ridder has going for him in the Heisman moment that we always talk about. It can be a play such as the Eric Crouch touchdown reception back in 2001 on a trick play or a game like the one Johnny football had against Alabama.

Ridder had one of those career-defining moments and he did against Notre Dame last Saturday, throwing for 297 yards and two touchdowns to go along with one rushing touchdown, zero interceptions, and probably the biggest win in the history of Cincinnati football.

He was the best player on the field in South Bend and him scoring that clinching touchdown in one of college football’s cathedrals certainly won’t work against him.

But, he’s going to have put up big numbers and have some others falter because there aren’t many opportunities to impress from here on out.

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