As we head into championship week for college football, here are the top contenders for the 2021 Heisman Trophy as they make their final case.
In terms of the College Football Playoff and the 2021 Heisman Trophy race, we have one week left for teams and players to make their impressions.
During Week 13, no team or player did more to impact the national title race or the Heisman Trophy race than Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson.
The Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year notched three sacks and 15 pressures, as well as drawing a couple of holding calls in a dominant performance in the Wolverines 42-27 win over Ohio State, which knocked the Buckeyes out of the playoff conversation.
It also effectively knocked C.J. Stroud out of the Heisman Trophy race. There’s a good chance he’s invited and finishes in the top three but after a mostly empty statistical performance, his campaign doesn’t have a leg to stand on, especially now that he’s sitting at home.
So what does the race look like going into the final week? Well, guys like Kenneth Walker III and Matt Corral deserve a mention. Both could get invites to New York after leading their programs to incredible seasons but neither has any hope of actually winning the trophy.
At any rate here’s a look at the top five Heisman Trophy contenders heading into conference championship week.
Heisman Trophy Candidate No. 5: Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
Walker won’t win the award but he’s got a chance to get to New York but could need some others to falter such as Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, who is gaining steam late.
Walker finished the season with more than 1,700 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns but he didn’t even win Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year — that went to Stroud — so that tells you where his Heisman hopes currently stand.