Week 5 of the College Football season is officially in the books and while it's still early in the season, the Heisman Trophy race is truly wide open. Take your pick between Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier, Cade Klubnik, Drew Allar, LaNorris Sellers, DJ Lagway, and others, the presumed front runners for the award have fallen flat to start the season.
When the players everyone expected to compete for the award don't take hold of the award early, it leads to true chaos. Early in the season, there isn't a clear leader for the award but, 5 players are on the rise in the Heisman Trophy race.
These 5 players are on the rise in the Heisman Trophy race
After Alabama's offense looked overwhelmed against Florida State, it seemed impossible that the Crimson Tide would be considered a contender again and that Ty Simpson would ever rack up award recognition. Flash forward and Ty Simpson has a signature win over Georgia and his stats are starting to look like those of a Heisman contender.
Through 4 weeks, Ty Simpson is 88-127 for 1,138 yards and 11 touchdowns without an interception with another score on the ground. The Crimson Tide have all the weapons around Ty Simpson that it shouldn't surprise anyone if he works his way into the Heisman race.
Coming into the season, some of the hold up around the Oregon Ducks was the fact that they had to replace Dillon Gabriel and no one had seen Dante Moore since his time at UCLA. On Saturday Night, Dante Moore led his team to a massive road victory over Penn State and he's starting to look like one of the best passers in the Country. Thus far, Moore is 100-134 for 1,210 yards and 14 touchdowns with just one interception.
After the Oregon Ducks face Indiana, the schedule is going to get light for this team which will allow Dante Moore to put up massive numbers. With the weapons this team has and Will Stein's play calling ability, Moore is going to be a Heisman contender.
If any Non-Quarterback is going to make a run at the Heisman Trophy, it's looking like it will be Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy. Through 5 games, Hardy already has 730 yards and 9 touchdowns powering an explosive Missouri rushing attack. It'll be tough to keep this production going in SEC play but, if Hardy can keep powering this offense, he'll deserve to be in New York.
Trinidad Chambliss has the level of story that you can just picture being told to the Country as the candidates are in New York for the Heisman Trophy. Coming out of High School, Chambliss was a 0-star recruit with no FBS offers but, he went to D2 Ferris State winning the D2 National Championship and the D2 Heisman. Chambliss appeared headed to Temple to be their starter before Lane Kiffin nabbed him at the last second to serve as the backup.
Austin Simmons had struggled to start the season and when he suffered an injury, Chambliss was thrown into the starting lineup and he looks like one of the best quarterbacks in the Country. On the season, Chambliss is 65-101 yards and 1,033 yards with 5 touchdowns and just one interception. As a rusher, Chambliss has added 195 yards and a pair of touchdowns. If Chambliss is the starter the rest of the way he has the talent in this offense to make a run at the Heisman Trophy.
The Vanderbilt Commodores are off to a 5-0 start and it's impossible to not credit Diego Pavia for the way this program has turned. This season, Pavia is 94-126 for 1,211 yards and 13 touchdowns with 3 interceptions while rushing for 294 yards and a pair of scores. If Pavia can pull of more incredible upsets while posting stats, it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he played his way into Heisman contention.
More College Football News: