McCaffrey is named AP’s college football player of the year

After finishing as the first runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, Christian McCaffrey took home the Associated Press’ Player of the Year honors.

McCaffrey is the first Stanford player to ever win the honor and is the first non-Heisman Trophy victor to be recognized as such since Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska was named the 2009 AP Player of the Year (Alabama’s Mark Ingram won the Heisman).

Next year, though, he’ll have another opportunity to bring both awards back to Stanford.

Henry received 16 votes and Clemson QB Deshaun Watson was third with 11. McCaffrey broke Barry Sanders’ single-season record for all-purpose yards, tallying 1,847 yards on the ground, 540 in the air, 1,109 on kickoffs and punt returns, and even threw for 39 yards. “The answer is football player”, Stanford coach David Shaw said in a recent interview.

This year, there was plenty: Henry had a record-breaking season at running back for the Crimson Tide and largely carried the offense for a team that might win a national title. It’s not receiver. It’s not returner.

POTATO BOWL: AKRON 23, UTAH STATE 21 (at Boise, Idaho) – Robert Stein made three field goals and the Zips earned their first victory in a bowl since moving up to the FBS level in 1987. His longest kick gave the Zips a 23-14 lead with 8:15 remaining.