Christian McCaffrey among the Heisman Trophy finalists

Watson and Clemson will play Big 12 champion Oklahoma and Alabama will face Big Ten Champion Michigan State in the semifinal round of the College Football Playoffs on December 31.

Henry joined Clemson sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson and Stanford junior running back Christian McCaffrey as Heisman ceremony invitees.

Christian McCaffrey broke the NCAA’s single-season all-purpose yards record, previously held by Barry Sanders, with 3,496 yards (including 1,847 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 319 carries).

He also saved his best for last, accumulating 461 all-purpose yards in Stanford’s 41-22 win over USC for the Pac-12 title.

He had 189 yards and a touchdown in the SEC Championship Game, a 29-15 win over Florida.

The Heisman Trophy Trust on Monday evening announced the three finalists for its 81st annual award, given to the player voted to be the best in college football. Watson finished fourth in the country in total offense generated with 4,399 yards. I’m going to recuse myself, because I’m a Stanford fan who’s still pissed that Toby Gerhart didn’t win it in 2009.

There’s also a chance that 2015’s third finalist, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, might draw a significant portion of the Southern vote away from Henry since he was the quarterback of the nation’s only undefeated team. This included 207 rushing yards and a touchdown, 105 receiving yards and a touchdown, and 149 return yards. This wasn’t a flashy, glamorous, or heavily talked about race, but in the end it’s probably as close as it’s been in a few years.

Still, McCaffrey is viewed as a long shot to actually take home the trophy, with many observers tilting toward Henry because Alabama had a stronger season than Stanford did.

Among those missing out on a trip to NY city was Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, LSU running back Leonard Fournette, who was the early season favorite, and Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds.

Tide coach Nick Saban said Henry arrived on campus with the same work ethic that’s carried him to the brink of a Heisman. And if not for the complete collapse of his team in the final month of the regular season, there is little question that he would be taking a flight to NY this week with a legitimate shot at winning the prestigious honor.

Cut from the dual-threat quarterback cloth of Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota – the last five Heisman winners – Watson is out to keep the QB streak alive.

He was a powerful runner between the tackles, a speed demon on the sidelines, a crisp and precise route-running receiver, the nation’s most electrifying and intelligent kick and punt returner, and he even threw two touchdown passes.

“Deshaun Watson is the epitome of what the Heisman Trophy is all about”, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said.

The 2015 Heisman Trophy will be handed out on Saturday night in one of the most anticipated evenings of the college football season. No one else below him had more than 211.