Heisman finalists: Jackson, Watson, Peppers, 2 Sooners

The finalists for the 82nd Heisman Memorial Trophy are in: Baker Mayfield, Lamar Jackson, Dede Westbrook, Deshaun Watson and Jabrill Peppers form this season’s contenders for the coveted honor.

Editor’s note: This article was written before the Heisman finalists were announced as Jackson, Peppers, Baker Mayfield, Dede Westbrook, and Deshaun Watson. The other finalists were Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and MI all-around star Jabrill Peppers.

All three O’Brien finalists are finalists for the Heisman Trophy, to be presented Saturday in NY. The Heisman Trust names at least three finalists every year, and whether there are more depends on how close the voting was between third and fourth place, fourth and fifth, fifth and sixth, and so on. He has also rushed for 529 yards and six touchdowns.

Alabama’s Jonathan Allen won the Chuck Bednarik Award as defensive player of the year, beating out Heisman finalist Jabrill Peppers of MI and Myles Garrett of Texas A&M. After collecting his trophy Thursday night in Atlanta, Watson said he was confident of beating out Jackson and the other finalist, Oklahoma’s Mayfield. I prefer to look at it as a terrific year for team football more than individual football.

I’m not a Heisman Trophy voter but, like you, I have a Heisman opinion. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the ACC Championship game for the second consecutive year. He threw for 3,390 yards and 1,538 yards rushing.

Watson has completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,914 yards and 37 touchdowns, with 15 interceptions, in 13 games this year. All eyes on you … playing in the national championship against Alabama and having all the success we had against a great team but falling short, a lot of expectations were on us. “To be the first one to ever win it at the Univerity of Louisville, I’m shocked right now”.

Peppers is the anchor of the Wolverines’ dominant defense and indisputably the best player on one of the top teams in the nation.

Although the team suffered a disappointing end to the season with back-to-back losses, the second year quarterback has impressed throughout, leading the Heisman race from the early part of the season.

However despite Jackson’s effort, he is snubbed from being a Heisman finalist this weekend, and most of his teammates and current National Football League players agree.

“I’ve got butterflies”, Jackson said with a laugh.

ALABAMA: Senior defensive lineman Jonathan Allen won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy given annually to the nation’s best college defensive player.

“It will mean a lot”, Jackson said about the possibility of winning.

As fans of the University of South Carolina’s athletic programs, it is not in our interest to lobby on behalf of the Heisman candidacy of a player at our arch-rival.

It’s extremely rare for the Heisman front-runner in September to go coast to coast and win the award.

Signaling a potential radical change in the way Olympic host cities are chosen, IOC President Thomas Bach wants to revise the bidding process because it “produces too many losers”.