Heisman Watch: Week 12

The Heisman race has been a great one to watch as the college football season continues to fly by.

Here are my players who have a shot at winning the trophy at this point in the season.

5. Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana

The hype surrounding Indiana this year has been great to see, and I think it’s time to give some respect to the Hoosiers signal caller.

Rourke has led an undefeated Hoosiers team that has a shot at the Big Ten and potentially a playoff spot, something that nobody saw coming. He has 21 touchdown passes to go along with just four interceptions this season.

The main concern for Indiana is their opponents. They have not played a ranked opponent so far this year, but do have their first ranked matchup vs. No. 2 Ohio State this upcoming Saturday.

If Indiana can pull out a win on the road against the Buckeyes, then I expect Rourke to rise in the Heisman conversation.

4. Cam Ward, QB, Miami

Ward looked to be among the top three in Heisman odds but he takes a dip for me this week.

Ward and the Hurricanes fell in an upset loss to Georgia Tech, which won’t help his case.

It’s not the stats that damaged Ward’s chances of winning, as he was able to throw for 348 passing yards and three touchdowns in the loss.

This may have been a bad loss for Miami at this point in the season, but Ward looks like he will continue to play like a first-round pick and keep his name among the Heisman finalists.

3. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon

I wrote an article earlier this year about how Gabriel is the best QB in the Big Ten, and I still am a firm believer that this is true today.

The senior leader for this Ducks group has been efficient and accurate all season long.

He has completed 74.1% of his passes to go along with 22 touchdowns and five interceptions.

On top of his stats, he is currently leading the No. 1 team in the country with no signs of slowing down.

2. Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado

This was a tough choice to make, as I believe that two players can have the No. 1 spot on this list.

Hunter has had a college career nobody has seen before, creating an impact on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

A projected No. 1 overall pick, Hunter has amassed 859 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He also has two interceptions and a forced fumble on defense.

It’s safe to say he is in prime position to take home the trophy, as well as putting his team in prime position to make a playoff run.

1. Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

It’s safe to say at this point in the season that Jeanty has undoubtedly been the most dynamic running back in the country this year.

Some may say that he is having the best season since Barry Sanders.

Jeanty is less than 300 yards away from hitting 2000 total. A feat that not many players have done.

To go along with the impressive amount of yards, he has been able to find paydirt 23 times to go along with being able to get 7.7 yards per carry.

Despite the brilliance of Travis Hunter, Jeanty has been flat-out unstoppable in every game this season, and the key reason why Boise State has a shot of reaching the college football playoff.

Ben Barker is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email bsb5566@psu.edu.