Mississippi State’s Heisman candidate Kamario Taylor (Photo by Mississippi State Athletics)
There are still a lot of good players chasing the Heisman! Too many to list them all here!
September Heisman
Jadan Baugh, Florida, Running Back, Junior
The Gators’ do-it-all back has been a big part of their early-season success. Baugh was big in their win over Ole Miss with 29 carries for 142 yards and three touchdowns. Jadan Baugh has 83 carries for 600 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. His yards are the second most, and his touchdowns are the most in college football this season. Baugh is averaging over 20 carries, 150 yards, and nearly three touchdowns per game this season for the 4-0 Gators.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State, Quarterback, Redshirt Sophomore
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State, Wide Receiver, Junior
Ohio State’s dynamic duo have been good this year and seem to have found another gear against Illinois. Julian Sayin was 27 of 36 for 367 yards with four touchdowns passing, and had seven carries for 29 yards with another touchdown rushing. He is 83 of 115 for 1,206 yards with 10 touchdowns passing and another two touchdowns rushing this season. Jeremiah Smith had 12 catches for 217 yards and four touchdowns. This season, he has 33 catches for a nation-leading 617 yards and seven touchdowns. Ohio State will need this kind of output to continue for them to get back to the College Football Playoff this year.
Darian Mensah, Miami, Quarterback, Junior
Malachi Toney, Miami, Wide Receiver, Sophomore
Miami’s elite quarterback-wide receiver combination has been nothing short of stellar. Mensah was 23 of 27 for 338 yards and four total touchdowns in the win over CMU. This season, he is 94 of 106 for 1,211 yards and 15 total touchdowns. Mensah has more passing touchdowns (14) than he does incompletions (12). Toney has been equally red hot. He had six catches for 120 yards and a touchdown this past Saturday and has 34 catches for 564 yards and six touchdowns. One shudders to think of him and Jeremiah Smith almost being on the same team at either Miami or Ohio State.
Josh Hoover, Indiana, Quarterback, Senior
Charlie Becker, Indiana, Wide Receiver, Junior
Hoover and Becker don’t take a back seat to anyone, not even Sayin and Smith and Mensah and Toney. Their yardage might not be on par with those guys, but their touchdowns and wins are. Hoover is 50 of 80 for 800 yards and 12 total touchdowns this season. Charlie Becker has 19 catches for 370 yards and six touchdowns. Roughly one in three of Becker’s catches go for a touchdown.
Wayne Knight, UCLA, Running Back, Senior
Knight is like Baugh and Taylor in that he wasn’t a big name in the preseason but has made himself one in the first month of football. His numbers aren’t as high as Baugh’s. He has 49 carries, 34 fewer than Baugh, and 445 yards, 155 fewer than Baugh. His nine rushing touchdowns are second only to the Gators’ running back. Knight has a staggering 9.0 yards per carry, though. UCLA being 4-0 is a bit more impressive than Florida being 4-0, too.
Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State, Quarterback, Sophomore
I’ve said it a lot, so I’ll try not to say it too much more, but Kamario Taylor reminds me of Heisman-winner Robert Griffin III. Taylor has been huge for the undefeated Mississippi State Bulldogs. He has them off to their best start in a long, long time. He was 27 of 38 for 360 yards and three touchdowns in the win against Mizzou. So far, he’s 83 of 120 for 1,192 yards and 14 touchdowns. His yards are in the top ten nationally, and his touchdowns are tied for first. Taylor is also a threat to run the ball, which makes him that much more difficult to defend. He has 187 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground, too. Taylor may be the Heisman frontrunner next week if he leads MSU to a victory over Alabama this week.
