Time to look back for a second. Back in August, at the start of the college football season - when the Big Ten and Pac-12 weren't going to play - we looked at the five favorites to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy. To recap, here were our choices:
5) Chuba Hubbard (uhh... nope)
4) Trevor Lawrence (perhaps?)
3) Sam Ehlinger (again... nope)
2) Spencer Rattler (started horribly, not as bad, but still a hard "no")
1) An unknown
Okay, sure, we cheated, but we were also right with our top choice. None of the four above are going to win the Heisman - although if Trevor Lawrence didn't miss two games due to COVID-19 he'd probably be the winner. Instead, with anywhere from five-to-10 games of tape to analyze, the top-five in voting will probably look something like this:
5) Ian Book, Notre Dame: In a different era, he might runaway with the award. Alas, in the modern college football game statistics overtake all, thus eliminating Book from serious contention. There are, however, enough old-school voters to keep Book in the top-five, and with good reason. For this Notre Dame team, a perfect 10-0 heading to this weekend's ACC Championship Game, Book is the ideal quarterback. He has 15 touchdowns to two interceptions, completing 63 percent of his passes. He has another 465 yards and eight touchdowns rushing. He commands the offense as well as any QB in the country... but since Notre Dame isn't a pass-first juggernaut, this is where the senior will settle.
4) Trevor Lawrence, Clemson: Again, had he not missed two games because of COVID-19 he'd probably be the favorite. Heck, if one of those games wasn't against Notre Dame he still might be the favorite. Although he's not out of contention quite yet, it would take a Herculean effort on Saturday against Notre Dame (which isn't out of the question). Because make no mistake, Lawrence is still the best player in college football. He's averaging 303 yards per game through the air with 20 touchdowns and just three picks in eight games, upping his completion rate to 69 percent. There's a reason he's the consensus No. 1 overall pick.
3) DeVonta Smith, Alabama: Again, in a different era he has as strong a case as anyone to win the Heisman. After opting to return for his senior year, Smith is the clear-cut best wide receiver in the country. He leads the nation in total yards (1,327) and is second in receptions (83), yards per game (132.7) and touchdowns (15), and he did most of it while garnering more attention after the season-ending injury to Jaylen Waddle. Not to mention, it doesn't include his 86-yard punt return TD last week against Arkansas.
Still, a wide receiver hasn't won the award since Desmond Howard in 1991. That won't change in 2020, given the accolades will go towards his quarterback.
2) Kyle Trask, Florida: Everyone expected Saturday's SEC Championship Game to basically decide the Heisman. Then the Gators laid an egg and probably ruined their playoff hopes in the process against LSU. In Heisman voting, team results matter. Still, it shouldn't take too much away from the spectacular season Trask has had, leading the nation with 40 touchdowns to just five picks, sitting second in yards per game (371.7). He set an SEC record with at least four touchdowns in six straight games and broke the Florida single-season record for TD passes in just 10 games.
1) Mac Jones, Alabama: As we just mentioned, Smith is going to lose out on the Heisman to the guy throwing him the ball. Jones looked decent when thrust into the starting role last year after Tua Tagovailoa's injury, but he's become the likely Heisman favorite in 2020. He's fifth in yards per game (332.5) and touchdown passes (27), has just three interceptions and is second in completion percentage (76.4). He did all this while playing for the undefeated No. 1 team in the nation who played a SEC-only schedule. Barring a complete disaster Saturday in Atlanta, it's his to lose.