Week Seven Heisman Radar


By Jacob Murphy
Another week of exciting football has led us to a tight Heisman race. With some players returning from last week, and some returning from previous weeks, the competition is looking as intense as it has all season.
Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama QB- 
Week 6 vs. Arkansas: 10-13, 334 yards and 4 touchdowns
Tagovailoa did it once again, as he put up huge stats in just one half of play against the unranked Arkansas Razorbacks. He came out firing on the first drive, hitting tight ened Irv Smith Jr. for a 76-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the game. Tagovailoa continued to cruise throughout the half, ending a second quarter drive with a 42-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. The first half ended just as it started, with Tagovailoa hitting Jeudy on a slant that resulted in a 60-yard touchdown to put the Crimson Tide up 41-14. Alabama has been unstoppable with Tagovailoa as the starter, and the two are showing no signs of slowing down as they remain number one in the country.
Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State QB-
Week 6 vs. Indiana: 33-44, 455 yards and 6 touchdowns
After a huge week five statement on the road at Penn State, Haskins continued to shock the college football world with more video-game-like numbers against Indiana. He started off slow in the first quarter, but came out with intention in the second quarter as he threw for three touchdowns within a 10-minute span. Haskins’ first touchdown pass was a 39-yard play-action strike to wide reciever Johnnie Dixon, who split off two defenders before catching the pass in the back of the end zone. Haskins was clearly not satisfied with his strong first half, as the quarterback threw for three more touchdowns in the second half, highlighted by a 71-yard pass in the third quarter. The score was a simple out route, but wide receiver Parris Campbell was able to escape the Indiana defense for the touchdown. Expect Haskins to keep up with himself in week seven as the Buckeyes host the unranked Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Kyler Murray – Quarterback – Oklahoma
Week 6 vs. Texas: 19-26, 304 yards and 4 touchdowns
Despite a 48-45 loss to the Longhorns, Murray put up great numbers and almost pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the Red River showdown. Oklahoma trailed into the fourth quarter, down 45-24. Murray, who went undefeated in his high school career, and lost only once as a starter at Texas A&M in 2015, finally faced adversity. He didn’t seem phased, leading the Sooners on three scoring drives within six minutes of each other. The second drive was where Murray shined the most, breaking off 67-yard touchdown run to bring the Sooners back within seven points. Murray showed his dual threat ability throughout the game, running for 92 yards on 11 carries. Eventually, Murray and the Sooners lost on a game winning field goal, but that did not outshine Murray’s performance. He and the Sooners will have to wait to bounce back, with Oklahoma’s week seven bye.
Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin RB- 
Week 6 vs. Nebraska: 24 attempts, 221 yards and 3 touchdowns
After a three week absence, Taylor is back on the list thanks to an explosion against the Nebraska where he looked unstoppable. Taylor seemed inches away from a breakaway run in the first half multiple times. He finally broke through in the third quarter for a 21-yard touchdown run. That wouldn’t be the only time Taylor broke loose, eventually stiff-arming his way to an 88-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. He broke off of the defenders 15 yards past the line of scrimmage and then turned on the afterburners and went untouched for 73-yards into the end zone. He heavily contributed to a 41-24 Wisconsin win, which has the Badgers now ranked No. 15 in the country. Taylor and the Badgers have a big game coming up, as they travel to Ann Arbor to face off against the No. 12 ranked Michigan Wolverines Saturday.
Edited by Garrett Jones | gcjh23@mail.missouri.edu

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