Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is making moves in the latest USA TODAY Heisman Watch. Each week a panel of USA TODAY experts vote on the Heisman race by voting for their first, second, and third-place contenders. Fields was behind several players that had a jump start on him before he even played a game, but things have changed drastically since Fields stepped off the bus for the first time to break the seal on a very delayed Big Ten sesason.
And now, after just three games, he’s gone from an afterthought in the poll all the way up to No. 2 behind only Alabama quarterback Mac Jones. He climbed his way up to the No. 3 spot last week, but with his performance against Rutgers in combination with Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence sitting things out because of COVID-19 protocols, he has been on an accelerated climb.
Fields received five first-place votes, thirteen second-place votes, and just one for third. That gave him 42 points, and has significantly closed the distance between Jones’ sixteen place votes that led to 54 points.
In @USATODAY's survey of 22 Heisman Trophy voters, Justin Fields is in second place behind Alabama quarterback Mac Jones for the award: https://t.co/xmt2zVccRO
— Joey Kaufman (@joeyrkaufman) November 10, 2020
Lawrence drops to third after not receiving any first-place votes, followed by Kyle Trask of Florida.
NEXT … What USA TODAY’s Eddie Timanus says about Fields
The Narrative on Fields’ Heisman campaign
What Timanus says
“Justin Fields is closing fast in the Heisman race. The Ohio State quarterback vaulted into second place in this week’s USA TODAY Network survey.”
“Fields made a big move thanks to another ultra-efficient passing day in the Buckeyes’ win against Rutgers. Through three games, he has thrown as many touchdown passes, 11, as incompletions. He was listed second by over half of the 22 survey participants who work for USA TODAY Network properties and have official Heisman votes.”
NEXT … What we say
Fields and his Heisman campaign
What we say
It’s hard to imagine any other player being the best in the college game right now. Fields won’t put up the volume of passing yards, total yards, and completions others have in the history of the game because of the shortened season, but his completion percentage (86.7%), and touchdown to interception ratio of 11:0, is literally second to none.
Oh, and there’s this too. So far on the season, Fields has accounted for more touchdowns on the ground and through the air (13) than incompletions (11). That’s just ridiculous nonsense. I can’t play the rookie-level of Madden and perform at that level.
There’s still plenty of time and plenty of nationally televised games for Fields to continue his onslaught on the Heisman campaign, and we like his chances to finish on top.
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