Heisman Trophy opinion polls are conducted every week during the college football season, and often the top of the leaderboard shuffles during the year.
That didn't happen in 2016. Once Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson seized control of the national perception in the early weeks of the season he never surrendered it.
Jackson, a sophomore from Boynton Beach, Fla., is the favorite to win the 82nd Heisman Trophy, which will be announced Saturday night in New York on ESPN.
Perhaps Jackson's slow finish will narrow the gap that seemed like a landslide throughout the season. Jackson built his early lead by accounting for 25 touchdowns in the first four games, including a swamping of Florida State.
The Cardinals lost to Clemson in a showdown between Jackson and another Heisman finalist, Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson, but Jackson continued his stellar play until the season's final weeks.
That's when Louisville lost its final two games to Houston and Kentucky.
Did opportunity open for Watson or Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield to make a move? They led their teams to conference championships, and Louisville didn't even reach the ACC title game.
On Thursday, Watson won the Davey O'Brien Award, given to the nation's top quarterback, for the second straight year
But Jackson's numbers may be too much for a challenger to overcome. He ranks second nationally with 410.7 total yards per game and in combined passing and rushing touchdowns with 51.
He's the first person to pass for 30 touchdowns (31) and rush for 20 during a regular season, and he's the first to pass for 3,300 yards and rush for 1,500 in a season.
Teams keyed on Jackson all season, and he still produced.
He may not win the Heisman in a landslide, but Jackson should become the first Louisville player to bring home the trophy.
