Atlantic Coast Conference football is in full-swing, and the action on the field will be exciting over the second half of the season. The league currently has five Heisman Trophy hopefuls who could hoist the trophy in New York this winter.
1. Lamar Jackson, Quarterback, Louisville
Some have said that the Heisman is Lamar Jackson’s to lose. The transcendent quarterback for the Louisville Cardinals has taken the college football scene by storm this season, and he has accounted for more touchdowns than almost half of the teams in the NCAA have scored this season. His blend of electrifying moves in the open field coupled with his beautiful deep ball have made him a fan favorite. In order for him to win the Heisman, he needs to continue to put up strong numbers now that the toughest part of the schedule is behind him. If the Cardinals win out, there is a legitimate chance they can make the College Football Playoff.
2. Deshaun Watson, Quarterback, Clemson
Coming into the season, Deshaun Watson may have been the conference’s prohibitive favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. After a slow start, he has been picking up steam over the last few games. On the season, he has completed just under 64 percent of his passes for almost 2,000 yards. In order for him to win the Heisman Trophy, he needs to have a big game coming out of the bye week, just like another certain quarterback and Heisman Trophy contender had against the Noles. If the Clemson Tigers finish the season undefeated, that will also give Watson a leg up on the Heisman hopefuls.
3. Dalvin Cook, Running Back, Florida State
The Florida State Seminoles running back, and Miami native, is also picking up steam over the last few games, after being held under 100 yards rushing for the first few games of the season. The Seminoles are starting to feed him the ball, and he has responded by becoming the top rushing back in the Power 5 Conference structure. His ability to make plays on the ground and through the air make him a dual threat back that teams need to plan around.
4. Mitch Trubisky, Quarterback, North Carolina
The signal caller for the North Carolina Tar Heels is a dark-horse candidate who could dramatically increase his stock with an upset against one of the ACC’s top teams over the last half of the season. Trubisky led his team to a hot start out of the gates, and Heisman voters will love his poise and stats. His ability to minimize turnovers has kept the Heels in most of the games that they have played this season.
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