Heisman Trophy Watch: Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts lead all candidates for football’s top prize

Quarterbacks have won the Heisman Trophy every year save three since the turn of the century, and appear poised to have one of their fraternal order claim college football’s top honor once again this season.

With eight weeks of games in the books, LSU QB Joe Burrow and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts are vying for Heisman frontrunner status, with Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State’s Justin Fields in pursuit.

If Hurts can outshine his fellow quarterbacks, and claim football’s most-hallowed hardware at the conclusion of the season, it will mark the first time in history one school has produced three consecutive Heisman winners.

UPDATED October 23, 2019

Burrow broke the LSU single-season passing touchdown mark versus Mississippi State when he tossed his 29th. Burrow’s 327 yards passing and four TDs on the day powered the Tigers to an easy 36-13 victory over the Bulldogs.

2019 Statistical Overview

In Oklahoma’s 52-24 drubbing of West Virginia, Hurts racked up five more TDs — three passing and two rushing. The Sooners QB threw for 316 yards and rushed for 75, while completing 16 of 17 passes.

2019 Statistical Overview

Tagovailoa was right in the thick of the Heisman conversation before he injured his ankle against Tennessee and had to undergo minor surgery to repair the sprain. Bama has two weeks before they host LSU, when Tagovailoa hopes to return to action.

2019 Statistical Overview

Fields is averaging better than four touchdowns per game over his first seven games of the season, and he had another four in Ohio State’s 52-7 rout of Northwestern.

2019 Statistical Overview

In pursuit of the four frontrunners in the hunt for the Heisman are Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor and Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert.