Hey it’s time for my Heisman ballot…wait, don’t leave!

Look I will try to do better this time around OK?  Hopefully I get someone in my top, say, five to actually win the damn thing.  I think my predictions closely match other actual experts’ selections so at least if I look like a fool at the end of the season, they will too.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself.  On to the ballot!

My Heisman Ballot of Doom

1. Sam Darnold, USC – Sam-I-Am seems to be the consensus pick for the Heisman going into the season. I agree with that consensus.  This also means that there is starting to be a bunch of HOT TAKES trickle in as to why Darnold won’t be the Heisman winner.  That’s fine that everyone can have different opinions.  What I balk at is when people make others feel stupid for agreeing that Darnold is the favourite going in.  Because he is.
2. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma – He came relatively close to winning the Heisman last year. OK, not really that close but he was in the mix.  He tosses the ball for like eleventy billion yards so at least he will be exciting to watch.  Much of his Heisman campaign will have to do with if the Big XII in general (and the Sooners in particular) can make the College Football Playoff this season with their new fancy conference championship game.
3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State – It just feels like Barrett is in his like 8^th year of eligibility. It’s about time he gets his due (as long as he can avoid injury).  tOSU is going to be a contender all season which will keep Barrett in the spotlight enough to garner some Heisman attention.
4. Saquon Barkley, Penn State – It has been a while since a running back has won the Heisman. Barkley seems to the best pick out of a few running backs who have the acumen to do it.  A lot rides on their team’s offense and the only way Barkley gets hurt in this race is if James Franklin decides that Trace McSorley needs to throw the ball more.
5. Bo Scarbrough, Alabama – As long as his injury (or whatever is ailing him at the moment) doesn’t cut into the season, Scarbrough should be the focal point of the Crimson Tide offense. Just like Barkley, Bo knows he stands a good chance for some Heisman hype as long as Evil Saban doesn’t decide Jalen Hurts needs to toss the ball around more.  Less chance happening here than, say, at Penn State but still a possibility.
6. Deondre Francois, Florida State – I am still of the belief that the ACC teams (at least the top teams) will beat up on each other and no one will be in the CFP at the end of the season from the conference. That will affect Heisman voting (it almost always does).  This is why I have Francois here and not higher up.  He should be the ACC’s best player this year (even better than Lamar Jackson) but not being on a team contending for a national title will make things more difficult in this race.
7. Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State – Now here’s the guy who will get all the stats hype. He will throw for even more than eleventy billion yards and a shit-ton of touchdowns.  For Rudolph to get some true Heisman hype, OSU will probably have to overcome Oklahoma twice: once in Bedlam, and once in the Big XII Championship Game (sponsored by Mountain Dew or some shitty-ass pop like that).
8. Darius Guice, LSU – LSU feels like a dark horse in general this season and Guice fits the dark horse Heisman candidate profile in particular. With Leonard Fournette gone, I believe many people will overlook Guice despite the fact the also had a great season last year.  He could sneak up many people’s lists of he can look good in major games against Alabama, Auburn, and BYU to start the season.
9. Jake Browning, Washington – The Fighting Chris Pedersens will be good again. That much we know.  The thing is they now have stiffer competition from Stanford and USC, not to mention a much-improved Oregon and an always-pesky Wazzu.  I can see at least a couple of mediocre games from Browning that would prevent him from ascending to the Heisman throne (or at least getting an all-expenses-paid trip to NYC in December).
10. Lamar Jackson, Louisville – OK before you get pissed at me for putting Jackson this low, hear me out. This is not (I repeat, NOT) the whole “we can’t have a repeat Heisman winner” type of deal (except for, you know, Archie Griffin who didn’t deserve to win two in the first place but that’s a different kettle of fish).  I can’t see Louisville getting to double digit victories and I don’t think the team itself will have as prolific an offense.  Both of those things will keep Jackson from getting to the absurd heights he got through the first two-plus months of the season.

Honourable Mention

• Jalen Hurts, Alabama
• Josh Rosen, UCLA
• Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State
• Luke Falk, Washington State
• Quinton Flowers, USF
• Tanner Mangum, BYU
• Josh Allen, Wyoming
• Nick Chubb, Georgia

And there it is.  I am hoping beyond hope that at least one of these eighteen names is announced as the Heisman winner in December.  If not, I might just quit doing this post altogether.

Next up is the FIRST SCHEDULE POST OF THE YEAR!

That’s right Ric I’m excited as well.  I am still (STILL!) looking for where Bell has hid the specialty pack since it was overwritten by regional CTV channels thanks to DAZN getting Sunday Ticket.  What a mess.  Hey, as long as it’s fixed by Saturday morning, that’s all I care about.  I have put the first two games that I can see (both on CBS Sports Network) on the PVR so the start is in sight.  Once I can get the specialty pack stuff on the PVR I will breathe a sigh of relief and know that we are ready to go for the season.

I still need to do an NFL preview of sorts.  That will come next week as long as something unforeseen doesn’t happen.  Football season is finally upon us.  Let us all rejoice and then watch an unhealthy amount of football for the next four-and-a-half months.