The cream of the crop will take center stage on Tuesday night as the winner of the Heisman Trophy for the 2020 college football season will be revealed. Four finalists selected from this unique season, two of whom just happen to play for the same team. Those finalists for this year’s honor are Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Florida quarterback Kyle Trask. One of those incredible players will become the 83rd recipient of the famed award.
The Heisman Trophy was first given out in 1935 to University of Chicago running back Jay Berwanger. It was called the DAC Trophy at the time as it was named after New York’s Downtown Athletic Club. When the club’s athletic director, John Heisman, died in 1936, the award became known as The Heisman Trophy.
It is the preeminent individual award in college football.
Tuesday night, we will see another member inducted into college football’s most prestigious club. The 2020 Heisman Trophy ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. ET and air on ESPN. It can also be streamed live on fuboTV (Try for free). Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s award ceremony will be the first held virtually with the four finalists appearing live via satellite from their homes or school.
Let’s take a look at the four finalists for this year award along with their current odds to win via William Hill Sportsbook.
DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama (2/13): The college football world at large was first introduced to Smith in January 2018. It was the final game of the 2017 season when Smith and Alabama were facing Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship. In overtime of that game, with Georgia leading 23-20, Tua Tagovailoa tossed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Smith that won the game and a national title for the Crimson Tide. Tagovailoa, a freshman sensation who had come off the bench to replace veteran starter Jalen Hurts, grabbed the headlines at the time. Now it could be Smith grabbing the Heisman a few years later. During Smith’s time in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, we’ve seen receivers like Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy, and Henry Ruggs all move on to become first-round NFL Draft picks, but Smith might be the best of them all. After catching 68 passes for 1,256 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, Smith entered 2020 not considered by many to be a Heisman candidate. He finished it having caught another 105 passes for 1,641 yards and 20 more touchdowns. If Smith wins the award, he will be the first wide receiver to do so since Michigan’s Desmond Howard in 1991.
Mac Jones, QB, Alabama (5-1): Jones’ story isn’t all that dissimilar to that of Smith. He spent the last few years as a backup QB at Alabama, buried on the depth chart by national title-winning QBs like Jalen Hurts and Tagovailoa. In an era where so many quarterbacks aren’t willing to wait their turn before transferring, Jones stuck it out and entered 2020 as the Tide starter. Even then, some wondered if he’d hold onto the job, as Alabama had a five-star freshman coming in behind him. It wasn’t long before everyone realized Jones wouldn’t be giving up the job any time soon. Jones threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns in Alabama’s first game of the season, and then the next week against a top-five team in Texas A&M, he threw for 435 yards and four touchdowns. That kind of statline became routine as Jones finished the season with 4,036 yards passing an 36 touchdowns with only four interceptions. Jones’ 77{c25493dcd731343503a084f08c3848bd69f9f2f05db01633325a3fd40d9cc7a1} completion mark and 4,036 yards were both Alabama school records for a single season. Next week he’ll hope to join the players he waited behind, Hurts and Tagovailoa, as QBs to win a national title with the Tide.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson (8-1): Honestly, what is there to say about Lawrence that hasn’t already been said? He came to Clemson having to be the guy who replaced the greatest QB in school history in Deshaun Watson, and not only did he live up to Watson’s legacy, but he may have surpassed it. He led the Tigers to the College Football Playoff in each of his seasons and won a national title in 2018. This season may have been his best yet. Lawrence set career highs in passing yards per game and passing efficiency. If he hadn’t been sidelined for two games (including Clemson’s first loss against Notre Dame) due to contracting COVID-19, he might have been the runaway Heisman favorite. Perhaps more important than any of his on-field accomplishments is what he did off the field. Lawrence was a vocal advocate of players’ rights both in the sport and social issues. He was also vocal in his support that the season be played when many wondered if it would be. Considering the personal risk involved to Lawrence due to his NFL future — he’s likely to be the No. 1 pick in the spring’s NFL Draft — his support was seen as a crucial moment in getting the season played.
Kyle Trask, QB, Florida (50-1): Trask is seen as a longshot to win the award among the finalists largely due to the way Florida finished the season. The Gators lost their final two games of the year (though voting was concluded before a Cotton Bowl loss), but that shouldn’t tarnish an incredible season from the Gators QB. Trask set school records for passing yards in a single season (4,283), passing touchdowns (43) and passer efficiency (180.02). Considering Florida has three Heisman-winning quarterbacks in its history, those feats are even more impressive. He was at his best during big games, too. In three regular-season clashes against top 10 teams in Texas A&M, Georgia and Alabama, Trask threw for 1,194 yards and 11 touchdowns with only one interception. Not bad for a guy who took over the starting job for the Gators last season after not starting a game since his freshman year of high school.
