Heisman Trophy watch: Week 10

To put it nicely, this is dark horse week for Yardbarker’s Heisman watchlist. To put it meanly, these players don’t really have a chance to be among the last three sitting in New York in December. But hey, all of the favorites were enjoying bye weeks, so others were going to step up.

Some of these names were preseason favorites who had slow starts to the season and are now heating up. Others are low-key players who got exposure while the brightest stars were at home.

Here are five players who took advantage of that opportunity and gave the voters something to think about.

Trevor Lawrence, Clemson

Clemson has had a rough season by its standards. The Tigers have dropped three spots in the AP Poll despite being undefeated. However, against lowly Wofford, it looked like the team hit its stride, and Trevor Lawrence is now looking like the Heisman Candidate he was advertised to be at the beginning of the season.

The long-locked quarterback made quick work of the Terrier defense, throwing for three touchdowns and 218 passing yards. He also added a score on the ground, bringing his total to 26 total touchdowns for the season. In the last four games, Lawrence has 14 scores to his name, as he heats up for the final stretch of the season.

Lawrence hasn’t had the best season, but he might make the final three in December if he continues his hot play. Sometimes name recognition and strong finish can erase a lot of mediocre play.

Jake Fromm, Georgia

At times this season, Georgia’s QB1 has been living in the shadow of a player who’s no longer on campus. It’s been hard seeing Justin Field’s success at Ohio State and not look down at Jake Fromm’s uneven play. Still, he has led the Bulldogs to a one-loss season with a tough schedule and beat a No. 6 ranked Florida team with moxie and impressive throws.

The junior quarterback threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns against one of the stronger defenses in the SEC. He was an assassin on third down, helping the Bulldogs on 12 of their 18 third downs.

Fromm has been overlooked by many, but a hot hand at the end of the season against tough opponents might help him vault near the top of the Heisman race. If Georgia is able to secure the SEC championship, we may see him in New York next month.

Justin Herbert, Oregon

Say what you will about the Pac-12, but don’t deny Oregon and its dominance this season. The Ducks have climbed up the AP Poll to No. 7 and are Playoff contenders after a blowout win against USC. It looks like Justin Herbert’s fifth year on campus is paying dividends for everyone in Eugene.

On the road, Herbert brought the Los Angeles Coliseum to its knees, carving up USC for 225 passing yards and three touchdowns. Herbert has been sneakily elite on the national stage, currently level with Fields in passing touchdowns and at 13^th in the country in passer efficiency rating, just below Anthony Gordon and Lawrence.

Herbert might not have eye-popping numbers, but a top-10 finish in the AP Poll could mean a lot of national recognition for his talent. If he can have a late-season push with elite numbers, he could be in the Heisman race sooner rather than later.

Travis Etienne, Clemson

Clemson’s explosive running back started the year with a bang against Georgia Tech with 205 yards but followed that with some uneven performances. However, he has gained a lot of momentum lately and saved his best play for the home stretch of the regular season.

Etienne made the most of his touches, running for 212 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries against Wofford. He’s rumbled to 640 yards on the ground his last four matchups, and he notched his fourth straight 100-plus yard performance.

Lawrence continues to be the leader of the Tigers, but Etienne is higher in the national rankings at his respective position, leading the country in rushing yards per attempt and is fourth in rushing yards and yards from scrimmage. Don’t be surprised if he ends up being higher on more people’s Heisman lists.

AJ Dillon, Boston College

If you’re talking about ACC football and it’s not Clemson, there really isn’t much to write home about. However, at the oft-forgotten school in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, AJ Dillon is keeping up with the best backs in the nation without any of the recognition.

The junior ball carrier is having a career year, rushing for 1,286 yards which is good for second in the entire country. Some 242 of those yards came against Syracuse this week where he averaged 6.9 yards per carry. He also scored three touchdowns, bringing his rushing score count to 13 — sixth highest in the nation and two more than fellow ACC running back Etienne.

Dillon may not have name recognition, but his numbers should speak for themselves. If he keeps piling up the yards and touchdowns, people won’t be able to ignore him.