Dak Dillon-US PRESSWIRE
It took long enough, but Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback AJ McCarron is starting to generate Heisman Trophy buzz from the pundits in the national media. We wrote about McCarron’s Heisman hopes a month ago, and it looks like what we thought back then is starting to come to fruition.
Thanks in part to the likes of West Virginia’s Geno Smith and USC’s Matt Barkley having their Heisman hopes derailed with losses and somewhat lackluster play, Alabama’s AJ McCarron has jumped into the thick of the Heisman Trophy race after seven games.
ESPN.com’s Heisman poll had McCarron 4th behind Kansas State’s Collin Klein, Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o, and Oregon’s Kenjon Barner. CBS’ Heisman poll this week ranked McCarron third behind only Klein and Te’o.
Alabama’s junior quarterback has been remarkable so far this year and is on pace to rewrite the Crimson Tide’s single season passing record book. With five (and possibly six if Alabama makes it to the SEC Championship Game) left to impress the pollsters, McCarron has a chance to break Greg McElroy’s single season records of passing yards (2,987 yards) and touchdowns (20).
Currently, McCarron’s stats are as follows:
183.6 QB Rating 68.8 CMP% 1476 Yards 16 Touchdowns 0 Interceptions
McCarron’s numbers aren’t eye-popping, other than the fact that his QB Rating of 183.6 makes him the most efficient passer in college football. Collin Klein is second at 175.8.
His 1476 passing yards ranks just 61st in the nation. He has thrown for more yards than Heisman front-runner Collin Klein, but he doesn’t have the rushing statistics to match up with the Kansas State QB.
McCarron is tied for 12th in the country with 16 touchdown passes. He is one of two quarterbacks in the country who hasn’t thrown an interception, joined by Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron.
After his 17/22 for 306 yards and 4 touchdown passing day against Tennessee, McCarron got the attention of the national media.
Through seven games, McCarron has faced four Top-40 passing defenses including the 4th-ranked pass defense in the season opener against Michigan in Dallas.
McCarron had a semi-Heisman moment with his performance against the Volunteers, but his greatest tests are in front of him, and he has a real opportunity to make a statement and climb in the Heisman race over the next three weeks as the Crimson Tide enter their three-game gauntlet that will decide the season.
Alabama hosts undefeated and 11th-ranked Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa on Saturday. The Bulldogs boast one of the best secondaries in the nation, led by arguably the best cornerback in the nation, Johnthan Banks. Banks leads a Mississippi State secondary that has picked off 12 passes this season, which ranks 9th in the country.
After Saturday’s tilt with the Bullies, McCarron leads the Crimson Tide into hostile Death Valley for a date with LSU. The Tigers have one of the toughest defenses in college football and rank 5th in the country against the pass.
Alabama then comes back to Tuscaloosa for a date with Texas A&M, which will pit McCarron head-to-head with Aggies freshman phenom Johnny Football.
If Alabama wins out and makes it to Atlanta, McCarron’s Heisman hopes could officially come down to how he performs in a potential matchup with Florida in the Georgia Dome. The Gators currently boast the 7th-ranked defense in college football.
Of course, that is getting way ahead of ourselves. The next two weeks will tell the tale for the junior signal caller against Mississippi State and LSU. If McCarron leads Alabama to wins over both and puts together strong performances, then he could see his Heisman stock skyrocket even further.
His ascension up the Heisman board has been impressive to watch, and he has emerged as a serious candidate to bring Alabama its second Heisman Trophy. For that to become a reality, McCarron is going to need big performances over the next few weeks while Alabama remains undefeated.
It’s going to be a tall task for McCarron to win the Heisman, but his odds sure look better now than they did a month ago.
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