Since Nick Saban took over college football fifteen years ago, Alabama football has drawn the ire of fans across the nation. Even fans of teams that have no direct rivalry, history, or affiliation with the Crimson Tide have grown to hate Alabama. This phenomenon is known as Bama fatigue. According to Alabama football fans, it has impacted everything from poll rankings to bowl placements to individual awards.
While Bama fatigue is a factor in any year, it will only be intensified within Heisman voters this year. Alabama football has seized the last two Heisman Trophies, as Devonta Smith won the award in 2020 and Bryce Young took it home in 2021. Knowledge of this will undoubtedly sway the committee, subconsciously if not knowingly, away from Alabama players in 2022.
To further complicate things, Young was only a sophomore last season and returns as the reigning Heisman winner. In the event that Young and Anderson Jr. are far and away the top two finalists, this could potentially work in Anderson Jr.’s favor. Some voters may be hesitant to elect a repeat winner. In all likelihood, however, Young’s return is yet another factor that hurts Anderson Jr.’s Heisman odds.
The rest of the college football world is sick of Alabama. Just two years ago, the richest and proudest program in college football boasted only two Heisman trophy winners in its illustrious history. It has quickly doubled that total, and it is only a matter of time before “Bama fatigue” seeps into the hearts and minds of Heisman voters.