Thanksgiving week means the last regular season week of the season. Additionally, it’s one last week to impress before the Championship games begin next week. With the games meaning more than ever so does the national stage. With many of our competitors having that stage over the next three days, how will it shake out? Before we get into the top half, let’s take a look at all of the contenders in our 2021 week 12 Heisman rankings.
We had not one, but two standout Heisman moments with Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud combining to throw for just shy of 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. Is it becoming a two-horse race? Can Kenny Pickett, Matt Corral, and Kenneth Walker III do enough to make it a bigger race? How much impact with “The Game” and the “Iron Bowl” have in this race? With that being said, let’s take a look as we unveil our 2021 week 12 Heisman rankings.
As a reminder to our mobile readers to turn your devices for a better reading view.
Note: Ties were broken alphabetically by player’s last name
Top Five Candidates
1. Bryce Young
QB | Alabama Next Game: 11/27 at Auburn
Even with other players around him having a Heisman moment, Young delivered one of his own. Young threw for a career-high 559 yards and five touchdowns against Arkansas on Saturday. It turns out, the Tide needed every bit of it as they won 42-35 over the Razorbacks. Young is the leader in the clubhouse, but the margin is very thin. With the Iron Bowl on Saturday and his toughest matchup of the year against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, this will likely go down to the wire.
2021 SEASON |
PASSING |
YDS |
TD |
INT |
CMP% |
RATING |
3,025 |
33 |
3 |
70.9 |
180.1 |
|
|
RUSHING |
YDS |
TD |
YPC |
25 |
2 |
0.5 |
|
2. C.J. Stroud
QB | Ohio State Next Game: 11/27 at Michigan
Stroud had his biggest Heisman moment in a 432 yard and six-touchdown performance in just a little over a half against Michigan State on Saturday. That was enough to vault him up to number two and narrowly behind Young. Stroud has been incredible over the last two weeks throwing for nearly 800 yards and 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. The stage gets no bigger this week as the season and the Heisman chances hang in the balance in Ann Arbor.
2021 SEASON |
PASSING |
YDS |
TD |
INT |
CMP% |
RATING |
3,468 |
36 |
5 |
71.1 |
186.7 |
|
|
RUSHING |
YDS |
TD |
YPC |
0 |
0 |
0.0 |
|
3. Kenny Pickett
QB | Pittsburgh Next Game: 11/20 at Syracuse
Another 300-yard, four-touchdown performance from Pickett gets him up to third in this week’s rankings. The two interceptions did not cost him as the Panthers have guaranteed themselves a spot in next weekend’s ACC Championship Game. He should be able to pad his stats against an average Syracuse team this week. However, he might need a championship game against Clemson to get enough eyeballs for him to win the award.
2021 SEASON |
PASSING |
YDS |
TD |
INT |
CMP% |
RATING |
3,857 |
36 |
6 |
67.1 |
168.3 |
|
|
RUSHING |
YDS |
TD |
YPC |
217 |
4 |
2.5 |
|
4. Kenneth Walker III
RB | Michigan State Next Game: 11/20 vs Penn State
Saturday was a crushing performance for Walker and the Spartans. Michigan State didn’t need to win, but Walker needed to carry the Spartans in a great statistical game. However, his six carries for 25 yards all but ended his Heisman campaign. Walker has a season finale at home against Penn State. But, that game has lost a little bit of its luster nationally. Walker still should get an invite to New York, but his ability to win the award took a dramatic hit.
2021 SEASON |
RUSHING |
ATT |
YARDS |
AVG |
TD |
G |
233 |
1,498 |
6.4 |
17 |
11 |
|
|
RECEIVING |
YARDS |
AVG |
TD |
89 |
6.8 |
1 |
|
5. Matt Corral
QB | Ole Miss Next Game: 11/25 at Mississippi State
Even with the sleepwalking 14-point win over Vanderbilt, Corral still had a strong game. He had 326 yards passing with two touchdowns and one interception in the game. The concern for Corral is that his statistics aren’t on the same level as Young, Stroud, and Pickett. With just one game remaining in the regular season, Corral will need to have a super-human performance in the Egg Bowl to remain in serious consideration for the award this year.
2021 SEASON |
PASSING |
YDS |
TD |
INT |
CMP% |
RATING |
3,100 |
19 |
3 |
67.5 |
159.5 |
|
|
RUSHING |
YDS |
TD |
YPC |
552 |
10 |
4.2 |
|
[pickup_prop id=”15681″]