Heisman Hot Board after Week 13: Bryce Young heads the lists

This week’s Heisman picks are in. Alabama quarterback Bryce Young remains the leader on the Heisman lists for On3 college football writers Matt Zenitz and Charles Power.

Matt Zenitz’s Heisman list

QB Bryce Young, Alabama
Young led a 97-yard game-tying drive in the final minute at Auburn that will live forever in Iron Bowl lore. A performance like that in a rivalry game matters to Heisman voters — and he gets another chance to make a big impression this week against Georgia in the SEC title game. The Tide has won six in a row, and in those games, Young has thrown for 2,167 yards, 22 TDs and one interception.

RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
A week after a disappointing performance in a big loss to Ohio State, Walker rebounded with a big day against a high-level Penn State defense in a win; he rushed for 138 yards and a TD, and leads all Power 5 player by averaging 136.3 yards per game.

QB Kenny Pickett, Pitt
Pickett and the Panthers will play Wake Forest on Saturday in the ACC title game. He threw four TD passes in a victory over Syracuse to close out the regular season and passed Dan Marino for the single-season record for TD passes at Pitt; he has 40, which is tied for the most nationally with Young for most by a Power 5 player.

OLB Will Anderson Jr., Alabama
Anderson had seven tackles and three tackle for loss, including a sack, in the Tide’s Iron Bowl win over Auburn. He leads the nation with 14.5 sacks and 29.5 tackles for loss.

DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
Hutchinson wreaked havoc against Ohio State’s touted offensive line, finishing with three sacks in the Wolverines’ cathartic win. He has a Michigan single-season record of 13 sacks, which leads the Big Ten and is second-most nationally (behind Anderson) among Power 5 players.

Charles Power’s Heisman list

QB Bryce Young, Alabama
Young didn’t have his best day statistically, but was able to lead the Tide to a wild come-from-behind four-overtime win in the Iron Bowl. He led a 12-play, 97-yard drive to tie the game with under 30 seconds remaining in regulation. Young made some of his patented second-reaction plays in converting two third downs and a fourth down on the drive. The biggest play of regulation came at the end of the drive, when Young hit true freshman receiver Ja’Corey Brooks down the right sideline on a beautiful throw. Young and Alabama face their biggest test of the season this week against No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.

1:35 left.
12 plays.
97 yards.

Bryce Young. The Drive. @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/iaTP8ruZB6

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) November 29, 2021

OLB Will Anderson, Alabama
Anderson had three tackles for loss and a sack in the Iron Bowl, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the fifth time this season. His production this season is as good as you’ll ever see from a college player at his position. Anderson leads the nation in sacks (14.5) and tackles for loss (29.5), and is close to breaking the NCAA’s single-season tackles for loss record (32 by USF’s George Selvie in 2007). It’s not often that a defensive player puts up stats that should have him seriously considered for the Heisman; Anderson is certainly worthy and even more so when you factor in the eye test. He constantly impacts the game. This week, Nick Saban told the media, “He’s done as much for our team as anybody ever has.” Whether Anderson wins the Heisman or is even invited to New York, there’s no question he is on the short list of college football’s best players.

DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
Hutchinson’s dream senior season hit a new peak Saturday. He had a flat-out dominant performance against Ohio State, with three sacks and a mind-boggling 15 pressures in the 42-27 win. Hutchinson and Wolverines OLB David Ojabo lived in the Ohio State backfield and controlled the line of scrimmage. The performance in such a huge spot is a culmination of a fantastic season for Hutchinson. He broke the Michigan single-season sack record with 13, and seemingly has played himself into a top-five NFL draft pick and could push for the top selection in a few months.

Aidan Hutchinson was a disruption machine against Ohio State

He's had a ton of *great* weeks all season, but this was the one that you build the draft night highlight package from pic.twitter.com/utaDMV8SYM

— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) November 29, 2021

QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Stroud and Ohio State find themselves outside the College Football Playoff mix with the loss to Michigan. He played well in the loss, particularly considering the pressure he faced and the lack of a run game. Stroud was 34-of-49 for 398 yards and two touchdowns. The Buckeyes’ passing attack was the team’s most effective aspect of the day. While Stroud isn’t in action this weekend, his total season was strong and looks to be worth of an invitation to New York. His raw passing stats are slightly behind Young’s, despite missing a game earlier in the season. Stroud still leads the nation in QBR and is third in passer rating.

RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
The fifth spot is up for grabs between Walker, Pitt QB Kenny Pickett and maybe a few others. Walker holds the final spot for now with Pickett having a chance to move in with a strong showing against Wake Forest in the ACC Championship Game. Walker capped off his breakout season by rushing for 138 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries against Penn State. He finishes the regular season second nationally in rushing with 1,636 yards in addition to 18 rushing TDs. He was the driving force in Michigan State’s 10-2 season.