Justin Fields, Chase Young selected as Heisman Trophy finalists

On Monday evening, the Heisman Trust announced the 2019 finalists for their award. The group that will be traveling to New York City for the award’s ceremony on Saturday, Dec. 14 will be LSU Tigers’ quarterback Joe Burrow, Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields and defensive end Chase Young, and Oklahoma Sooners’ quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Since 1982 when the Heisman started inviting finalists to New York, Ohio State has had FIVE finalists, which is tied with Florida for fourth most. This year’s finalists also mean that the SEC and Big Ten are now tied for the most finalists at 31. Dwayne Haskins was a finalist for the award last season, and Troy Smith was OSU’s last Heisman winner in 2006.

Fields finished the Big Ten Championship game with an astounding 40 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio, while passing Drew Brees for the second most touchdown passes in single-season Big Ten history. His 50 total TDs accounted for are just seven behind the conference record of 57 that Haskins set in 2018.

Despite not registering a sack in the last two games and sitting out against Rutgers and Maryland, Young led the country with 16.5 sacks and was fourth in tackles for loss (21). The former set a new OSU single-season record, surpassing Vernon Gholston’s 14 in 2007, and the latter is tied for fourth in a single season, just five behind Mike Vrabel’s record from 1995.

Coming off of a season in which he ran for 1,053 yards, but still considered it a disappointment, Dobbins became the second leading rusher in Ohio State history behind only Archie Griffen, and his 1,829 yards are just 49 yards behind Ezekiel Elliott’s 2014 total for second-best single-season total, and 98 yards behind Eddie George’s 1995 record. Dobbins also has 20 rushing touchdowns on the season, just three behind the national lead, despite sitting out most fourth (and some third) quarters.

In his second year at LSU, Burrow has rejuvenated the Tigers’ offense and led them to the No. 1 seed on the College Football playoff. He has thrown for 4,715 yards and 48 touchdowns so far this season.

The Heisman Trophy will be handed out (to Burrow) on Saturday night in a ceremony beginning at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.