Heisman Trophy 2017: When And Where To Watch Tonight, Finalist Predictions

The Heisman Trophy presentation for the most outstanding player in college football is tonight, and like most years, there is very little uncertainty about who will win. Of the three finalists, only one of them will play in a postseason game with any consequence and he, for better and for worse, dominated the discourse around college football for much of the 2017 season.

The ceremony is at the PlayStation Theater in New York City, starting at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield put up eye-popping numbers as he guided his team to the College Football Playoff this season, passing for 4,340 yards, 41 touchdowns and five interceptions. He is, by a wide margin, the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this year, as his dynamic play-making abilities helped Oklahoma beat quality opponents like Ohio State and TCU in highly televised games.

He is also a bit of a controversial figure, to put it lightly. He was arrested for public intoxication and resisting arrest back in February, but his antics on the field generated even more attention this season. In what was widely seen as disrespectful, he planted an OU flag in the middle of the field after a shocking road win against Ohio State early in the season. Then, in a late-season thrashing of Kansas, he was caught by cameras grabbing his unmentionables and mouthing obscenities towards the Kansas sideline.

While some find Mayfield objectionable, others find him inspiring. His story is an odd one, as he became the first true freshman walk-on (meaning he did not have a scholarship) to start the season at quarterback for a major school, Texas Tech, back in 2013. He left TTU and transferred to Oklahoma after that season where he, once again, walked on without a scholarship. He eventually won the starting job for the Sooners and the rest is history.

Behind Mayfield are two players who had incredible seasons in their own right, but are unlikely to get very many first-place votes ahead of Mayfield. Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson, who won the Heisman a year ago, had another incredible season in 2017. He was a more efficient passer than last year while still being nearly unstoppable as a runner. However, Heisman voters are hesitant to give someone the award twice, and Louisville’s season was not one to write home about. The Cardinals had a brutal stretch in which they lost games to perceived lesser opponents like Wake Forest and Boston College.

Finally, Stanford Cardinal running back Bryce Love ran for almost 2,000 yards on only 237 attempts, all with an ankle injury. As Bleacher Report mentioned, Love had a run of 50 yards or longer in every game this season except one. He was the ultimate big play threat in the PAC-12 conference, as Stanford made it all the way to the conference championship game, losing to USC. Stanford was not a playoff contender for most of the season, and fans on the east coast may not have stayed up late enough to watch some of Stanford’s games, but Love had a season for the ages.

The final order is expected to be Mayfield, then Jackson and then Love. You can watch Mayfield play against SEC champion Georgia in the first round of the playoffs. Jackson, on the other hand, will face Mississippi State in the TaxSlayer Bowl. Last but not least, you can see Bryce Love attempt to carry his Cardinal to victory in the Alamo Bowl against TCU.