As we enter Week 15 of the 2013 college football season, the Heisman Trophy candidates are still looking to prove themselves to the committee members who vote for the game’s most prestigious honor on December 14 in New York. This is a race that has seen players rise and fall throughout the entire season, and while one does appear to have a sizable lead – at least on paper – concerns over his character as well as possible criminal charges could hinder his ability to cement himself as the favorite. On the flip side, the voters could elect to go with a player from a much smaller school who has made a little history while cementing his name along with the likes of three other players who came before him and won the Heisman. Due to outside factors, this will not be an easy vote. In a way, I am thankful that I do not have a vote, as I am still unsure which way I would go with the ceremony less than two weeks away, with only one final weekend of games to go before a winner is announced.
- My views are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Discover Products Inc. and its affiliates.
Speaking of being thankful, the latest results of the Discover Fan Loyalty Poll are in, and college football fans – to no great surprise – are thankful for great food and fantastic football. The order on that may vary depending on which fan you ask. With so many critical games on tap that will decide the champions of the major college football conferences this weekend, some fans will be more thankful than others when it comes to their favorite teams, while others will be seeking the comfort of their favorite foods once they find out that their team is not going to a BCS Bowl Game. Some already discovered that over Thanksgiving weekend during all of the intense rivalry games. Although, my top two choices for this year’s Heisman both play for teams who will head to a BCS Bowl Game with one more win this weekend.
Before breaking down the 2013 Heisman Trophy candidates, take a look at the complete results from the latest Discover Fan Loyalty Poll. The Week five poll asked college football fans whether or not they would give up their seat at the dinner table this past Thursday in exchange for free tickets at the 50-yard-line to watch their favorite team play. Overall, 42 percent of the fans surveyed said that they would rather pass on turkey than pass the pie around the table, opting to accept the free tickets to watch their favorite team play. While that number is high, the majority – at 55 percent – said that they agree with the sentiment that home is where the heart is, and that even free tickets at midfield to watch their favorite college football team play would not be enough to get them to skip Thanksgiving dinner with their family.
It seems that while turkey and football go together, just don’t make fans choose one over the other. The majority will try to find a way to thoroughly enjoy the best of both worlds! After all, I know that I would! But, if push came to shove a few days ago, which event would you have selected? Free football tickets or food with the family?I have to admit that had I known ahead of time about some of the fantastic finishes from this past weekend, especially if any of Saturday’s games had been played on Thanksgiving, I may have been tempted to take the tickets and pass on the pumpkin pie!
When breaking the data down by conference, fans of an SEC or American Athletic Conference team were most likely to take the free tickets, at 46 percent, which is three percentage points higher than the average fan. On the flip side, fans of Pac-12 teams said that they would not skip the traditional Thanksgiving Day festivities, as 60 percent would pass up the tickets in favor of spending the day with family. This past Thanksgiving, only fans of four teams would have had to have made that decision, as the only two college football games played this past Thursday featured the Mississippi State Bulldogs pulling off an overtime upset against the Ole Miss Rebels to win the Egg Bowl, and the Texas Longhorns knocking off the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Both of these games did have bowl implications, but neither will have any ramifications on any of the five BCS Bowl Games.
* Discover Products Inc. sent me a Gift Card for participating as a Blogger in the Discover Fan Loyalty Poll program
What about when it came to the dinner menu on Thanksgiving? This is obviously more of a personal preference, with many people having such different tastes. In the longstanding debate over which Thanksgiving dinner staple people cannot live without, college football fans weighed in and it was discovered that turkey sits squarely on top, proving that the debate may not be as close as some may feel. Turkey took the top billing with 48 percent, followed by stuffing at 20 percent, pie at 9 percent, mashed potatoes at 7 percent and cranberry sauce at 2 percent. Surprisingly, 12 percent said that another item of food is No. 1 in their hearts. While stuffing and pie were once again the top two must-haves on my Thanksgiving dinner plate, I would love to know what of the rest of you would say – especially the 12 percent who did not choose any of the top five food items as their No. 1 choice. Once again, feel free to weigh in with your own responses below.
When it comes to this season’s Heisman Trophy watch, the top two players in my opinion who will likely receive the most votes are a pair of quarterbacks, although outside of the position they play, they could not be more different. The first, and favorite, although his current possible criminal charges are not withstanding, is Jameis Winston of the Florida State Seminoles. While leading the ‘Noles to their first undefeated regular season since 1999, Winston is looking to get FSU one more win and a likely berth in the BCS Championship Game. While he has not faced the most difficult schedule, he has won every game while throwing for nearly 3,500 yards and 35 touchdowns. Winston has rushed for three more touchdowns while throwing eight interceptions. Had it not been for the possible charges he faces, along with a few other off-the-field character concerns, Winston would have likely been a slam-dunk selection. Depending on what happens in the Week 15 conference championship games, as well as how the voters feel, he still might be. Then again, do you want to vote for a player who could be stripped of the award before this season’s BCS Championship Game is even played?
If the answer is no, then might I suggest voting for Northern Illinois Huskies quarterback Jordan Lynch? Like Winston, Lynch has led his team to an undefeated season. Unlike Winston, Lynch still needs one more win to even have his team considered to play in a BCS Bowl Game, let alone for the national championship. If Lynch can continue his torrid pace and lead NIU past the Bowling Green Falcons on Friday night, he deserves plenty of consideration. Lynch became the fifth player in FBS history to throw for 20 touchdowns and run for another 20 in the same season. Three of the other players – Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton and Tim Tebow – won the Heisman Trophy in the year they accomplished that impressive feat. If Winston falters on Saturday night in the ACC Championship Game against the Duke Blue Devils, or if charges appear to be imminent, and Lynch can lead the Huskies to a MAC Championship victory and a spot in a BCS Bowl Game, it would be extremely difficult to overlook what he has done this season.
Outside of Winston and Lynch, losses and/or injuries have derailed the chances for players such as A.J. McCarron of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Andre Williams of the Boston College Eagles and Bryce Petty of the Baylor Bears. Aside from Petty, the other two players will not get another chance to redeem themselves, as their regular seasons have concluded. Petty gets one more shot against the Texas Longhorns on Saturday afternoon.
With only the conference championship games (as well as a few Big 12 contests) remaining for the Heisman candidates to prove themselves to the voters, which player should win the top college football honor bestowed? Weigh in with your selection below!
Make sure that you stay tuned to Boston Super Blog for all of the latest polls and results from the Discover Fan Loyalty Poll. We have got you covered throughout the remainder of the 2013 college football season, leading all the way up to the BCS Championship Game! Make sure to Like Discover on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!
The Discover Fan Loyalty Poll is conducted twice a month by Rasmussen Reports, a nationally recognized leader in polling, who gathers sentiment by phone from 1500 college football fans who follow games at least once per week on television, radio, in person or online. The Poll leads up to the 2014 Discover Orange Bowl. Discover’s commitment to college football includes relationships with ESPN and Notre Dame Football on NBC.
About Discover
Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS) is a direct banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company issues the Discover card, America’s cash rewards pioneer, and offers home loans, private student loans, personal loans, home equity loans, checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts through its direct banking business. It operates the Discover Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE, one of the nation’s leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discover.com/company.
