COLUMBUS – Odds are someone from Ohio is going to win the Heisman Trophy since three of the four finalists have some connection to the Buckeye State.
Ohio State teammates quarterback Justin Fields and defensive end Chase Young were named finalists Monday by New York’s Downtown Athletic Club, joining LSU quarterback and former Buckeye Joe Burrow and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Ohio State is only the fifth school to have multiple Heisman Trophy finalists in the same year since 1982.
Fields, the Big Ten’s offensive player and quarterback of the year, accounted for 50 total touchdowns with a 40-to-1 touchdown pass-to-interception ratio.
Young won the Bronko Nagurski Award given to the nation’s top college defensive player on Monday. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Young recorded 16 1/2 sacks and forced six fumbles in just 10 games for the undefeated Buckeyes. His best game came against then-No. 13 Wisconsin when he had four sacks and two forced fumbles in a 38-7 Ohio State victory.
Burrow, who graduated from Athens High School and transferred from Ohio State to LSU two years ago, is the clear front-runner to win the Heisman on Saturday night in New York City after a record-breaking season.
The senior has led the Tigers to the top seed in the College Football Playoff. Burrow would be LSU’s second Heisman winner and first since running back Billy Cannon in 1959.
All three quarterbacks who are finalists this season started their careers at different schools and transferred.