When a reporter asked Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon the day before the 2014 Heisman Trophy announcement if he had been working on an acceptance speech, he gave the questioner a bemused look.
Long before the three finalists had gotten to New York that year, it had been a foregone conclusion the iconic bronze trophy was going home with Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, not Gordon or Alabama receiver Amari Cooper.
And it did in what still rates as one of the largest landslides in the 83 Heisman Trophies given out to date. Mariota doubled up the runner-up Gordon’s point total, 2,534-1,250, and dominated in all six voting regions. Mariota received 90.92 percent of possible points that year, second best in history.
But it behooves Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray to have their speeches ready Saturday when the 2018 winner is announced, because the voting could be tighter than a Lexington Avenue subway car at rush hour.
A third quarterback finalist, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, need not bother.
Electronic balloting ended Monday morning, and the expectation is that when the official tabulator announces the totals Saturday it could be the closest race since the tight fit of 2009. As is policy, the Heisman Trophy Trust demands that voters keep their ballots confidential until the results are announced, and this year that adds to the drama.
In 2009, the voting turned out to be closest in history, with just 28 points separating the winner, Alabama running back Mark Ingram, and runner-up Toby Gerhart, a Stanford running back.
Five times in Heisman history, possession of the trophy has been decided by 62 points or fewer, which is pretty remarkable when you consider there are more than 900 voters. Each voter ranks the candidates one through three and points are awarded on that basis.
In mid-November it appeared that New York engravers could start brushing up on how to spell Tagovailoa because he had wide separation from a rapidly thinning group of pursuers.
Heading into Thanksgiving weekend, it was a two-man race, Tagovailoa and Murray. But the Saint Louis School graduate still enjoyed what gave the appearance of a comfortable if no longer commanding margin based upon the odds quoted in Las Vegas and straw polls among small samplings of voters.
That all changed Saturday as Tua, for the first time this season, struggled mightily. Meanwhile Murray feasted on the Texas defense.
Tua, who had been the nation’s passing efficiency leader, completed just 10 of 25 passes. Moreover he had a career-high two interceptions against just one touchdown pass before being taken off the field in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury requiring surgery.
Basically it was one forgettable game in what was still, thanks to Jalen Hurts, a 13-0 regular season for the Crimson Tide.
But when it comes to awarding the Heisman Trophy, which is supposed to represent the most outstanding college football player, last impressions can be huge for voters — especially ones conditioned to expect near perfection on a weekly basis from the sophomore star after the national championship game.
Murray, a redshirt junior, has captured people’s imaginations not only with his play, but also following in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Baker Mayfield. Then there is novelty of being bound for pro baseball next year after accepting a $4.66 million check from the Oakland A’s.
Come Saturday evening, both of them might want to have a speech ready.
TIGHT TROPHY FINISHES
(Closest Heisman races)
POS. WINNER, SCHOOL RUNNER-UP, SCHOOL YEAR MARGIN
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama Toby Gerhart, Stanford 2009 28 points
2. Bo Jackson, Auburn Chuck Long, Iowa 1985 45
3. Ernie Davis, Syracuse Bob Ferguson, Ohio State 1961 53
4. John Lattner, Notre Dame Paul Giel, Minnesota 1953 56
5. Eric Crouch, Nebraska Rex Grossman, Florida 2001 62
Source: Heisman Almanac.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
