To start speculating early, who should be the top candidates for the 2021 Heisman Trophy?

• 2019 Heisman Prospects
• Heisman Trophy Predictions 2019
• 2019 Heisman Standings
• 2019 Heisman Favorites

DeVonta Smith ended a three-decade drought for wide receivers when he won the Heisman Trophy in 2020. Smith was also just the third non-quarterback to win the honor since 2000. Another year wiser, the quarterback is slated to be the frontrunner for the Heisman trophy. Rattler will try and lead them to the promised land, an event that has eluded them since the days of the BCS. Sooners Wire takes a look at the schedule to provide a way-too-early game by game breakdown and prediction for the 2021 season. NFL expert picks, predictions for the NFL Playoff Conference Championships: Tampa Bay at Green Bay, Buffalo at Kansas City. next to the pick means the team will win, but not cover. NFL Playoffs Su.

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This piece was solid four years ago when the Baker Mayfield Would Win call connected, and three years ago it was full of right ideas, wrong applications, and a whole slew of whiffs.

Let’s just say the 2019 Early Top Ten Heisman Trophy Prediction piece had … issues. No one – NO ONE – saw Joe Burrow coming.

And no, no one had DeVonta Smith in mix for the 2020 Heisman. However, we at least had Trevor Lawrence, Kyle Trask, and random Alabama quarterback in last year’s preseason mix.

Predicting the 2021 Heisman race? Assume this is all typed in pencil.

More than ever, we don’t know what we don’t know.

2019 Heisman Prospects

1. Transfers, transfers, transfers. With this year’s free pass to transfer, don’t get comfortable in any way with your current starting quarterback or top running back. It’s going to be a crazy next several months.

2. Draft, draft, draft. There are still several key guys who might opt-out, get out, or just decided they want to preserve themselves for the NFL. It’s going to be a crazy next several months.

3. Seniors, seniors, seniors. It’s possible this year for some seniors to decide they don’t want to face the real world quite yet – and why would they? In the COVID season, everyone gets an extra year of eligibility if it’s wanted. It’s going to be a crazy next several months.

And finally …

4. The real world. We’re all assuming things will be better and 2021 will see a more normal type of football season. You want to bet the house on that? We can hope for something better, but …

It’s going to be a crazy next several months.

The goal is getting the early 2021 Heisman call close to the pin, so we start with this.

2021 Heisman Trophy Watch List: Names On A List As Fliers … Just In Case

Every name in this group seems like a crazy call that has no business working in the discussion of the 2021 Heisman Trophy. Call it the Joe Burrow and DeVonta Smith curveball list.

It’s in alphabetical order after beginning with …

The Field
It’s the wimp way out, but do you really want to pick the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner a year in advance? Take The Field – not Justin Fields – over everyone else, and you’re likely to be right. But that’s no fun, so we press on.

QB Matt Corral, Jr. Ole Miss
And here we go with the parade of SEC quarterbacks. The main difference between Corral and several others is 1) experience, 2) a team with a likely bad defense to 3) once again force him to put up massive numbers. He ran for over 500 yards and four scores, and hit 71% of his throws for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdowns.

QB Max Johnson, Soph. LSU
Or, just make this spot for Insert Starting LSU QB Here. Lost in all of the problems with the Tigers in 2020 was a passing game that really did work. It wasn’t 2019, but there was hope. Now the program has to settle in on a quarterback from way too many options – and maybe a top transfer. Johnson was the star of the Florida win and closed out with a 435-yard day against Ole Miss.

QB Emory Jones, Jr. Florida
Is he really going to take over the job with Kyle Trask done? He adds more of a rushing element to the mix, provided a bit of a spark in the Oklahoma debacle, and he’s got the skills to put up huge numbers if he’s the guy.

WR John Metchie, Jr. Alabama
No, but last year at this time if someone told you that DeVonta Smith was going to be in the Heisman equation …

Metchie averaged more yards per catch than Smith (17.8 to 15.6).

QB Bo Nix, Jr. Auburn
NO NO … DON’T LEAVE! This is a covering-the-bases listing with Nix going into his third year as a starter working under a new coaching staff. He won’t have the same NFL-caliber targets he had in 2020 when he threw 12 touchdown passes, and … sorry. Okay, carrying on.

QB Brock Purdy, Sr. Iowa State
It only seems like he’s been around for 15 years, but yeah, he’s a senior. Assuming he doesn’t turn pro early, he’s a terrific veteran who should be able to put up even better numbers as the expectations are reasonably higher now.

RB Bijan Robinson, Soph. Texas
The superstar recruit of last year led the team with over 700 yards and four scores – to go along with two receiving touchdowns – averaging over eight yards per carry. He closed out the season with 172 yards and three scores against Kansas State, and 183 yards and a score in the bowl win over Colorado – averaging close to 19 yards per carry in those two games. Now he’s Steve Sarkisian’s running back to work with.

RB Isaiah Spiller, Jr. Texas A&M
The raw numbers probably won’t be there, but he might get a long look in the race in a Great Player, Top Team sort of way. He only ran for 1,036 yards and nine scores, and there are more explosive players in the backfield, but he’s going to be the main man for the Aggie O.

2021 Heisman Candidates
– Top Ten 2021 Heisman Candidates
– Top Five 2021 Heisman Candidates

NEXT: Top Ten 2021 Early Heisman Candidates

The 2021 Oklahoma Sooners will be chasing the elusive first win in the College Football Playoffs. They finished just outside of the rankings prior to their selection to the Cotton Bowl Classic as part of the New Years Six bowl games. Can they return to Arlington, Texas, next season to take their shot at a national championship?

Heisman Trophy Predictions 2019

In 2020 the fanbase saw their team fall out of the top 25 after losses to Kansas State and Iowa State to begin the year in Big 12 play. They would rattle off eight-straight wins to climb into the top six by season’s end. It all started when redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler was given a reality check against the Texas Longhorns in the Red River Rivalry. Upon his return in the second half after a brief benching, Rattler led the Sooners to the 53-45 four-overtime victory to start the streak.

Another year wiser, the quarterback is slated to be the frontrunner for the Heisman trophy. Rattler will try and lead them to the promised land, an event that has eluded them since the days of the BCS. Sooners Wire takes a look at the schedule to provide a way-too-early game by game breakdown and prediction for the 2021 season.

Sept. 4: at Tulane Green Wave

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The first meeting between Oklahoma and Tulane since the Sooners 56-14 win in 2017. This time it will take place in Louisiana but just like their first-ever meeting they will be too much for the Green Wave.

2019 Heisman Standings

Prediction: Oklahoma 52-21

Sept. 11: Western Carolina Catamounts

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The first-ever meeting with the Oklahoma Sooners and FCS team Western Carolina. This should be treated more like a scrimmage with the starters being out relatively early.

Prediction: Oklahoma 56-3

Sept. 18: Nebraska Cornhuskers

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The final week of the nonconference schedule provides a rivalry renewed with Nebraska coming to Norman. These teams haven’t played since the Big 12 Championship in 2010. The Sooners own the all-time record 45-38-3. Oklahoma rolls in this game to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Prediction: Oklahoma 48-13

Sept. 25: West Virginia Mountaineers

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These two schools didn’t meet last season due to COVID-19 but the Sooners will open Big 12 play against the Mountaineers at home. Oklahoma has owned the series since they joined the conference with a perfect 8-0 record. The last loss game in the 2008 Fiest Bowl. Seems like every year Oklahoma drops a game they shouldn’t and this feels like that game.

Prediction: West Virginia 31-30

Oct. 2: at Kansas State Wildcats

(Bryan Terry/The Oklahoman)

The Kansas State Wildcats and head coach Chris Klieman have owned the Oklahoma Sooners the past couple of seasons. OU owns the all-time series 76-21-4. Given that the Sooners drop the previous games in this prediction, this is where the run begins. A more experience Spencer Rattler bounces back against KSU.

Prediction: Oklahoma 38-21

Oct. 9: Texas Longhorns (Red River Rivalry in Dallas, TX)

(AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)

When these two schools get together in Dallas, you can pretty much throw the record and rankings out the window. The Texas Longhorns will introduce a new coach and quarterback to one of the best rivalry games in all of college sports. Oklahoma hangs on late for the victory in this game.

Prediction: Oklahoma 45-38

Oct. 16: Texas Christian Horned Frogs

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The Texas Christian Horned Frogs are always a threat on the defensive side of the ball but are losing a good chunk of their key personnel. The youth and inexperience will show up as an explosive offense takes advantage, much like last season when Marvin Mims exploded at the second level.

Prediction: Oklahoma 41-14

Oct. 23: at Kansas Jayhawks

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This is very much a one-sided affair when these two schools get together. Oklahoma owns the all-time mark 78-27-6. The last time Kansas won the game it came in 1997. Given that the Jayhawks haven’t bested the Sooners in 20 years leads me to believe this isn’t the year. Oklahoma wins big.

Prediction: 56-20

Oct. 30: Texas Tech Red Raiders

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The Sooners look to extend their streak against Texas Tech to a perfect 10 games. In 2011 the Red Raiders were able to pull off the win in Norman. Since then Tech is 0-4 and their games have been close just once, 38-30 back in 2013. Can new transfer quarterback Tyler Shough do enough for the offense to compete? Not likely.

Prediction: Oklahoma 63-35

Nov. 13: at Baylor Bears

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Baylor was a team that played the Sooners close in Norman last season. Not due to their offense but Dave Aranda’s defense made it tough on the OU offense. Can he do the same and get a little more from his offense? With a new offense and new quarterback, it might take a year to two to catch up. Oklahoma wins a close one in Waco, Texas.

Prediction: Oklahoma 28-17

Nov. 20: Iowa State Cyclones

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This might be the toughest game on the schedule and it comes sandwiched between Baylor and Bedlam. The Iowa State Cyclones defeated Oklahoma last year in Ames, Iowa. Can they do it again? They have played them tight since 2017 and the Cyclones return most of their team from a year ago. Retribution is on the mind of the Sooners.

Prediction: Oklahoma 31-27

2019 Heisman Favorites

Nov. 27: at Oklahoma State Cowboys (Bedlam)

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The Bedlam series has been all Oklahoma as of late. The Cowboys haven’t beat the Sooners since 2014 in Norman. Their last win in Stillwater came in 2011, can they do it in 2021? No Tylan Wallace, no Chuba Hubbard. That makes it increasingly tough. Another big win coming for the Oklahoma Sooners in Bedlam.

Prediction: Oklahoma 45-27

Dec. 4: Big 12 Championship Game

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The Oklahoma Sooners have won six-straight Big 12 Championships so it is only fitting that they return. Seeking No. 7, it feels like a rematch of Oklahoma-Iowa State is on the table once again. Making it the first team to challenge Oklahoma in a consecutive season. Until someone actually beats the Sooners in this game, we will roll with them again.

Prediction: Oklahoma 27-21

Will they make the College Football Playoffs?

Brayden Conover- USA Today SoonersWire

The ultimate goal for the Oklahoma Sooners is to get back into the College Football Playoffs and win a semifinal matchup. Sooners Wire has Oklahoma finishing 12-1 on the season and that is good enough to be selected as a top-four team in the playoffs. If they can get over the snide remains to be seen.