Expert Analysis: ‘Johnny Football’ a legit Heisman candidate

Mike Huguenin is the epitome of a Gamedayr. He has spent over 28 years in sports journalism, with notable stints at Yahoo! Sports/Rivals.com, NY Times, The Sporting News, and Orlando Sentinel.  On Gamedayr, Mike provides expert analysis on Heisman updates, weekly game news, bowl projections and college basketball.

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He might be just a redshirt freshman, but “Johnny Football” now is a real contender for the Heisman Trophy.

Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel had a bravura performance in the Aggies’ shocking upset of Alabama, passing for 253 yards and two TDs and rushing for 92 yards. Manziel leads the SEC in rushing and is second nationally in total offense; he has accounted for at least two touchdowns in every Aggies games except two – and those were A&M’s two losses, to Florida and LSU.

Johnny Manziel had a huge performance in Texas A&M’s upset of Alabama and now must be considered one of the top two Heisman candidates. (John David Mercer-US PRESSWIRE)

Manziel has guided A&M to an 8-2 mark, and given that the Aggies’ two remaining games are against FCS member Sam Houston State (one of the best FCS programs in the nation) and mediocre Missouri, a 10-2 record beckons. It would be the first time since 1998 that the Aggies won double-digit games. Worth remembering is that no freshman has won the Heisman, and the best finish was second in 2004 by Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson.

[Related: Heisman Trophy Watch List from a fan's perspective, Week 12]

The Heisman frontrunner remains Kansas State senior QB Collin Klein, who is the key player on the No. 1 team in this week’s BCS standings.

Here is our second weekly look at the top three candidates for some key postseason awards:

Heisman (most outstanding player)
1. QB Collin Klein, Kansas State
2. QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
3. LB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame

Butkus (most outstanding LB)
1. Manti Te’o, Notre Dame
2. Jarvis Jones, Georgia
3. Trent Murphy, Stanford

Thorpe (most outstanding DB)
1. FS Eric Reid, LSU
2. CB Dee Milliner, Alabama
3. SS Matt Elam, Florida

Biletnikoff (most outstanding WR)
1. Marqise Lee, USC
2. DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson
3. Stedman Bailey, West Virginia

Doak Walker (best running back)
1. Kenjon Barner, Oregon
2. Gio Bernard, North Carolina
3. Montee Ball, Wisconsin

Mackey (top tight end)
1. Austin Sefarian-Jenkins, Washington
2. Zach Ertz, Stanford
3. Chris Coyle, Arizona State

Davey O’Brien (top quarterback)
1. Collin Klein, Kansas State
2. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
3. Braxton Miller, Ohio State

Lou Groza (top kicker)
1. Cairo Santos, Tulane
2. Dustin Hopkins, Florida State
3. Steven Schott, Ball State

Ray Guy (top punter)
1. Ryan Allen, Louisiana Tech
2. Quinn Sharp, Oklahoma State
3. Riley Stephenson, BYU

More from Mike >> College football bowl projections, fourth edition

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