Jayden Daniels Put Together One Of The Greatest Performances In SEC History Against Florida On Saturday Night
I understand that team success does matter regarding Heisman Trophy voting. In many ways, LSU has been a massive disappointment this season, but right now, I am still looking for a better player in college football than Jayden Daniels. In an absolutely ridiculous performance, Daniels shattered the LSU record with 646 total yards against Florida.
The Tigers needed every bit of it, as Florida hung around for a while. Daniels, by himself, accounted for 86% of LSU‘s total yards. To break a school yardage record at a school that had Joe Burrow putting up historically good numbers a few years ago is about as impressive as it gets. I have never seen a quarterback average 19.5 yards a carry in a football game.
It's been discussed a ton how USC's putrid defense has derailed their season and potentially cost Caleb Williams a second Heisman, but the same can probably be said about Jayden Daniels. The guy has lit it up all season, but those three L's will loom large by the time the Heisman vote comes around, as unfair as that may be.
It's not out of the realm of possibility that somebody on a three-loss team wins the Heisman Trophy. Tim Tebow did it in 2007. Lamar Jackson did it in 2016, but it's definitely an uphill battle because Michael Penix, who is probably still the favorite at this point, is currently on a 10-0 team. But if there was a night in which the tides would turn, tonight would be that night. He might not win the Heisman, but Daniels had a Heisman moment in Baton Rouge.