How the Heisman trophy will be viewed for years to come will be announced on Saturday. The four finalists are Julian Sayin (Quarterback, Ohio State), Fernando Mendoza (Quarterback, Indiana), Diego Pavia (Quarterback, Vanderbilt), and Jeremiyah Love (Running Back, Notre Dame). From my view, there is a very discernible split between the four candidates. Julian Sayin and Fernando Mendoza are different candidates from Diego Pavia and Jeremiyah Love. The two BIG 10 quarterbacks are very valuable to their teams and their success, but I would not describe what they have done as outstanding. Which brings me to…
This definition comes directly from the Heisman website.
The Trophy remains a national symbol of collegiate football experience, prowess, and competitiveness, awarded annually to an athlete designated as the Outstanding College Football Player in the United States
Why Mendoza and Sayin do not fit the criteria
I make my case against them based on the word outstanding. I must preface the argument by saying that they are great players, and this does not diminish them or what they have accomplished this year.
What I do think is that Mendoza has had the benefit of being on the best team in the BIG 10 with the best coaching staff in the BIG 10. When you pair that with a top 5 rushing attack in the country (yes, I am aware that Mendoza was a part of that). I don’t find what he has done this year to be outstanding. Very good? Absolutely. When I watch Mendoza, it doesn’t feel like he does outstanding things; it just looks like a well-coached quarterback who is in control of an offense. I know people will talk about the throw and catch that it led to when Indiana played at Penn State. It was a good throw, but also the one that kids are taught to throw. Throw it at the crossbar so only your guy can get it. That is how it is taught.
It is a similar case for Sayin, but I have a stronger one against him. In the two games against top competition, Sayin has been ok at best. Against Texas week 1, he had 126 yards passing and 1 touchdown. Against Indiana last week, he had 258 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. He was good against Washington and Michigan, but again not outstanding. He has not put up a stat line or made a throw against a team that isn’t Rutgers or Purdue that made me think this guy deserves the Heisman.
Again, these guys are good football players and important to their team’s success, but not irreplaceable. Nor do they make plays every Saturday that wow me. If you don’t believe me, Kurtis Rourke threw for more yards on fewer completions last year at Indiana and didn’t even sniff New York. The same goes for Will Howard at Ohio State. He had similar numbers to Sayin but no invite to New York.
Why it should be Pavia or Love
Because they have done some outstanding things this year. Allow me to elaborate…
As much as I think Pavia may get a bit too much airtime, he turned Vanderbilt into a place that won 10 games this year. He played a large role in their ability to recruit blue-chip guys now. He gave substance to a recruiting pitch that, if I were guessing, hasn’t changed a whole lot for Clark Lea since he has been at Vanderbilt. Now he just has a tangible result to point to.
Unlike Sayin or Mendoza, Vanderbilt is not where it is today without Diego Pavia. There were times this year when the Vanderbilt offense just could not get it going, and Pavia quite literally had to will them to some wins. His stat line was not always pretty, especially at the start of SEC play, but he wasn’t throwing to Elijah Surratt or Jeremiah Smith. He had Eli Stowers and Junior Sherrill. No disrespect to those guys, but they aren’t the aforementioned guys. Oh, by the way, Pavia LED VANDERBILT IN RUSHING YARDS. There was almost nothing more outstanding than what Pavia did this year, unless…
You turn on Jeremiyah Love’s tape. Some of the things this guy did with the football in his hands this year were ridiculous. I will go ahead and point out the elephant in the room in reference to Love’s case for the Heisman. His numbers aren’t exactly gaudy. Love spent all year splitting carries with backfield mate Jadarian Price, who amassed 113 carries on the year.
So if Love doesn’t have the numbers, how does he have a case? When you compare him to last year’s Heisman runner-up, Ashton Jeanty, they had the same average yards per carry at 7. Love scored 21 touchdowns on roughly half of the touches that Jeanty received last year. Oh, and by the way, he was doing all of this against a P4 schedule. Unlike Jeanty, who likely did not win the award based on what conference he played in. But as I said before, Love’s strongest case isn’t on a stat sheet, it is found in the film room.
Why the Heisman could be in danger
People talk about the NFL MVP award a bit begrudgingly now because it is an award that is given to the best quarterback on the best team seemingly every year. The Heisman is not the NFL MVP. In fact, extremely different by definition.
If it goes to Mendoza or Sayin, it feels like we trend strongly in the direction that the NFL MVP award has gone. In which case, we should just ship the quarterbacks of the top four seeds in the College Football Playoff to New York every year and save people the watch time to find out who it is.
The Heisman system already does not work as intended. That is shown by the fact that Texas Tech Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez will be watching the award ceremony from his house. So if it goes to one of the BIG 10 Quarterbacks, it will signal the end of the most outstanding criteria they have in place.
So how do we fix it? The guys who vote on the award should probably be required to watch these guys first. But that feels like a long shot, so instead, it starts with Pavia or Love walking away with the award Saturday night.
USF QB Byrum Brown has a milestone of a performance in Memphis.
Byrum Brown — the electrifying star quarterback who powered the University of South Florida to a 9–3 season and a berth in the Cure Bowl against Old Dominion — will not play in the bowl game, a decision made after ongoing discussions with new USF head coach Brian Hartline and USF Athletics CEO Rob Higgins. Brown, who delivered a rare statistical feat with over 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards, cemented himself as one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country this season.
According to Higgins, the decision was mutual and rooted in transparency during the coaching transition. “We mutually determined with Byrum that it’s best for him to not play in next week’s Cure Bowl,” Higgins said. He added that conversations with Brown and his family about his future at USF are ongoing: “Coach Hartline and I continue to have great conversations with Byrum Brown and his family about his future at USF.”
Why Byrum Brown Might Stay at USF Under Brian Hartline
Staying at USF remains a strong option for Brown. Hartline, known nationally for his offensive acumen and quarterback development, could offer Brown a fresh system tailored to his dual‑threat skill set. With USF on the cusp of its first 10‑win season since 2017 and a new coaching staff eager to build around him, Brown could elevate both his draft stock and the program’s national profile.
Higgins emphasized Brown’s continued commitment to the team despite opting out: “Byrum continues to attend every team activity and practice and has been incredible in supporting his teammates as he always is.”
Option Two: Follow Alex Golesh to Auburn
Another path is reuniting with Alex Golesh, the coach who developed Brown over the past three seasons and helped unlock his elite production. Golesh’s move to Auburn has sparked speculation that Brown could follow him to the SEC — a conference that provides maximum exposure and NFL‑level competition.
Reports confirm that transfer rumors are swirling, and Auburn is a natural landing spot given the established relationship between Brown and Golesh.
Option Three: Declare for the NFL Draft
With his rare production and dual‑threat profile, Brown could also choose to enter the NFL Draft. Scouts have already taken notice of his explosive playmaking ability, and his 2025 season placed him among the most productive quarterbacks in the nation.
However, another year under Hartline — or in the SEC — could significantly boost his draft positioning. Brown must weigh immediate opportunity versus long‑term development.
USF Moves Forward as Brown Helps Coach His Replacement
While USF awaits Brown’s decision, he remains fully engaged with the program. Higgins revealed that Brown will serve as a sideline assistant coach during the Cure Bowl, helping prepare senior quarterback Gaston Moore, who will start in Brown’s place.
Moore’s journey is notable: he began his career at UCF in 2020 under Josh Heupel, spent four seasons at Tennessee, and transferred to USF this past offseason. Now a senior, he gets his final collegiate start with Brown helping guide him.
With defensive line coach Kevin Patrick serving as interim head coach, Brown has been actively involved in practices and game prep, demonstrating leadership even as he evaluates his next MOVE.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter another high‑stakes matchup this week, but the franchise also steps into the spotlight for a different reason. Amazon Prime Video debuts Raise The Flags, a sweeping 10‑part docuseries that captures the team’s 50‑year evolution from the infamous 0–26 “Yuccaneers” to two‑time Super Bowl champions.
The Bucs currently sit tied for first place in the NFC South and plan to take the field in their iconic creamsicle uniforms—an intentional nod to the franchise’s earliest days. The timing aligns perfectly with the release of the series, which celebrates the team’s past while examining the decisions that shaped its future.
A Franchise Marked by Bold Moves and Painful Lessons
Before Tom Brady transformed the region into “Tompa Bay,” the Buccaneers navigated decades of turbulence. The team traded away future Hall of Famer Steve Young, watched Doug Williams walk, and lost out on Bo Jackson and Bill Parcells—twice. These pivotal missteps and near‑misses appear throughout the series, offering fans a candid look at how the franchise learned, adapted, and rebuilt.
The docuseries doesn’t shy away from the lows. Instead, it embraces them, pairing them with the triumphs that eventually led to championship seasons and a new era of stability.
Inside the Making of “Raise The Flags”
Buccaneers co‑owner Ed Glazer commissioned and produced the project, while eight‑time Emmy Award winner Trent Cooper directed it. Cooper, a lifelong Bucs fan, approached the series with a commitment to honesty and depth, mirroring the tone of NFL Films while expanding access far beyond traditional team documentaries.
Glazer emphasized transparency in his interviews, acknowledging both the organization’s successes and its missteps. He reflected on early ownership decisions, admitting that the family learned through trial and error and sometimes let Hall of Fame‑caliber players walk away—choices he says they would never repeat today.
A Deep Dive for Diehard Fans
The series features appearances and insights from franchise legends including Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, Tony Dungy, Jon Gruden, Mike Alstott, and Tom Brady. It also explores the behind‑the‑scenes maneuvering that led to major turning points, such as the blockbuster trade for Jon Gruden that cost the team two first‑round picks, two second‑round picks, and $8 million.
Local media outlets and Buccaneers public relations teams have promoted the series heavily, positioning it as the most comprehensive visual history the franchise has ever released.
A Celebration of Perseverance and Identity
Raise The Flags arrives as both a celebration and a reckoning. It honors the players, coaches, and fans who endured decades of heartbreak and ultimately witnessed one of the most dramatic turnarounds in NFL history. It also challenges viewers to reconsider the franchise’s identity—not as the “Yuccaneers,” but as a resilient organization built on bold decisions, passionate leadership, and unwavering community support.
As the Buccaneers take the field in creamsicle orange, the series reminds fans why those colors matter. They represent where the team started, how far it has come, and the stories that shaped every step of the journey.
Hey, remember all those concerns we had last week about the Bucs potentially being able to even win the division?
Well, they’re still there, as the Bucs had one of the more impressive choke jobs in recent memory, losing 29-28 Thursday night against the Falcons, falling to 7-7 for the season.
The Bucs put themselves in Prime (yuck, this feels like an ad for CEO, entrepreneur, born in 1964, Jeffrey, Jeffrey Bezos) position to get back on track by taking care of the ball early on and targeting the best receiver in Bucs history, as Evans had over 100 yards receiving in his first game back from a collarbone injury.
And yet, the team blew it in epic proportions, surrendering a 2-touchdown lead in the 4th quarter to lose on a game-winning Zane Gonzales kick.
The defense even had Atlanta pinned back in a 3rd and 18 situation with a chance to ice the game with under 2 minutes left to play.
Nope.
A few plays later, and Atlanta is watching the game winning kick sail through the uprights.
To try to focus on the positives, Evans was not alone in his contributions, as Chris Godwin and Devin Culp hauled in a couple of touchdown passes from the seemingly rejuvenated Baker Mayfield, and Sean Tucker hammered in a short touchdown rush to finish off an early touchdown drive for Tampa Bay.
The creamsicle jerseys were out and in full effect, as the stadium was hopping and charming with all of the retro decor, and even the pirate ship was covered in Christmas lights to celebrate the holiday season.
Baker Mayfield had an overall solid game but his late-game interception was all folks will likely remember, as it allowed this massive comeback from the Falcons to take place.
Can’t be a creamsicle Buccaneers game without Tampa Bay doing something stupid.
On defense they did a poor job limiting a Falcons offense that was led by tight end Kyle Pitts and running back Bijan Robinson.
Pitts got off to a smoking start, with a pair of touchdown receptions and over 100 yards receiving in the 1st half alone.
Robinson managed to rack up over 150 yards from scrimmage with a rushing touchdown sprinkled in to make the score respectable in the 4th quarter, but the former Longhorn suffered a costly turnover in the 4th quarter that set the Bucs up for an easy touchdown that should have put the game out of reach for those Dirty Birds.
The Creamsicle Crew’s problems certainly aren’t getting any better, with the Carolina Panthers getting to play those now-3-10 Saints (thanks to these damn Bucs) this weekend, hoping to advance their cause in winning this sorry division.
The Bucs have to face Bryce Young and those pesky Panthers twice before season’s end, 2 games that will play a large role in deciding who comes out on top of this garbage heap they call the NFC South.
Obviously the return of Evans and 2nd year wideout Jalen McMillan looms large for the Bucs as they get a much-needed boost to what was a bit of a stagnant offense in the middle of this roller coaster season, but will it even matter?
It’s certainly a Bucs life, because the Bucs are back in the loss column in embarrassing fashion for a 2nd straight week, with a trip to visit the Panthers coming next week.
But hey, at least they didn’t commit like 100 penalties.
Politics8 years ago