SEC vs. cream of the crop: League will see 4 of top 6 in Heisman voting in bowls

There’s no denying it’s been a down year for the SEC, and this bowl season could put a stamp on that notion for 2016.

The SEC has been pit against four of the top six vote-getters for the 2016 Heisman Trophy (Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Dede Westbrook and Jake Browning), and the possibility of facing five of the top six isn’t out of the question (Deshaun Watson).

If that sounds improbable on a colossal scale, you’d be correct.

The only other time in the 82-year history of the Heisman in which a conference faced at least four of the top six in the award’s voting during bowl season was 2008, and it was the SEC that got the unenviable draw then also.

Here’s a look at who the conference was up against:

Coincidentally, a Big 12 QB-WR combo made up two of the four that year also. Harrell and Crabtree, of a prolific Red Raiders attack, had started the season 10-0 and rose to No. 2 in the AP Poll after back-to-back wins over No. 1 Texas and No. 8 Oklahoma State.

Everyone remembers Harrell and Crabtree’s connection on a perfect back-shoulder throw before Crabtree tightroped the sidelines.

Poor Colt McCoy, who finished second in the Heisman voting that season, can be seen at the 18-second mark hating life, and for good reason. That was the only loss the Longhorns suffered as they watched the Sooners, a team they beat by 10 points in mid-October, make the BCS National Championship Game.

Meanwhile, the Red Raiders lost two of their last three games and fell 47-34 to the Jevan Snead-led Rebels in the Cotton Bowl. Harrell went 36-of-58 for 364 yards, 4 TDs and 2 INTs. Crabtree was held to just 4 catches for 30 yards and a score.

In the Outback Bowl, Shonn Greene ran for three touchdowns to boost the Hawkeyes to a 31-0 lead over the Gamecocks entering the fourth quarter. He finished with 29 carries for 121 yards in a 31-10 win.

As for the Heisman winner, Sam Bradford? He was outdone by the previous year’s Heisman winner, Tim Tebow, who led the Gators to a 24-14 win over the Sooners and a second national title in three years.

Bradford went 26-for-41 with 256 yards and 2 TDs. He also threw 2 INTs after only throwing 6 all season previously and posted a season-low 122.2 passer rating. Oklahoma’s record-setting offense entered the game averaging 54 points per game but only managed 14 versus Florida.

Quarterbacks make up three of the six studs that the SEC must deal with over the next eight days.

And again, keep in mind that Alabama may see Clemson QB Deshaun Watson, second in the Heisman voting, on Jan. 9.

But all those players have their work cut out for them as they’ll face the SEC’s top three units in scoring defense. In fact, you can break it down like this: The QBs who make up three of the top six in the Heisman voting will face three of the top six FBS teams in scoring defense (Alabama is first, Auburn is fifth and LSU is sixth).

Moreover, Jackson and Browning aren’t coming off what you’d call intimidating performances.

Jackson — the first Heisman winner to play for a team that lost its last two regular season games since Tim Brown of Notre Dame in 1987 — had 4 turnovers in the last 17:30 in a stunning 41-38 loss to rival Kentucky to put a less-than-impressive cap on an otherwise stellar Heisman campaign.

His Citrus Bowl opponent, LSU, has only allowed more than 21 points in one game this season, the fewest in the nation.

Browning looked completely out of rhythm in posting career-lows in completion percentage (37.5) and passing yards (118) in the Pac-12 Championship Game against Colorado. Running backs Myles Gaskin (159 yards) and Lavon Coleman (101) accounted for 260 of the team’s 383 yards in the 41-10 blowout of the Buffaloes.

His matchup in the College Football Playoff semifinals will come against maybe Nick Saban’s best defense, which is difficult to grasp.

Unlike Jackson and Browning, Mayfield hasn’t skipped a beat under center for an Oklahoma team that hasn’t lost since October. He averages 305.8 passing yards per game.

His Sugar Bowl foe, Auburn, has only allowed 300 passing yards once, and that was to Chad Kelly (465) in Week 9.

Nonetheless, the SEC has its hands full during bowl season, maybe more than it has in a long time.

Talal Elmasry

Born and raised in Gainesville, Talal joined SDS in 2015 after spending 2 years in Bristol as an ESPN researcher. Previously, Talal worked at The Gainesville Sun.