LSU-Alabama holds high stakes for QBs in Heisman contention

BATON ROUGE, LA. » Another high stakes tilt between LSU and Alabama could once again prove pivotal in Heisman Trophy voting.

While the winner of the game will have an inside track to the College Football Playoff, the matchup also features top Heisman hopefuls at the same position for the second time in five seasons.

In 2015, the focus was on star tailbacks Derrick Henry for Alabama and LSU’s Leonard Fournette. Now it’ll be on the quarterbacks — the Tide’s Tua Tagovailoa and Tigers’ Joe Burrow.

“The one that plays the best and wins the game should have a shot to win it,” LSU coach Ed Orgeron said.

Henry knows how much the game can impact the Heisman. LSU arrived in Tuscaloosa unbeaten and ranked fourth in 2015, while one-loss Alabama was No. 7.

“That game I wasn’t really focused on the Heisman,” said Henry, who ultimately won it. “They were undefeated. We had one loss. They were coming in with all the momentum, so I really wanted to just go out there and play a good game and let it be a turning point in our season.”

Henry carried 38 times for 210 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-16 triumph that helped propel the Crimson Tide to a national title. Fournette was limited to 31 yards and one TD on 19 carries.

Heisman voter Rece Davis, the host of ESPN’s College GameDay, remembers how that matchup swayed him.

“It had a big impact because Leonard was, if not the favorite, certainly one of them,” Davis said. “There were a couple things that went into Derrick Henry’s candidacy that year. One was certainly that game and how dominant he was.”

Davis said it would be appropriate for Heisman voters to attach extra emphasis to Saturday’s clash in Tuscaloosa if the winning quarterback plays well.

While the Heisman is awarded to college football’s “most outstanding player,” Davis said, “most outstanding players should shine on brightest stage, right? That’s sort of the history of the award.”