Tide’s DeVonta Smith the first WR to win AP Player of the Year
DeVonta Smith of Alabama is The Associated Press college football player of the year and the first wide receiver to win the award since it was established in 1998.
In what could be a preview of the Heisman Trophy voting, Smith received 26 first-place votes and 114 points to finish comfortably ahead of his teammate and quarterback, Mac Jones.
Jones received nine firstplace votes and 67 points as he and Smith became the first teammates to finish 1-2 in the voting for AP player of the year.
Smith is also the first Alabama player to win the award.
“Probably one of the most selfless guys that I’ve ever had the opportunity to coach in terms of whatever he can do to help the team he wants to do,” Tide coach NIck Saban said. “The guy is one of the most popular guys on the team and also one of the leaders of the team that everybody looks up to because of the example that he sets every day and how he goes about his work.”
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence finished third with nine first-place votes and 49 points and Florida quarterback Kyle Trask was fourth with three firstplace votes and 44 points.
Smith, Jones, Lawrence and Trask are the Heisman Trophy finalists. The trophy will be presented Jan. 5.
The AP player of the year has gone to the Heisman winner 17 of 22 times previously.
Buffalo RB Patterson declares for NFL draft
BUFFALO, N.Y. » Buffalo running back Jaret Patterson is foregoing his senior year by declaring for the NFL draft following a season in which he matched several national records.
Patterson announced the decision on his Twitter account five days after Buffalo (6-1) completed its season with a 17-10 win over Marshall in the Camellia Bowl.
The decision does not come as a surprise after Patterson reversed course and elected to not play against Marshall a few days before the game.
In six games, the 21-yearold from Maryland led the nation with 178.7 yards rushing per outing and finished with 1,072 yards.
QB Peters to return at Illinois
CHAMPAIGN, ILL. » Illinois quarterback Brandon Peters
will return for a third season with the Illini and play for new coach Bret Bielema, the team announced.
Peters spent three years at Michigan before joining Illinois in 2019 and made a big impact that season, throwing for 1,884 yards and 18 touchdowns while running for 213 yards and three scores.
The Illini stunned thenNo. 6 Wisconsin on the way to a 6-7 record and their first bowl appearance since 2014.
Tuesday’s Game
OKLAHOMA STATE 37, (18) MIAMI 34 » Spencer Sanders threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns, and Oklahoma State (8-3) held off Miami (83) for a victory in the CheezIt Bowl.
Brennan Presley caught three of Sanders’ TD passes, finishing with six receptions for 118 yards. Sanders also led the Cowboys with 45 yards rushing.
Oklahoma State scored on its first three possessions while jumping out to a 21-0 lead.
Sanders threw TD passes of 30 and 32 yards to Presley, and LD Brown had a 2-yard touchdown run.