Ohio State QB Still On Heisman Trophy Watchlist

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard is still receiving a little bit of Heisman Trophy hype.

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Will Howard and the Ohio State Buckeyes were unable to pull off a win last week on the road against the Oregon Ducks. It was a tough loss to swallow, but one that truly doesn't come close to hurting their chances of getting into the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State would have loved to win the game, but they'll get another chance to make a statement in the near future.

At the end of the game, Howard made a critical mistake when he slid too late as time expired on the final play of the game. His mistake took the chance away for the Buckeyes to attempt a field goal to win the game.

Despite the criticism he has faced for his error, Howard still proved that he's capable of beating elite teams. With that being said, he's also receiving Heisman Trophy hype still.

Bleacher Report recently took a look at the players that have a shot at winning the award at this point in the year. Howard was on the list, although he was in Tier 4 on the list.

"So far, the enduring moment of Howard's year is burning the final seconds in the loss at Oregon. Not great! He'll be battling the aftermath of that decision all season, but Ohio State has a few marquee opponents—No. 3 Penn State, No. 16 Indiana and No. 24 Michigan—left on the schedule. And if, say, there's a rematch with Oregon for the Big Ten title, redemption is possible."

He might be low on the Heisman watchlist, but still being included is certainly something to be proud of for the quarterback.

So far this season, Howard has completed 73.3 percent of his pass attempts for 1,574 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just three interceptions. He has also picked up 77 yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground.

Those numbers show why he deserves to be mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate. The chances that he actually wins the award or even becomes a finalist are low, but he has a shot.

If Howard can win out with Ohio State and put up big-time production while doing it, he could make some noise.

While he came into the season as the Buckeyes' expected weakest link, Howard has proved the critics wrong. He's shown that he's the kind of quarterback that can power his team to wins over national championship contenders. Unfortunately, the job wasn't completed, but the team was in a position to win.

All of that being said, Howard will have another chance to boost his Heisman positioning when Ohio State faces off against Nebraska on October 26th after their bye week.