Louisville's Lamar Jackson, Michigan's Jabrill Peppers, Clemson's Deshaun Watson and Oklahoma's QB Baker Mayfield and receiver Dede Westbrook are the five Heisman finalists.
Despite his record-setting season for the Huskies, sophomore quarterback Jake Browning is not one of the five finalists for the Heisman Trophy.
Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, Michigan linebacker Jabrill Peppers and Oklahoma receiver Dede Westbrook were named finalists Monday afternoon.
The Heisman ceremony is Saturday in New York. Jackson is considered the overwhelming favorite.
Steve Emtman remains the only player in UW history to get an invitation to the Heisman ceremony. Emtman finished fourth in 1991.
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In leading No. 4 Washington (12-1) to a berth into the national playoffs for the first time, Browning set a school record with 42 touchdown passes this season, one shy of the Pac-12 record.
As the Huskies rose in the national rankings, so too did Browning’s profile. For much of the season, he was considered a top-five candidate for the most coveted individual award in college football.
But Browning had only a so-so November, at least by the lofty standards he had set in September and October, when he combined for 28 TDs against three interceptions.
In Friday’s 41-10 victory over Colorado in the Pac-12 championship game, Browning was 9-for-24 for a career-low 118 yards.
“I don’t think I played like a Heisman contender today by any means,” Browning said after the game.
He did throw two touchdown passes in the game to tie Oregon’s Marcus Mariota — the 2014 Heisman winner — for second in Pac-12 history with 42 TD passes. Cal’s Jared Goff set the record with 43 last season.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I’m not going to be bummed at all,” Browning after the game, when asked about the prospects of getting invited to the Heisman ceremony. “Obviously, you want to go. But I’m much happier we won the Pac-12 championship.
“It’s a team sport. If you’re worried about individual stuff, you shouldn’t play football.”
In 13 games, Browning has thrown for 3,280 yards on 223-of-353 attempts (63.2 percent) with 46 total touchdowns and seven interceptions.
With a rating of 176.51, Browning is on pace to shatter the UW single-season record for passing efficiency (Keith Price, 161.9, 2011). His 9.3 yards per pass attempt are also on track to break the school record for a season (Brock Huard, 8.5, 1997).
Browning and the Huskies play No. 1 Alabama in the first national semifinal at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 31.
Huskies and the Heisman
Six Huskies have finished among the top vote-getters for the Heisman Trophy:
Steve Emtman (1991) — fourth
Greg Lewis (1990) — seventh
Hugh McElhenny (1951) — eighth
Marques Tuiasosopo (2000) — eighth
Don Heinrich (1952) — ninth
Napoleon Kaufman (1994) — ninth