BY COLIN BISH, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Ollie Gordon II has become a star for the Oklahoma State Cowboys while propelling them up the College Football Playoff rankings. However, few have given him the respect he deserves as a Heisman Trophy candidate.
The favorite to win the award right now is Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who continues to impress fans, especially after a big 52-42 win over USC.
Penix’s best case boils down to his team’s performance. Washington has the fourth-highest scoring offense in the nation with a path to the College Football Playoff. Washington has a rough stretch to end the season with Utah, Oregon State, Washington State and a potential Pac-12 Championship Game.
If the Huskies can prevail over those opponents and win their conference title, Penix is surely a lock for the Heisman. Other contenders include Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels.
However, I’m not advocating that Gordon should undoubtedly win the Heisman. I’m advocating that he deserves to be in the conversation given the way he’s been tearing up opposing defenses.
Gordon started off slow, but it was in a loss to Iowa State that OSU would find their star. In that game, he rushed 18 times for 121 yards. But the best was yet to come for both Gordon and the Cowboys.
Gordon once again eclipsed the 100-yard mark in a win over Kansas State, and the next week showcased his insane skill. In a win over Kansas, Gordon accumulated 284 total yards of offense, rushing for one touchdown and catching another.`
Somehow, Gordon got even better. Against West Virginia, Gordon rushed 29 times for 282 yards and four touchdowns. The following week, against Cincinnati, he rushed 25 times for 271 yards and two touchdowns. With Gordon’s contributions, Oklahoma State won four straight and was ranked in the first Playoff rankings of 2023.
In a massive game against their rivals, Oklahoma, the last matchup before the Sooners move to the SEC, Gordon shined once again. He rushed 33 times for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns, with the second being the deciding score in a 27-24 win.
Gordon’s impact has also shown in the stat sheets. When Gordon carries the ball 10 times or less, the Cowboys are 2-1 and scored about 20.3 points per game. When Gordon has more than 10 carries, the Cowboys are 5-1 and score 35.8 points per game.
Using those same samples of games, Oklahoma State accumulated an average of 321.7 yards per game. In their next seven, when Gordon became the feature running back, they accumulated an average of 421.1 yards per game. With Gordon’s contributions, the Cowboys’ total yards of offense has increased nearly 100 yards since the running back’s emergence.
Oklahoma State has won five in a row, and with Gordon showing no sign of slowing down, the running back should absolutely be considered for college football’s highest honor.
bishcj22@bonaventure.edu
