Some people will tell you that winning the SEC is more difficult and more important than winning the national championship (Nick Saban is one of those people), so does that mean winning SEC Offensive Player of the Year is more difficult than winning the Heisman?
Ok, that's obviously a bit of a stretch, but this year's race is extremely exciting with a plethora of the nation's top players competing against each other in the conference. Here are the top five frontrunners to win SEC Offensive Player of the Year this season:
5) Chad Kelly, QB, Ole Miss Rebels
Say what you will about Ole Miss' inconsistent season, but Kelly has been much better than anticipated. He leads the SEC in passing yards (2,475 yards) and touchdowns (18), but does have 10 interceptions on the season. For Kelly to take the next step, he has to produce at a more reliable pace instead of the boom-or-bust we've seen from him this year.
4) Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Prescott was the Heisman front-runner for most of last season, and while he's absolutely not in contention for that award this year, he's actually a much improved quarterback. The senior has passed for 2,048 yards and 14 touchdowns with just one interception so far this season while still racking up 371 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
3) Peyton Barber, RB, Auburn Tigers
Barber isn't on the same level as the top two backs on the list, but what he's doing for a struggling Auburn team has been incredible. He's racked up 770 yards and 12 touchdowns this season - 11 of which have come in the past three games. If he continues to keep up that incredible pace, we won't be able to ignore Barber anymore.
2) Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama Crimson Tide
#7 Alabama's offense was stymied for the most part in a 19-14 escape job against Tennessee, but Henry was the major outlier. In fact, he was basically the Tide's whole offense -- rushing 28 times for 143 yards and two touchdowns. His 2nd TD handed Alabama back the lead with about two minutes left and sealed the team's ninth-straight win over the Vols.
If it wasn't for the guy at the top of this list, we'd be talking about Henry as the best back in America.
1) Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU Tigers
#4 LSU kinda flew under the radar this week seeing that they took out a cupcake Western Kentucky team, but Fournette is still college football's ruler and overlord. He rushed for a season-low 150 yards on Saturday, which is insane because 150 yards is the ceiling for most mortal running backs.
Fournette is currently averaging 192 rushing yards per game, which would shatter the previous record held by Herschel Walker. He leads CFB in rushing yards, rushing yards per game and highlight reel craziness. No one can touch him right now.
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