A new name has entered the Heisman Trophy race – a name that should have been included all along: Boston College’s Andre Williams.
The numbers speak for themselves.
In the Eagles’ 29-26 comeback win over Maryland, Williams, a 6-foot, 227-pound senior, surpassed the 2,000-yard mark with a gutty 263-yard performance, making him just the 16th player in NCAA history to run for more than 2,000 yards in a single season.
The Eagles trailed 24-13 in the fourth quarter before Williams took a handoff 72 yards to the house. Then, his 36-yard run in the game’s final minute set up Nate Freese’s game-winning 52-yard field goal as time expired.
With one game left to play, Williams now has 2,073 yards rushing this season, good for 12th best in NCAA history.
Among the players on the single-season rushing list Andre Williams passed today: Ray Rice, Tony Dorsett, Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner.
— Patrick Stevens (@D1scourse) November 23, 2013
He has racked up more than 260 yards rushing in three straight games, including efforts of 295 yards and 339 yards in wins over New Mexico State and North Carolina State, respectively.
Boston College RB Andre Williams 897 yards rushing - in last 3 games alone. BC beats Maryland 29-26 — Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) November 23, 2013
He has put the team on his back, and most remarkably, he has done it relatively under the radar.
Most of the Heisman talk has centered on names like Jameis Winston, Johnny Manziel and Marcus Mariota, but what Williams has been doing in Boston has been astounding.
And above all, the Eagles are winning. In Steve Addazio’s first year, the Eagles have reeled off four straight wins to improve to 7-4 after being picked to finish dead last in the ACC’s Atlantic Division. Williams has undoubtedly played a crucial part in that.
With Syracuse on the schedule for BC’s season finale, Williams has a very realistic shot of capping off a top-5 season for any NCAA running back.
There’s no question that Williams should be among those candidates invited to New York City for the Heisman Trophy award ceremony, and should be considered a serious threat to win it.
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