Duff Tittle | Posted: 24 Dec 2020 | Updated: 9 Feb 2021

Wilson finishes top 10 in Heisman Voting


PROVO, Utah — The Heisman Trust announced the four finalists and the top-10 finishers for the 2020 Heisman Trophy on Christmas Eve. BYU junior quarterback Zach Wilson placed eighth in the voting to become the first Cougar to finish in the top 10 since Ty Detmer was third as a senior in 1991. 

The four finalists for the 2020 Heisman Trophy are Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith and Florida quarterback Kyle Trask. The rest of the top 10 include Najee Harris, Alabama (fifth), Breece Hall, Iowa State (sixth), Justin Fields, Ohio State (seventh), Wilson, BYU (eighth), Ian Book, Notre Dame (ninth) and Kyle Pitts, Florida (10th).

Wilson, who was named PFF second-team All-America last week, led a BYU offense that currently ranks No. 4 in scoring (43.5 ppg) and No. 7 in total offense (522.2 ypg). The 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior, completed 247 of 336 passes for 3,692 yards, 33 touchdowns and a 196.4 passing efficiency. He is currently ranked in the top 10 in the nation in 11 offensive categories. 

•    No. 2 Points responsible for (264)
•    No. 2 Passing touchdowns (33)
•    No. 3 Passing yards per attempt (10.99)
•    No. 3 Passing yards (3,692)
•    No. 4 Passing efficiency (196.4)
•    No. 4 Completion percentage (.735)
•    No. 4 Points responsible for per game (22)
•    No. 5 Rushing TDs by a QB (10) (No. 20 among all players)
•    No. 7 Passing yards per completion (14.95)
•    No. 8 Total offense (328.8)
•    No. 9 Passing yards per game (307.7)

In addition to finishing No. 8 in the Heisman voting, Wilson is a finalist for the Manning Award and was a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award.

Wilson becomes the 13th Cougar to finish in the top 10 on the Heisman ballot, joining previous All-American quarterbacks Gary Sheide, Gifford Nielsen, Marc Wilson, Jim McMahon (twice), Steve Young, Robbie Bosco (twice) and Ty Detmer (three times).

BYU IN THE HEISMAN VOTING

YEAR PLAYER PLACE
1962 Eldon Fortie 10th
1966 Virgil Carter 11th
1974 Gary Sheide 8th
1976 Gifford Nielsen 6th
1979 Marc Wilson 3rd
1980 Jim McMahon 5th
1981 Jim McMahon 3rd
1983 Steve Young 2nd
1984 Robbie Bosco 3rd
1985 Robbie Bosco 3rd
1989 Ty Detmer 9th
1990 Ty Detmer 1st
1991 Ty Detmer 3rd
2020 Zach Wilson 8th