Texas RB Bijan Robinson Snubbed Heisman Trophy Invite
Bijan Robinson is a Heisman-caliber player without the title. He won't be getting it, either in 2022.
Robinson, a three-year starter and x-factor for Texas' offense, was not one of the four names selected for the Heisman Trophy ceremony Saturday evening in New York City. The finalists included Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett IV, TCU quarterback Max Duggan, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, and USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
Three of the four finalists will have a chance to not only win college football's most coveted award but also compete for a national title as a member of one of the four College Football Playoff programs. Williams, the Vegas odds favorite to take home the award, will not be playing for a shot at the title following USC's 47-24 loss to No. 7 Utah in the Pac-12 Championship on Friday evening.
Should Williams win the hardware, it would mark the second time in the College Football Playoff era that a player who wasn't in the final won the award. In 2016, Lamar Jackson won the award at Louisville after producing one of the most statistically impressive seasons in the award's history with 51 total touchdowns, 3,390 passing yards, and 1,538 rushing yards.
Robinson made a case in 2022 thanks to consistent play and a blend of speed and power. He rushed for 1,508 yards, fifth-most in the country among FBS players, and totaled 20 touchdowns, second-most among all FBS playmakers, trailing only Pitt's Israel Abanikanda (21).
Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian said following Texas' 38-27 win over Baylor that if he were a voter, Robinson would have his pledge, though oftentimes players that lose the spotlight due to team records often are cast to the side.
"If we were 10-2 right now and playing for a Big 12 championship and maybe on the cusp of the College Football Playoff, I think there'd be no question this guy would be in New York for the Heisman," Sarkisian said.
Robinson, a projected first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has yet to announce his decision on if he'll play against No. 12 Washington in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29. Should his time on the Forty Acres be up, he'll finish with 3,410 yards on 539 carries with 42 total touchdowns.
The Longhorns (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) will kick off at the Alamodome in San Antonio against the Huskies (10-2, 7-2 Pac-12) at 7 p.m.
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