Mark Ingram names Heisman Trophy front runners in college football

A trio of Heisman Trophy winners discussed the current Heisman candidates on FOX's Big Noon Kickoff, and Mark Ingram named a surprising pair of Heisman front-runners With the show in Ann Arbor, normal cast members Ingram and Matt Leinart were joined by fellow Heisman winner Charles Woodson to weigh in on all things Heisman-related. Ingram delivered a couple of surprise Heisman candidates.

Jeremiyah Love

Ingram waxed rhapsodic about a pair of running back including Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love. Despite a pair of early losses, Ingram places Love in the Heisman Trophy conversation.

This man I love, because he's just a playmaker.... Just get him the ball, he's an electric playmaker in space. He has had eight touchdowns in the last three games, over 120 scrimmage yards per game. The man is a beast.
Mark Ingram

Through four games, Love has rushed for 341 yards and five touchdowns on 66 carries. He also has 13 receptions for 149 yards and three touchdowns. Love's 122.5 yards per game from scrimmage ranks 13th in FBS.

Ahmad Hardy

Ingram also gave plaudits to Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy in his Heisman conversation comments.

If you haven't seen this kid, he's a treat to watch. He leads the nation in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. He's just a bulldozer, man. He gets yards after contact-- leads the nation in that. I've got to show the RBs some love.
Mark Ingram

Hardy's 730 rushing yards and nine touchdowns (on 103 carries) both top the national rankings, as Ingram noted. Hardy has had at least 100 yards and at least one touchdown in each of Missouri's first five games. Hardy is second in the nation and carries and has picked up 7.09 yards per rushing attempt.

Due in large part to Hardy's excellence, Missouri leads the nation in most 10+ yard rushing plays with 47. The Tigers are third nationally with 13 20+ yard runs on the season and tie for the national lead with eight 30+ yard runs.

Derrick Henry was the last running back to win the Heisman Trophy (in 2015), but Ingram laid out a brief resume of a pair of running backs who could remain in the Heisman conversation all the way to New York.