Where NLCS, ALCS stand: Who are the early MVPs? Which teams have impressed us most?
We are two games into both 2024 League Championship Series, and it’s time for our snap judgements based on what we’ve seen so far.
The NLCS is tied after dominant offensive performances carried the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets to wins at Dodger Stadium.
In the ALCS, the New York Yankees overpowered the Cleveland Guardians both nights in the Bronx to take a commanding 2-0 series lead.
What has stood out most so far? Who are the early MVPs of each series? And what’s next for the World Series hopefuls? Our MLB experts weigh in.
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. New York Mets
Who is the two-games-in MVP of this NLCS?
Alden Gonzalez: It’s pretty remarkable to consider the rarity of Jack Flaherty‘s accomplishment for the Dodgers in Game 1. With seven scoreless innings in L.A.’s 9-0 win, he became the first Dodgers starter since 2021 to complete at least six innings in the postseason, breaking a streak of 20 games. The last time someone threw seven scoreless in the playoffs? Clayton Kershaw, in the first round in 2020. The Dodgers have had a lot of starting pitching issues in October — perhaps never more so than this year, with so many key arms injured. Flaherty, who lines up to start again in Game 5, needs to keep pitching deep into games. So do Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Walker Buehler. This team can’t win a championship without it.
Bradford Doolittle: It’s got to be a tie, because we’ve had two completely different games that now leave us dead even. So it’s Jack Flaherty for his seven goose eggs in Game 1, tied with Mark Vientos for his nine-pitch grand slam in Game 2.
David Schoenfield: One thing that’s clear — as seems to be the case every October with the Dodgers — is that Dave Roberts’ decisions will factor heavily into the results of this series. In the end, it’s the players who win and lose the games, and Roberts tends to receive too much of the blame when the Dodgers lose, but in this postseason, he has managed a masterful bullpen game to beat the San Diego Padres in what might have been peak Roberts. But in Game 2 of the ALCS, he issued the ill-advised intentional walk to Francisco Lindor, setting up Mark Vientos’ grand slam. In general, walking the bases loaded is a bad idea, since there is no margin for error with the next batter. So that decision backfired in a big way. It all means Roberts has the potential to be the MVP of the series … or the goat (lower-case version).
Which lineup has impressed you most so far?
Gonzalez: Neither? The Dodgers have combined for a .658 OPS through the first two games of this series. The Mets? .639. The Dodgers are 6-for-20 with runners in scoring position, while the Mets are 4-for-15. The Dodgers have left 29 runners on base, but the Mets aren’t far behind at 24. Simply put, it’s early in this series, hitting is harder this time of year and neither team has separated itself. I think the Dodgers’ lineup is deeper and possesses more upside, but it needs some key guys to get going — primarily Will Smith, who’s 2-for-23 in the playoffs, and Shohei Ohtani, who’s 0-for-19 with the bases empty.
Doolittle: In what is a surprise to me, I’d say the Mets. The Dodgers have some guys either struggling (Will Smith, kinda-sorta Shohei Ohtani), at less than full capacity (Freddie Freeman, Gavin Lux) or on the roster more for versatility reasons than for offensive production. The Mets have a roster of hitters who go more than nine deep and can be adapted to a number of in-game pitching changes.
Schoenfield: As long as Ohtani continues to scuffle a bit, I’ll go with the Mets. They’re a little deeper one to nine and also have some options off the bench, while the Dodgers are stuck with the likes of a defensive replacement in Kevin Kiermaier and a weak-hitting utility player in Chris Taylor. The Mets do need to get something out of Jose Iglesias, who was the big surprise in the regular season (hitting .337/.381/.448) but hasn’t done much in the playoffs (.222/.263/.222).
What has surprised you most about the Dodgers so far in this series?
Gonzalez: That their bullpen strategy backfired so drastically in Game 2. It was because Alex Vesia isn’t available in this round, Daniel Hudson was unavailable for Game 2, and (mostly) because Landon Knack allowed five runs in the second inning. When the Dodgers shut out the Padres with eight relievers in Game 4 of the division series, Knack didn’t pitch until the ninth, when the game was already out of hand. Before Monday, that was the only inning he had pitched in about two weeks. The Dodgers would prefer not to use a bulk reliever for games when one of their traditional starters doesn’t take the ball. But it appears they don’t have a choice at this point. They don’t have enough arms.
Doolittle: The way Ohtani finished the season, I fully expected one of those 1.300 OPS postseasons from him that defy the challenges of facing playoff pitching. So far, that has not been the case, and at times, he has looked a little lost against breaking pitches. Othani has still had his moments, and it was a good sign that rather than getting antsy in Game 2 he still took a couple of walks. I don’t expect his uneven production to continue much longer.
Schoenfield: How much they’re suddenly relying on Enrique Hernandez as a key contributor — and might need to continue to do so. In the final two games of the NLDS and Game 1 of the NLCS, he went 5-for-11 with four runs scored, and the Dodgers won all three games.
And what about the Mets?
Gonzalez: The Mets were at times a mess on the bases and on defense early this season, then they got rolling and seemed to tighten up. But they’ve made some pretty glaring mistakes in both departments through the first couple of games in this series. They were finally starting to rally in the fifth inning of Game 1, getting back-to-back hits, but then Jesse Winker got deked by Enrique Hernandez, who threw behind him from center field and got him caught in a rundown. In the sixth inning of Game 2, they almost blew a big lead, with Jose Iglesias botching a tailor-made double-play ball and Pete Alonso failing to corral another grounder that went for a two-run single. They need to clean it up.
Doolittle: Vientos was going well during the regular season, but he has been the most impactful hitter of the playoffs overall. That trajectory has continued with his Game 2 slam. Vientos, just to remind everyone, started the season in Syracuse, partly because of a roster crunch, but also because he had real issues to work through in terms of approach. You expect shortcomings like that to be exposed in October, but Vientos has been the one exposing pitchers instead. I’m not shocked he has been good, but I’m very surprised at just how good.
Schoenfield: Not a surprise, but did Edwin Diaz finally find his fastball in the ninth inning of Game 2? Diaz has been an adventure all postseason, struggling to throw strikes, but after the first two Dodgers reached, he threw 13 consecutive fastballs and struck out Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernandez and Freddie Freeman (getting Freeman on a slider). That version of Diaz looked unbeatable.
What is one thing each team needs to do from here to take control of this series?
Gonzalez: The Dodgers need their starting pitchers to be effective. It’ll probably be Buehler, Yamamoto and Flaherty, in that order, pitching the next three games at Citi Field. If the series shifts back to L.A., the Dodgers will have to stage a bullpen game at some point. And their preference would be to utilize only their high-leverage arms rather than someone like Knack or Brent Honeywell to take down bulk innings. That only has a chance of happening if they get production from their starting rotation. The Mets need to continue to neutralize Ohtani and Betts at the top of the order. The two of them have combined to go 3-for-15 with five walks, which isn’t terrible but also isn’t great. Given how hobbled Freeman is behind them, taming those two will be key to the Mets’ chances.
Doolittle: Baseball isn’t really a “one thing” kind of sport, but among the options, the Dodgers need the bottom of their order to get on base. It’s not that I exactly buy into the Ohtani empty-base split, but it’s certainly true that the more he and Betts hit with runners on, the higher the scores are going to be for L.A. For the Mets, it’s a matter of taking advantage of the lower tier of the L.A. playoff pitching staff. They did that in Game 2, and based on what we’ve seen this season, they have an immediate opportunity with Buehler. But the Dodgers have a lot of pitchers who are dealing, so the Mets have to make hay while they can.
Schoenfield: I’m sticking with Ohtani has to hit for the Dodgers, since it’s still likely their questionable starting pitching/bullpen games will surrender some runs. For the Mets, the starters have to pitch deep into games, given even the top Mets relievers don’t inspire a lot of confidence.
New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians
Who is the two-games-in MVP of this ALCS?
Jorge Castillo: The Yankees have struggled hitting with runners in scoring position (2-for-17), but they’ve generated plenty of traffic on the basepaths, and Gleyber Torres has been a big factor there. The second baseman has reached base in five of his nine plate appearances from the leadoff spot. He has scored three of the Yankees’ 11 runs. He has been instrumental in applying early pressure, delivering a single in the first inning in Game 1 and a double in the first inning in Game 2. He was on base for Aaron Judge‘s home run in Game 2 and has done his job setting the table for Juan Soto and Judge exceptionally well. It has fueled the Yankees’ offense.
Jeff Passan: Carlos Rodón‘s dominant Game 1 outing helped the Yankees secure a lead in the series and allowed manager Aaron Boone to avoid overtaxing his best relievers ahead of Game 2. If the Yankees can win one of the next two games, Rodón will be in line to finish the series in Game 5 — and if he can manage another similar start, he’ll almost certainly get the actual award. Honorable mention goes to Juan Soto, who has the highest on-base percentage (.625) and slugging percentage (1.000) of any hitter in either LCS.
David Schoenfield: Let’s give a shout-out to the Yankees’ bullpen, which has been stellar throughout the postseason so far with three runs allowed (just two earned) in 23⅓ innings and tossed a strong 4⅔ innings to hold the lead in Game 2. Clay Holmes has found his early-season groove, Tim Hill has gotten some key lefties out, Tommy Kahnle got four outs on Tuesday and Luke Weaver has locked it down in the ninth (although he did serve up a home run to Jose Ramirez in Game 2). We always talk about a bullpen getting hot at the right time, and New York’s is hot right now.
Has Aaron Judge finally broken out?
Castillo: Who knows? Maybe the home run in Game 2 is the start of one of his trademark barrages. Maybe it’ll ease the pressure some. But it’s Aaron Judge. It was always just a matter of time before he figured things out and started clobbering baseballs again. The question was whether the Yankees could afford to wait until he did. The way this series is going, it looks like they can.
Passan: Yes. When Judge hits home runs, they tend to come in bunches, and this wasn’t some short-porch cheapie. Hunter Gaddis‘ fastball works exceptionally at the top of the zone — he had allowed only one home run off the 230 such pitches he threw in the upper-third or higher this season — and Judge turned it around in a hurry. The ball left his bat at 111.3 mph, landed 414 feet away in center field and portends the sort of run that has a chance to flip the narrative on the Yankees’ captain in the postseason.
Schoenfield: Well, it was certainly the most overanalyzed 17 at-bats in recent memory before Judge finally homered in his 18th. It does feel like his plate appearances have been improving, including a sac fly in Game 1 and another one in Game 2 prior to the home run. Now toss in the home run, and let’s just say the Guardians better be very wary of the big guy moving forward.
What do the Guardians most need to do to get back into this series?
Castillo: They need to score more runs. Five runs in two games isn’t going to cut it against a team as talented as the Yankees. And it starts with Jose Ramirez. The star third baseman was 0-for-7 with a walk before swatting a home run in the ninth inning of Game 2. He and the rest of the offense will need to do more of that. The bullpen, as good as it is, needs more support.
Passan: To start playing like themselves again. The Guardians won 92 games and the American League Central because they play a good brand of baseball. They had the second-most defensive runs saved this season — and you don’t do that by dropping popups and bobbling balls in the outfield. They had the best bullpen ERA by more than half a run — and you don’t do that by issuing five wild pitches in a playoff game. The Cleveland team of the first two games is not the Cleveland team of the 162 during the regular season or the five in the division series. The Yankees are good enough already. The Guardians’ gift-giving season needs to end now.
Schoenfield: Not make mistakes. They don’t have the firepower to overcome their shoddy play in the first two games. In Game 1, it was seven walks and five wild pitches (four of them by Joey Cantillo). In Game 2, there were a few defensive miscues, including two errors that led to two unearned runs. It’s no fun having a weapon like Emmanuel Clase in the bullpen and not being able to get the ball to him with a lead. But that has to start with cleaner baseball (oh, and getting some hits with runners in scoring position, after going 1-for-11 the first two games).
Back in August, we attempted to compile a ranking of the 100 best players in college football. It was an arduous task, but one that ended with a list we felt good about.
Seven weeks into the 2024 season, however, some of it looks pretty silly.
There were things we probably could’ve foreseen. Expectations were bound to exceed production for a few superstars, like Ollie Gordon II or Luther Burden III.
There were the inevitable setbacks a college football season presents, like injuries to Harold Perkins or Quinn Ewers.
And then there were the things we couldn’t have seen coming even if we had employed top AI software, a fortune teller and a Magic 8 Ball. Two of the best receivers in the nation play at Bowling Green and San José State. Iowa’s run game is dominant. The most efficient QB in the country is an Ohio transfer now playing at Indiana. These things just don’t make sense.
And yet, in 2024, they’re nevertheless true.
So, it only made sense for us to take a mulligan on that preseason list and get to work on a revised midseason edition. We compiled our top 25 players at the halfway mark of the season, considering both their impact on the field, their potential for the second half, and their overall talent and ability to change the game.
Narrowing a list down to 25 was nearly impossible, with a few particularly painful cuts (sorry Bryson Daily and Blake Horvath). It also meant leaving off some big names (Carson Beck, Jaxson Dart and Tetairoa McMillan). But in the end, these 25 players have defined the first seven weeks of the season and can help tell the story of how 2024 will ultimately look when we get to the playoff.
WR, San José State, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 62 rec, 806 yards, 10 TD
Preseason ranking: NR
The nation’s leader in both receptions (62) and receiving touchdowns (10) has done everything asked of him and more for a dynamic offense under first-year coach Ken Niumatalolo and coordinator Craig Stutzmann. Nash, a former Spartans quarterback, has touchdown catches in all six games, multiple touchdown catches in three of the first four, at least 75 receiving yards in every contest (90 or more in all but one) and at least five catches in every game. He also has thrown two touchdown passes on as many attempts (for a whopping rating of 606.4). — Adam Rittenberg
DB, Cal, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 13 solo, 6 INT, 3 PD
Preseason ranking: NR
If you are a quarterback and you see Williams out in the distance covering one of your receivers, here’s a word of advice: don’t throw it there. There might be more talented corners in college football, but through six games, no one has made offenses pay the way Williams has. The senior leads the nation in interceptions with six — yes, that is one per game — which is two more than any other defensive back in the country and three times as many as he had all of last season. — Paolo Uggetti
TE, Bowling Green, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 50 rec, 701 yards, 5 TD
Preseason ranking: NR
Other than Ashton Jeanty, few players have been more productive at their position than Fannin during the first half of the season. He has 188 more receiving yards than any other tight end and ranks No. 6 nationally in receiving yards per game (116.8). Fannin is second nationally in both broken tackles (19) and in receiving yards after contact (210), while not dropping a pass. He also ranks second in yards after contact and leads FBS tight ends in receptions (50) and first downs, while ranking in the top five nationally for both categories. Fannin also shined against top competition, combining for 19 receptions, 282 receiving yards and two touchdowns against Penn State and Texas A&M. — Rittenberg
DE, Penn State, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 15 solo, 4 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: 20
Penn State’s defense is awesome more often than not, but maintaining a high level in 2024 was going to require some veterans to raise their game. Carter has done just that. After recording 14.5 tackles for loss in 2022-23, he’s already at 11 in just six games this. He’s making a tackle on 18.4% of snaps — one every 5.4 plays — and against Illinois he had one of the best games you’ll ever see from a defender: nine tackles, five TFLs and three run stops, plus six pressures and two sacks. Coordinator Tom Allen lines him up everywhere from inside linebacker to defensive end, and he thrives in whatever he’s asked to do. — Bill Connelly
DT, Kentucky, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 20 total, 6 solo, 0.5 sack
Preseason ranking: 21
The most mundane part of the box score is the most revealing when looking for signs of Deone Walker’s dominance. He’s certainly got his disruptive side — he made 17.5 tackles at or behind the line in 2023, and he has nine career sacks, too. That’s pretty good for a guy whose main job, at 6-foot-6 and 345 pounds, is to occupy blockers and eat space in the middle of the line. But you know what’s just about unheard of for a guy that size? Through the first five games, Walker was also second on the team in tackles. He made a tackle on 12.1% of his snaps. That’s a linebacker’s average! In fact, UK linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson was at only 10.0% in the same period. Walker is a 345-pounder making plays from sideline to sideline. That’s not normal. — Connelly
QB, Alabama, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 1,483 yards, 12 TD, 83.2 QBR
Preseason ranking: 22
Milroe is the only quarterback in the country with double-digit passing touchdowns (12) and double-digit rushing touchdowns (11). He has passed for at least one touchdown and rushed for at least one touchdown in all six games. The 6-2, 225-pound redshirt junior ranks second nationally in passing efficiency and was sensational in the 40-34 win over Georgia on Sept. 28 with 491 yards of total offense and two passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns. The only downside is that Milroe has four turnovers in his past two games. — Chris Low
RB, Iowa, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 937 yards, 12 TD, avg 7.9 yards
Preseason ranking: NR
The Hawkeyes entered the season with optimism about their run game, but Johnson, who had a breakout season as a freshman in 2022, was third on the depth chart behind Kamari Moulton and Leshon Williams, last year’s rushing leader. But Johnson immediately emerged as not only Iowa’s RB1, but one of the nation’s best. He had 685 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in the team’s first four games, and he has 937 for the season. Johnson has at least 166 rushing yards in four of five games against FBS opponents and rushing touchdowns in every contest. Although Johnson trails Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty in rushing average by 51.8 yards, he’s also 20.4 yards ahead of the No. 3 rusher. — Rittenberg
DE, Boston College, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 25 solo, 9 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
A year ago, Ezeiruaku lumbered through a miserable campaign in which he routinely found his way into the opponent’s backfield but mustered just two sacks. It was a colossal disappointment for a player who had been All-ACC as a sophomore in 2022. So he set out to change his fortunes this year, and it has been a remarkable change. Ezeiruaku leads all Power 4 defenders with nine sacks, 14 QB hurries, two forced fumbles and 26 pressures. He has been a one-man wrecking ball on BC’s defense, tormenting quarterbacks all season, recording at least one sack in each of his five games against FBS competition. Ezeiruaku is on pace to shatter the ACC single-season sack record held by another BC great, Harold Landry (16.5). — David Hale
DB, Michigan, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 12 solo, 2 INT, 3 PD
Preseason ranking: 4
One of the top lockdown cornerbacks in college football, Johnson has two interceptions in five games, both returned for touchdowns. He missed the 27-24 win over Minnesota on Sept. 28 with an injury, but had a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown the week before in a 27-24 win over USC. In the loss to Texas in Week 2, Johnson allowed just one reception. The 6-2, 202-pound junior has three pass breakups on the season and is the Michigan career record-holder with three interceptions returned for touchdowns. He had an 86-yarder to cap the 30-10 win over Fresno State in the season opener. — Low
QB, Colorado, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 2,018 yards, 17 TD, 70.6 QBR
Preseason ranking: 24
Watching Sanders play is like witnessing a tightrope walk across skyscrapers. With an offensive line that is often a sieve and some inconsistency among skill players not named Travis Hunter, Sanders has made much out of his current circumstance while still displaying the kinds of traits that make him an appealing NFL prospect. In six games, Sanders has already thrown for over 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns. Of players who have attempted over 200 passes this season, only Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel has a higher completion percentage. Colorado is far from one of the better teams in the country, but there’s no doubt that Sanders is one of the best in the sport under center. — Uggetti
QB, Indiana, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 1,752 yards, 14 TD, 91.9 QBR
Preseason ranking: NR
We knew Kurtis Rourke could play pretty good ball — he ranked a healthy 26th in Total QBR in 2022 with Ohio, after all, and he came to Indiana with 7,651 career passing yards and 50 touchdowns. But he has been more than anyone could have dreamed this season, and he has the Hoosiers 6-0. He’s currently second in Total QBR with 1,752 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, 30 completions of 20-plus yards and only two interceptions. Indiana ranks second nationally in points per drive and fifth in yards per play. Rourke and Curt Cignetti’s transfer army have created a half-season juggernaut in Bloomington, and they could be favored in every game (including a visit from Michigan) between now and a Week 13 trip to Ohio State. — Connelly
EDGE, South Carolina, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 7.5 sacks, 11.5 TFL, 2 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
Kennard has picked up right where he left off at Georgia Tech as part of a talented and disruptive South Carolina defensive line. In his first season with the Gamecocks, the 6-5, 254-pound fifth-year senior has blossomed into one of the pass-rushers in the country. He is tied for second nationally with 11.5 tackles for loss, including 7.5 sacks, and he had his way with the Alabama offensive line last Saturday with three tackles for loss. Kennard has the SEC’s second-highest grade as an edge rusher and has also forced two fumbles. — Low
DL, Michigan, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 21 total, 11 solo, 3.5 sacks,
Preseason ranking: 2
An integral player on Michigan’s national championship team, Graham has continued to be one of the nation’s best interior linemen. Graham has 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and a blocked field goal attempt, and he recorded his first multisack performance in a win against Minnesota. But the numbers hardly capture the impact he has at the defensive tackle spot. Michigan isn’t the same team as it was in 2023, but the Wolverines continue to excel against the run, allowing only 76.3 yards per game, and Graham is a big reason why. — Rittenberg
OL, Alabama, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 0 pressures allowed in 247 snaps at LG
Preseason ranking: 31
Despite a wild season for the Tide that has featured an upset of Georgia and being upset by Vanderbilt, Booker has been one of the consistent pillars of the team. At left guard (and sometimes at left tackle in place of the injured Kadyn Proctor), the 6-5, 325-pound junior from Connecticut has been a force in the trenches. Booker has graded out above 90% in each of Alabama’s games while not having allowed a sack, pressure or quarterback hurry in five of the six games. He has been a nightmare matchup for many defensive fronts and has helped set the tone for the Tide’s success on offense while continuing to improve his draft stock in the process. — Uggetti
WR, Ohio State, Freshman
Notable 2024 stats: 32 rec, 553 yards, 7 TD
Preseason ranking: NR
It is almost impossible to live up to the hype that Jeremiah Smith received heading into his first collegiate season. We heard plenty of, “He might already be Ohio State’s best receiver!” rumbles in the spring about Smith, the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2024 class. And while spring buzz seems like it’s wrong about 98% of the time, damned if it wasn’t almost underselling Smith’s capabilities. Through six games, Smith has caught 32 passes for 553 yards and seven touchdowns; through the first six games of 2023, Marvin Harrison Jr. had 31 catches for 604 yards and five scores. Ohio State lost the No. 4 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, and a freshman is matching his production. That’s not supposed to happen. — Connelly
DL, Oregon, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 9 solo, 3 sacks, 2 FF
Preseason ranking: NR
The 6-5, 310-pound Harmon has been one of the most productive acquisitions in the portal. In his first season with Oregon after spending three seasons at Michigan State, Harmon leads all FBS defensive linemen with 28 total quarterback pressures and 23 hurries, according to Pro Football Focus, and he grades out as its top Power 4 defensive interior lineman. Harmon’s size and quickness make him a nightmare to block. He has registered 4.5 tackles for loss, including three sacks. In the 32-31 win over Ohio State, Harmon forced a fumble that he recovered leading to Oregon’s first touchdown. It was his second forced fumble of the season. — Low
WR, Alabama, Freshman
Notable 2024 stats: 23 rec, 576 yards, 6 TD
Preseason ranking: NR
Amid an incredible run of Alabama wide receivers that includes 2020 Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, no freshman has made an immediate impact like Williams. ESPN’s No. 3 recruit in the 2024 class had touchdown catches in each of his first five games, and he delivered the most memorable play of the season, a 75-yard game-winning score against Georgia after Alabama had blown a 28-0 lead. Williams is averaging 25.04 yards per catch, which leads all FBS receivers, and he has a rushing touchdown. His 177 receiving yards against Georgia marked the second-most by an Alabama freshman in team history and the most since 1969. He has 576 receiving yards and six scores. — Rittenberg
DL, Texas A&M, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 13 solo, 4.5 sacks, 1 FF
Preseason ranking: 29
Perhaps other than coach Mike Elko, no addition to the Texas A&M program has made a bigger impact in 2024’s resurgence than Scourton. The Purdue transfer has been a beast at the line of scrimmage, racking up 4.5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, six run stuffs, 20 pressures, 13 QB hurries and two pass breakups. Scourton has been the catalyst for a defense that ranks eighth in efficiency, 18th in nonblitz pressure rate, and has stuffed 37 runs at or behind the line of scrimmage. Scourton has also rocketed up NFL draft boards, and he’s a likely first-round pick in 2024. — Hale
WR, Ole Miss, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 59 rec, 987 yards, 6 TD
Preseason ranking: 38
Easily one of the country’s most productive and explosive receivers during the first half of the season, Harris already has 59 catches and is averaging 16.7 yards per catch. He has been dynamic after the catch and leads all FBS receivers with 462 yards after the catch. The 6-3, 210-pounder also leads the country with 11 receptions of 30 yards or longer. Despite being less than 100 percent, Harris caught seven passes for 102 yards last week in the overtime loss to LSU, including an incredible 15-yard touchdown. It was his sixth TD of the season. — Low
OT, LSU, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 1.6% pressure pct, 1 sack allowed in 395 snaps
Preseason ranking: 6
We’ll start with the bad news: In 2024, Will Campbell has already allowed more sacks than he did in all of last season. Of course, the all-world left tackle allowed zero last year and has allowed only one, with a lower pressure rate, this time around. That’s pretty forgivable. He and the LSU line allowed zero sacks in Week 7 as the Tigers came back to upset Ole Miss and move back into the top 10, and early line prowess is one of the main reasons why LSU is just seven points from an unbeaten record, despite major defensive turnover. If the defense continues to come around, Campbell and the offense could assure that the Tigers remain a major threat in the College Football Playoff race. — Connelly
QB, Oregon, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 1,790 yards, 13 TD, 84.0 QBR
Preseason ranking: 16
Perhaps Gabriel was playing a little rope-a-dope ahead of Oregon’s showdown with Ohio State in Week 7. He’d be good, of course, but there was so little that seemed spectacular about Gabriel’s first five games of 2024. The Ducks struggled to escape first Idaho, then Boise State. He had at least one turnover in four of his first five games, including two red zone INTs against Michigan State. And despite all that, he was still averaging more than 300 yards of offense per game and completing 78% of his throws. Then came Ohio State, and Gabriel was utterly brilliant, torching the Buckeyes’ vaunted secondary for 341 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Gabriel could pass Timmy Chang for No. 2 in career passing yards in his next start, and should the Ducks make the Big Ten title game, he’s well within striking distance of eclipsing Case Keenum for No. 1 all time before the year is out. — Hale
OL, Texas, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 0 sacks allowed in 350 snaps
Preseason ranking: 9
In six games and 202 pass-blocking snaps at left tackle, Banks has allowed just one pressure. What’s more incredible is he has been near perfect in spite of playing two of college football’s top defenses, in Michigan and Oklahoma. Against the rival Sooners in Week 7, he had 35 pass-block snaps and absolutely stonewalled the Oklahoma pass rush. Pro Football Focus ranks Banks as its No. 2-graded Power 4 offensive tackle in pass rushing, and one of just 10 Power 4 tackles to grade out at a 75 or better in both run and pass blocking. He’s a clear-cut first-round NFL draft pick, and he’s making a strong case to be the first player taken in 2025. — Hale
WR, Colorado, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 49 rec, 587 yards, 6 TD
Preseason ranking: 3
Despite getting injured in Colorado’s most recent game against Kansas State, Hunter’s season remains an unparalleled wonder to watch. As a receiver, Hunter has caught 49 passes for 587 yards and six touchdowns. He is Shedeur Sanders’ no. 1 option and has carried on that role as effectively as possible while also playing full snap counts on the other side of the ball. On defense, Hunter hasn’t just been solid as a defensive back. He has been a playmaker, intercepting two passes, deflecting three others, forcing a fumble and totaling 16 tackles too. His absence in the Buffs’ second loss of the season only served to further highlight his impact. Without him, Colorado’s ceiling is infinitely lower. — Uggetti
QB, Miami, Senior
Notable 2024 stats: 2,219 yards, 20 TD, 91.8 QBR
Preseason ranking: 56
To simply list off statistics is impressive enough for Ward. He leads all Power 4 QBs in passing touchdowns (20) and completions of 20 yards or more (41) and is second in Total QBR (91.8) and yards-per-dropback (9.84). But the stats don’t tell the real story. Ward’s confidence has been infectious at Miami, which opened the season with four dominant wins, then wrapped the first half of the year with back-to-back come-from-behind wins, including overcoming a 20-point deficit at Cal in which Ward accounted for 277 yards and three touchdowns — in the fourth quarter alone. Even his post-touchdown celebration has become a trend. Through six games, at least, he has willed Miami out of a 20-year slumber and back into college football’s elite. — Hale
RB, Boise State, Junior
Notable 2024 stats: 126 rec, 1,248 yards, 17 TD
Preseason ranking: 25
It has been quite some time since we could definitively say that the best running back in the country might also be the best player in the country, but that’s just how ridiculous the run Jeanty has been on has been. In six games, Jeanty is at 1,248 rushing yards, averaging 9.9 yards per carry, and he has 17 touchdowns. Watching him week after week has been as impressive as any statistic — once he gets the ball in his hands, he becomes nearly impossible to tackle and nearly impossible to catch. This season, Jeanty has posted three games with more than 200 rushing yards and his lowest rushing-yard total in a game was 127. He is on pace to break Barry Sanders’ single-season record for rushing yards and touchdowns in a season. In other words, Jeanty isn’t just unstoppable, he’s historic. — Uggetti
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Max Olson, ESPN Staff Writer
On this date last year, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. looked like the Heisman Trophy front-runner after defeating Oregon. In 2022, Hendon Hooker held the lead at midseason following Tennessee’s upset of Alabama. The year before, Kenneth Walker III and Matt Corral were surging.
None of those players ended up taking home the hardware. The Heisman race is a marathon, not a sprint, and a tricky one to forecast early in the season.
Here’s how ESPN writers voted on their top Heisman candidates at midseason. In this round of voting, 11 different players received votes.
To arrive at the final rankings, 14 voters were asked to vote for their top five. First-place votes earned five points with four points assigned for second-place votes, three points for third-place votes, two points for fourth-place votes and one point for fifth-place votes.
Total points: 66 (first-place votes: 11)
In college football, few individual records have seemed more unbreakable than Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record. The Oklahoma State superstar rewrote the record books and secured the Heisman in 1988 with a jaw-dropping 2,850 rushing yards and 44 touchdowns.
Six games in, Jeanty is well on his way to breaking it. Boise State’s unstoppable star has gained 1,248 rushing yards and scored 18 total touchdowns while averaging an absurd 9.9 yards per carry. Sanders had 1,156 rushing yards and 19 TDs on 7.5 yards per carry through his first six games in 1988.
Jeanty is the most explosive playmaker in the sport, with eight touchdown runs of 50 or more yards. Defenses spend all week scheming to stuff the box and slow him, but Jeanty leads all FBS backs in broken tackles. He has done all this despite sitting out the second half of two blowout wins for the No. 15 Broncos as they chase another Mountain West title and a College Football Playoff bid.
A running back from a non-power conference hasn’t been invited to New York as a Heisman finalist since TCU’s LaDanian Tomlinson in 2000. Jeanty is leaving little doubt he’ll be there in December.
Heisman moment: Nobody has figured out a good way to shut down Jeanty, and that includes the now-No. 2 ranked Oregon Ducks. Jeanty rushed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in Eugene on Sept. 7 and legitimately put Oregon on upset alert in a 37-34 thriller. Jeanty broke a 70-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to tie the score, then punched in his third score of the night with 10 minutes left to put the Broncos ahead 34-27. The Ducks rallied late and won on a game-winning field goal with time expiring, but Jeanty earned a lot more believers that night.
Key stat: Jeanty has gained 841 rushing yards after first contact, according to TruMedia. That’s 355 yards more than any other running back in FBS. Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson ranks second with 586. How extreme is that number through six games? In 2023, only eight FBS running backs finished the season with 850 or more rushing yards after contact. Jeanty was one of them, ranking fourth nationally with 934.
ESPN BET Heisman odds: +175
Total points: 52 (first-place votes: 3)
Nobody else in college football can do what Hunter does. Colorado’s two-way star and future first-round pick got off to a dominant start in the Buffaloes’ first season back in the Big 12, leading the conference in catches with 49 for 587 yards and six touchdowns. He opened the season with four consecutive 100-yard performances at receiver, but his play at cornerback has been just as impressive. Hunter has yet to allow a touchdown pass and has recorded three pass breakups and two interceptions.
Hunter suffered a shoulder injury on Saturday night against Kansas State and had to miss the second half of the Buffaloes’ 31-28 loss. After the game, coach Deion Sanders didn’t offer an update on the severity of the injury nor a timetable for Hunter’s return. Let’s hope it’s just a minor setback for the most dynamic player in the game.
Heisman moment: Hunter struck the Heisman pose after diving for an interception against UCF, one of several highlight plays he made in a 48-21 blowout road win on Sept. 28. Hunter also hauled in nine catches for 89 yards and a touchdown against the Knights.
Key stat: Prior to his injury, Hunter had been on the field for 92% of Colorado’s plays on offense and defense. He has totaled 322 snaps on offense and 341 on defense, according to TruMedia. No other FBS player has played more than 500 snaps this season.
ESPN BET Heisman odds: +1100
Total points: 43
Six games in, Ward is truly exceeding Miami fans’ wildest expectations. The Washington State transfer took over a team that went 7-6 in 2023 and turned it into the undefeated front-runner to win the ACC.
The 6-foot-2, 223-pound senior has always possessed elite arm talent but he has taken his game to another level this fall with 2,219 passing yards (second-most in FBS), 23 total touchdowns and five interceptions while operating the No. 1 scoring offense in the country.
Ward dominated Florida in his debut, has pulled off dramatic comeback wins over Virginia Tech and Cal and has created real CFP expectations for the Hurricanes as they’ve risen to No. 6 in the AP poll. After two seasons at the FCS level at Incarnate Word and two at Washington State, Ward came close to entering the NFL draft but had a late change of heart. He wanted to come back to school for one final season, win big and prove he’s a first-round talent. So far, so good.
Heisman moment: If you stayed up late enough to watch it, you witnessed greatness from Ward during Miami’s resilient 39-38 comeback win at Cal on Oct. 5. Ward faced a 25-point deficit midway through the third quarter but just kept playing. He threw for 437 yards and expertly led four consecutive touchdown drives, connecting with tight end Elijah Arroyo for the game-winning score with 26 seconds left.
Key stat: Ward is averaging 12.2 yards per attempt on third downs according to TruMedia, best among all FBS starting quarterbacks. The Hurricanes are No. 1 nationally in third-down conversions (60.3%) thanks to their veteran QB. Ward has played 64 snaps on third downs and has accounted for 559 total yards and seven touchdowns.
ESPN BET Heisman odds: +600
Total points: 32
The Ducks sought a veteran quarterback with big-game experience to succeed Bo Nix as they aimed to take their next big step as a program in Year 3 under Dan Lanning. They were right to bet on Gabriel, a 49-game starter at Oklahoma and UCF who is predictably proving to be a terrific fit as a leader and playmaker.
Gabriel made the move to Eugene knowing his final college season would be defined by how he performed in high-pressure situations on a squad with national championship ambitions. He aced his toughest test yet with incredible poise Saturday night, putting up 373 total yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers in the Ducks’ 32-31 upset of No. 2 Ohio State, the program’s second-ever win over an AP top-2 opponent.
Six games in, Gabriel has accounted for 1,893 total yards with 17 touchdowns and three interceptions while completing a career-high 76% of his passes. A 12-0 run through Oregon’s regular-season schedule looks entirely possible now, which would certainly keep Gabriel in the Heisman race the rest of the way.
Heisman moment: Gabriel’s performance against Ohio State was arguably the best of his career. He beat one of the top defenses in the country again and again with remarkable accuracy on downfield shots, going 6-of-7 for 220 yards with a touchdown and no turnovers on throws of 15-plus yards against the Buckeyes.
Key stat: Gabriel needs only 2,563 more passing yards and 18 more passing touchdowns to surpass Houston’s Case Keenum as the NCAA all-time leading passer.
ESPN BET Heisman odds: +375
Total points: 4
Finding a new starting quarterback in the transfer portal was high on coach Curt Cignetti’s to-do list upon taking the Indiana job. He found a proven winner to build around in Rourke, a 33-game starter at Ohio who’d thrown for more than 7,500 yards and earned MAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. And together, they just keep winning.
The sixth-year senior has been superb during the Hoosiers’ stunning 6-0 start and rise to No. 16 in the AP poll, passing for 1,752 yards with 16 total touchdowns and two interceptions on a Big Ten-best 11 yards per attempt. Rourke has put up a 91.9 QBR — best among Power 4 starters — while masterfully operating a rebuilt offense that’s scoring 47.5 points per game. His experience and efficiency have injected a ton of confidence into a team that went 3-9 a year ago.
Heisman moment: Indiana has yet to trail in any game, so Rourke hasn’t faced too many pressure moments. With Nebraska up next and games against Michigan and Ohio State on their November schedule, those opportunities are coming soon. When Northwestern did make it a 3-point game against the Hoosiers early in the fourth quarter, Rourke shut down the Wildcats’ upset bid with consecutive touchdown drives, finishing with 380 passing yards and three TDs in a 41-24 win.
Key stat: Indiana has outscored its six opponents by a combined margin of 196 points. Only Texas (221 points) and Ole Miss (216) have been better by that standard. In their nine losses last season, the Hoosiers were outscored by a combined margin of 135 points.
ESPN BET Heisman odds: +6000
Also receiving votes: Army QB Bryson Daily (3 points), Alabama WR Ryan Williams (3), Navy QB Blake Horvath (2), Alabama QB Jalen Milroe (2), Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith (2), Pitt RB Desmond Reid (1)
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Rachel Doerrie, ESPN
The 2024-25 NHL season has begun, which means it’s time for another set of rankings of all 32 teams’ prospect pipelines — and how the business of the offseason changed those rankings compared to April’s edition.
In several cases, prospects are getting a nine-game look at the NHL level before their team must decide whether to send them back to the Canadian junior leagues. The rest have already begun their seasons there or in the NCAA or other leagues worldwide. To qualify as a prospect for this list, the player must be under 23 years old and have his rights owned by an NHL team.
Players expected to be on the NHL roster for most of the NHL season are not considered in the pipeline. Notable players fitting that description include Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Matvei Michkov, Cutter Gauthier, Shane Wright, Logan Stankoven, Brandt Clarke and Rutger McGroarty.
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