Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 championship while breaking several school rushing and scoring records along the way. Apparently his efforts were not enough to impress the Heisman Trophy voters to earn an invitation to New York City as a finalist for the award.
Skattebo was not named as one of the four players who will be considered and voted on for the prestigious individual award, to be handed out to the winner on Dec. 14.
Colorado's Travis Hunter, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Miami quarterback Cam Ward were the four players named as finalists, with Hunter and Jeanty considered the top choices to win the award.
Cam Skattebo's Heisman snub will only fuel his CFP performance
The winner of the first-round College Football Playoff match between Texas v. Clemson will be in big trouble having to try and stop Skattebo in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal.
He accrued 2,074 all-purpose yards (second only to Jeanty in the FBS) and 22 touchdowns even with missing a game for injury, dominating the Big 12 Championship Game with three scores in front of a national audience.
He also broke ASU's single-season record for most rushing touchdowns with 19 and is tied for the record for most total touchdowns (22). He'll likely break that during the quarterfinal game in Atlanta.
Skattebo is "the best running back in the nation," in his words. To see the voters dismiss his season out of hand for a quarterback (Ward) that did not lead his team to a conference championship nor the College Football Playoff is embarrassing.
Skattebo was just handed the greatest bulletin board material ever in being snubbed as a Heisman finalist. Head coach Kenny Dillingham needs to take the list and the picture of the winner and post it all over his locker ahead of the quarterfinal.
It could just be the push the team needs to rally around in order to overcome the collective disrespect around the program entering a matchup against an SEC giant in Texas or the ACC champion in Clemson who's been there before.