DeSean Bishop Leads Running Backs in Heisman Fan Vote

Tennessee running back DeSean Bishop has worked his way into the Heisman Trophy discussion, albeit through an unusual route. With the presentation still more than a month away, the Heisman Trophy Trust is allowing fans to cast a vote that will count as an official ballot, with each voter able to name three players in order. According to the Heisman Trophy website, Bishop currently sits third among all players in that fan voting, and first among running backs.

The standing reflects a season that has put Bishop near the very top of the national rushing charts. Through eight games he has run for 957 yards and 11 touchdowns, leaving him second in the country in rushing yards, just six yards behind Boise State's Dylan Riley. Those totals have made him a central part of Tennessee's offense and a clear focal point for opposing defenses.

The wider field under discussion includes players such as Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith and Miami's Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney, along with Oregon State receiver Jesse Legree, who were all noted for strong seasons. Bishop is considered unlikely to win the award in the end, but his place in the fan vote points both to the strength of Tennessee's support and to how important he has become to the Volunteers this year.

As the season enters its closing stretch, Tennessee is expected to keep leaning on Bishop to drive its offense toward what supporters hope will be a 10-2 finish and a trip to the College Football Playoff. If his production continues at its current pace, his rushing numbers should rise further, and the national recognition he is now receiving will be difficult to dismiss as merely a fan-vote curiosity.