With an overall record of 7-3, LSU is having a blazing season. Even though there were some slip-ups against their division leader Alabama, LSU is having a blazing season with 3 consecutive wins. Moreover, LSU’s performance on Saturday was nothing less than phenomenal. The team earned some great accolades and even greater appreciation in fans’ hearts. Yet Jayden Daniels was the brightest star of the game.

LSU racked off a thrilling 52-35 against the 5-5 Florida in Death Valley. Each player chipped in their best. However, QB Jayden Daniels won hearts and minds with his record-breaking performance.

Jayden Daniels awarded National Player of the Week

Daniels’s performance was already flawless during the season, however, it aced on Saturday. The QB bagged a total of a whopping 606 yards with 5 touchdowns. Daniels rushed for 234 yards, the most by a quarterback in LSU history, scoring on runs of 85 and 51 yards. Moreover, he scored 38 runs for 27 yards, resulting in an average of 19.5 yards per carry. Among his five touchdowns, the 85-yard one was the longest scoring run by a QB in the pages of LSU history.

Soaring the ball during the game, Daniels completed six 20-plus passes and had utterly impressive TD passes off as high as 37 yards. This accounted for him running his season total of passing TDs to 30, becoming the nation’s best. Daniels also holds the record for having the second-highest touchdowns this year, 38, in college football.

Well, if these numbers were mind-boggling, there are more. Along with this, Daniels became the first QB ever in Football Bowl Subdivision History to have a minimum of 350 passing yards and 200 rushing yards in one game, setting novel standards in the SEC. Finally, the most commendable accolades that Daniels bagged from his record-breaking game were being named the Maxwell National Offensive Player of the Week as well as the co-National Quarterback of the Week.

Jayden Daniels the next Heisman Trophy winner?

Given numbers and laurels like this, Jayden Daniels becomes the leading candidate for the all-important Heisman Trophy of college football. LSU head coach Brian Kelly also agreed, saying, “If Daniels didn’t win the Heisman Trophy tonight he has got to be the leading candidate.” 

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However, Daniels is not the only potential candidate for the Trophy, as the changing dynamics of college football have given more quality QBs like the Colorado Buffs QB Sheduer Sanders and last year’s Heisman Trophy champion Caleb Williams. Only time will tell whether Daniels will be the next Heisman champion or not.

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