These three players will be invited to New York to be on hand for Saturday's presentation of the award, which goes to college football's best player.
Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper and Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon were named as the three finalists for the Heisman Trophy on Monday.
Those three players will be invited to New York to be on hand for Saturday’s presentation of the award, which goes to college football’s best player.
The deadline for voting was Monday afternoon. Finalists are determined by percentage of votes received from 929 media members and former winners.
Not among the finalists is Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who won the Heisman Trophy last year as a redshirt freshman and led the Seminoles to an undefeated regular season and berth in the four-team national playoff.
—Tennessee went just 6-6 this season, but that was good enough for head coach Butch Jones to get a contract extension and a raise that will pay him $3.6 million per year through 2020.
Jones, who has the Vols in a bowl game for the first time since 2010, got a salary increase of $700,000 a year from the $2.9 million he earned in his first contract with Tennessee.
–Tony Levine is out as Houston’s head coach after going 21-17 in three seasons since replacing Kevin Sumlin.
Athletic director Mack Rhoades said defensive coordinator David Gibbs would serve as interim coach, including the Jan. 2 game against Pittsburgh in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
–East Carolina wide receiver Justin Hardy won the Burlsworth Trophy, which goes to the most outstanding college football player who began his career as a walk-on.
The senior set the record for receptions in major college football history with 355 and edged out two other finalists — Mississippi State guard Ben Beckwith and Iowa running back Mark Weisman.
