Heisman Trophy award to be selected on Jan. 5

First of all, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.

Second of all, missing two games because of the coronavirus might have cost Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence the Heisman Trophy, but the junior is still the probable top pick in the college football draft and a Heisman finalist with Florida quarterback Alex Trask, Alabama quarterback Mac Jones, and Crimson Tide wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

The Heisman will be awarded Jan. 5 during a virtual ceremony, forcing the cancellation of the usual trip to New York City for the trophy presentation that comes with being a finalist.

Lawrence did not play in the Tigers’ lone setback at Notre Dame and the win over visiting Boston College. He comes into the College Football Playoffs with 22 touchdowns and 2,753 yards as 2nd-ranked Clemson makes the playoffs for the third time in his career, and plays 3rd-ranked, undefeated Ohio State. In the other Final Four match-up, unbeaten, top-ranked Bama takes on the 4th-ranked Fighting Irish. Here, it will be the one-two aerial attack of Jones against once-beaten Norte Dame, so it will be four teams with a combined record of 35-2.

Trask’s next stop is against Big 12 champion Oklahoma in the Dec. 31 Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Tex., and he leads the country with 42 touchdown passes and 4,125 yards. As for Jones, he has accounted for 32 touchdown throws, leads the nation in efficiency (202.34), completion percentage (76.5), and yards per pass (11.4). His key target, Smith, is tops in the land in receptions with 98, and receiving yards, 1,511.

Smith is trying to become the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Michigan’s Desmond Howard in 1991. If it isn’t Smith, the winner will be a quarterback for the 13th time in 15 years. Jones or Smith could become Alabama’s third Heisman winner, joining running backs Mark Ingram (2009) and Derrick Henry (2015). Lawrence did play in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship rematch versus Notre Dame and led the way to a blowout victory and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. He would be Clemson’s initial Heisman winner.

Just missing the final four was Alabama running back Najee Harris, as the program becomes the second one to have three players in the Heisman top five.

Alabama (10-0) and Notre Dame (10-1) will meet in the semifinals in the Rose Bowl, which has relocated to AT & T Stadium in Arlington, Tex., and also on Jan. 1, it will be Clemson (10-1) and Ohio State (6-0) in the other semis at the Sugar Bowl in the New Orleans Superdome.