Gunner Stockton vs. Heisman QB finalists: The numbers when they mattered most

ATHENS — Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton may not be going to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist, but he will be going to New Orleans as an SEC champion.

Stockton, as has been the case all season, was at his best when it mattered most in winning SEC championship game MVP honors.

Stockton was 20-of-26 passing for 156 yards and passing TDs, along with 46 yards on his 10 carries in a 28-7 win over Alabama that gave Georgia its first back-to-back SEC titles in the 35-year history of the game.

Many UGA fans were still celebrating the win when the Heisman Trophy Trust, which runs the prestigious individual award, announced Monday the four finalists who will be in New York City for the ceremony next Saturday:

• Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love

• Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza

• Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia

• Ohio State QB Julian Sayin.

Stockton’s overall statistics did not match the three quarterbacks selected ahead of him, but his numbers against Power 4 teams with winning records certainly did.

Here’s a look at how Stockton’s passing compared to the Heisman QB finalists in games against Power 4 teams with winning records:

• Stockton (6 games)

117-158 (.741), 196.3 ypg, 15 TD, 2 INT

• Sayin (6 games)

117-157 (.745), 219.5 ypg, 12 TD, 2 INT

• Mendoza (4 games)

69-100 (.690), 234.5 ypg, 9 TD, 3 INT

• Pavia (5 games)

90-142 (.634), 224.0 ypg., 6 TD, 4 INT

When one adds rushing contributions in games against Power 4 teams with winning records into the mix, Stockton’s resume looks even better:

• Stockton 62 carries, 219 yards, 3 TDs

• Sayin 20 carries (-3) yards, 0 TDs

• Mendoza 26 carries, 58 yards, 0 TDs

• Pavia 71 carries, 372 yards, 5 TDs

It could be argued that Stockton accomplished more on the field to this point than each of the finalists outside of Indiana’s Mendoza, who led the Hoosiers to a 13-0 regular season while finishing second in the nation in passing efficiency.

A look at how the quarterbacks fared against the teams that finished in the CFP Top 25:

• Stockton 4-1

- L, 24-21 vs. Alabama

- W, 43-35 vs. Ole Miss

- W, 35-10 vs. Texas

- W 16-9 vs. Georgia Tech

- W 28-7 vs. Alabama

• Sayin 2-1

- W, 14-7 vs. Texas

- W, 27-9 vs. Michigan

- L, 13-10 vs. Indiana

• Mendoza 2-0

- W, 30-20 vs. Oregon

- W, 13-10 vs. Ohio State

• Pavia 0-2

- L, 30-14 vs. Alabama

- L, 34-31 vs. Texas

All of the finalists were certainly deserving, and Mendoza is the strong betting favorite to win at -1000, per DraftKings.com.

Pavia, second among betting favorites (+600), led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season ever, passing for 3,192 yards and 27 TDs while also rushing for 826 yards and 9 TDs.

Notre Dame’s Love (+15000) finished fourth in the nation in rushing yardage (1,372) and fifth in yards-per-carry average (689) for a 10-2 Irish team that missed the CFP and opted out of bowl play.

Ohio State’s Sayin (+70000) led the nation in pass efficiency, throwing for 3,323 yards with 31 touchdowns and 6 interceptions for the Big-Ten runner-up Buckeyes who lost to Indiana, 13-0 in that league’s title game.

Stockton, Mendoza and Sayin will continue their seasons in the CFP quarterfinals.

Sayin will be the first of the three to take the field when the No. 2-seeded Buckeyes (12-1) play in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31 against the winner of the first-round game at noon on Dec. 20 between Miami and Texas A&M.