We all knew the A.J. McCarron we saw against Virginia Tech wasn’t the real AJ McCarron, right?
That guy who finished 10 of 23 for 110 yards against the Hokies? Forget about him.
The McCarron we saw today...now that’s the stuff.
The senior quarterback went 20 of 29 for a career-high 334 yards and four touchdowns to lead the No. 1 Crimson Tide over No. 6 Texas A&M, 49-42. On a day when both teams need every last drop of offense to win, McCarron went toe-to-toe with Johnny Football and came out on top. While McCarron wasn’t as spectacular as his counterpart, he made fewer mistakes (no interceptions) and, yes, he managed the game better. Meanwhile, Johnny Manziel’s two interceptions were the difference in the game.
It’s games like this that spark Heisman campaigns. Two games into this season, McCarron has to be considered one of the names to watch. After all, if he keeps producing like he did against A&M, he’ll have some good numbers to back up his winning ways. And a win on the road against a highly-ranked team is exactly what Heisman voters expect of a great quarterback.
Can he match what he did last season when he threw 30 touchdown passes and just three interceptions while leading the nation in passing efficiency? It might take that type of season to have a real chance at the trophy, but the unflappable McCarron seems capable of getting it done. He’s got the weapons around him and the running game to set things up.
And as long as the Tide remains No. 1, he’ll get much of the credit for helping to keep them there. At the very least, that should mean a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist.