Should Aidan Hutchinson win the Heisman Trophy? The Michigan football star and award finalist weighs in

Michigan Wolverines football celebrated a 42-3 Big Ten championship game win over Iowa Saturday night, with junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson saying some of his teammates didn’t get a wink of sleep.

“We were eating it up,” Hutchinson said Sunday. “I was with my family for a while, so it was really fun. It was a really good time.”

Michigan’s coaches have already hit the road to recruit, and the players have some time off before the team’s preparation for its College Football Playoff matchup with Georgina begins. But Hutchinson has an obligation this weekend, with the Heisman Trophy ceremony being held Saturday night (Dec. 11) in New York.

According to Bet MGM, Hutchinson has the second-best odds to win college football’s most prestigious individual award, behind only Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. Hutchinson, along with Young, Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett and Ohio State signal-caller C.J. Stroud were all named finalists Monday evening.

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Hutchinson, who was named the Big Ten championship game MVP, has recorded a Michigan-record 14.0 sacks to go along with his 55 tackles, 15 stops for loss, two forced fumbles, 10 quarterback hurries and two pass breakups. A team captain, he’s led a Wolverines’ unit that ranks fourth nationally in scoring defense (16.1 points per game) and 12th in total defense (316.2).

Hutchinson is the highest graded defensive player according to PFF College. The All-Big Ten first-teamer and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year lists tied for third in total pressures with 73, and he has recorded five or more in nine games this season. Hutchinson recorded 15 pressures in the Ohio State game, setting a mark for the most generated in a single game since PFF began tracking the statistic in 2014.

After his signature, three-sack performance in a 42-27 win over Ohio State Nov. 27, a sentiment grew that Hutchinson should at least be invited as a finalist and should perhaps win the award. Young threw for 421 yards and three touchdowns in an SEC championship win over Georgia, making him the clear favorite. However, there remains a chance that Hutchinson, the program’s first Heisman finalist since Jabrill Peppers in 2016, will take home the hardware.

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and several players have stumped for Hutchinson, saying he’s deserving of being recognized as the sport’s best player. Asked himself Sunday afternoon following the announcement that the Wolverines will take on Georgia in the Orange Bowl, Hutchinson didn’t play the role of a lobbyist, but he did hint that he believes he should be strongly considered.

“I think I’ve shown a lot, and we’ve got a very good football team,” he said. “You can’t really control what other people think or what other people put you at, so I think I’ve done everything I can to put myself in the best position.”

When Hutchinson was being presented the MVP trophy Saturday night, he had trouble answering questions from FOX’s Joel Klatt because of some background noise. His teammates had started a ‘Hutch for Heisman’ chant that made him pause for a few seconds and put a smile on his face.

“It was so cool. It was really just crazy to be on that podium and talking and stuff,” Hutchinson said. “My teammates were doing the ‘Hutch for Heisman’ thing — that was so cool. We earned that. We earned that — every single guy on that team.”

Also Sunday afternoon, Michigan redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara was asked if he believes Hutchinson should win the Heisman. He was much more emphatic in supporting his teammate.

“There’s no other college football player that can affect every single play like Aidan Hutchinson can,” McNamara said. “The amount of physicality that he brings, the level of intent, and just really will to make every single play is unmatched.

“He’s a huge part of our success. I think If the Heisman were to go to the best player in college football, it would be Aidan Hutchinson.”