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Kyler Murray Wins 2018 Heisman Trophy over Tua Tagovailoa, Dwayne Haskins

Adam Wells

For the second straight year, an Oklahoma quarterback won the Heisman Trophy after Kyler Murray beat out Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins for the award. 

Per Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples, Murray won the Heisman with 517 first-place votes and 2,167 total points. Tagovailoa was the runner-up with 299 first-place votes and 1,871 points, followed by Haskins and his 783 points. 

On top of Saturday's win, Murray could become the third player in history to take home college football's top honor and play in a Major League Baseball game:

There was a long period during the 2018 season when it seemed as though Tagovailoa had the Heisman under lock and key. 

From Week 2 until championship Saturday, OddsShark had the Crimson Tide's sophomore sensation as the betting favorite for college football's most prestigious award. 

Tagovailoa's only major stumbling block came against Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. He went just 10-of-25 for 164 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions before an ankle injury forced him out of action in the fourth quarter. 

Murray's final impression on the voters was powerful, though. The Sooners star went 25-of-34 with 379 yards and three touchdowns in the Big 12 Championship Game win over Texas. He also avenged his team's earlier loss to the Longhorns on Oct. 6. 

Per OddsShark, the 21-year-old jumped Tagovailoa to become the Heisman favorite with -190 odds (bet $190 to win $100) after that game. 

NFL.com's Gil Brandt also laid out some of Murray's numbers from the season that painted an incredible picture:

Murray ended the regular season with the highest QBR (96), second-highest completion percentage (70.9), second-most passing touchdowns (40) and third-most passing yards (4,053) among FBS quarterbacks. 

Oklahoma has produced seven Heisman winners since the award's inception in 1935, which is tied with Notre Dame and Ohio State for the most all-time. 

Additionally, Oklahoma is the first school since Ohio State in 1974-75 with back-to-back Heisman winners. Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush accomplished the feat in 2004-05 for USC, but Bush was forced to vacate his award due to NCAA sanctions imposed on the school for violations relating to his recruitment.

Even though Murray won the award battle against Tagovalioa, the quarterbacks will meet Dec. 29 in the Orange Bowl for the right to play in the College Football Playoff Championship Game.     

   

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