Do Marvin Harrison Jr.'s stats compare to 2020 Heisman Trophy-winning WR DeVonta Smith?

Colin Gay, Columbus Dispatch

Marvin Harrison Jr. is on track to do something no wide receiver has done since 2020: finish in the top-10 of Heisman Trophy voting.

Coming off a 149-yard and two-touchdown performance in Saturday night's 38-3 win against Michigan State, the Ohio State wide receiver has the fourth-best odds of any player to win the Heisman at +550 according to BetMGM. Harrison sits behind Oregon quarterback Bo Nix (-110), Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (+375) and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels (+400).

Harrison has the best odds of any non-quarterback, with Michigan running back Blake Corum next at +15000 odds.

Nov. 11, 2023; Columbus, Oh., USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates catching a long pass during Saturday's NCAA Division I football game against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium.
Nov. 11, 2023; Columbus, Oh., USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates catching a long pass during Saturday's NCAA Division I football game against the Michigan State Spartans at Ohio Stadium.

Who is the receiver Harrison is attempting to follow in the footsteps of? Alabama's DeVonta Smith, who took home the 2020 Heisman Trophy ahead of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, Alabama quarterback Mac Jones and Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, who finished seventh.

So how does Harrison's first 10 games compare to Smith's 2020 season?

Can Marvin Harrison Jr. compare to Alabama WR DeVonta Smith in 2020?

Jan. 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) runs upfield after catching a pass behind the defense of Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Shaun Wade (24) during the second quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Robertson/The Columbus Dispatch/USA TODAY Network

Through 10 games, Harrison leads Ohio State with 59 receptions for 1,063 yards and 13 total touchdowns, averaging 17.9 yards per touch. He has recorded seven games with at least 100 yards receiving, along with eight games with at least one touchdown reception including a six-game scoring streak.

In Smith's first 10 games of his Heisman campaign in 2020, Smith had 83 catches for 1,327 yards and 16 touchdowns. This stretch included two 200-yard performances against Mississippi State and LSU.

Harrison's best performance in 2023 was an 11-catch, 162-yard performance against Penn State where he scored one touchdown.

Smith finished with 1,856 receiving yards on 117 catches with 24 total touchdowns. He was the first wide receiver since Oklahoma's Dede Westbrook in 2016 to finish top-10 in the Heisman race.

Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts

cgay@dispatch.com

@_ColinGay

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Marvin Harrison Jr. vs DeVonta Smith: Is OSU WR on track to win Heisman?

Advertisement