STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey is The Associated Press college football player of the year, becoming the first non-Heisman Trophy winner to earn the honor in six years.
McCaffrey was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy to Derrick Henry, but received 29 of 60 votes from the AP Top 25 media panel to edge the Alabama running back.
Henry received 16 votes and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson was third with 11. Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds and Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield each received two votes.
The last time the AP player of the year was not the Heisman winner was 2009. That season Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh was the AP voter’s choice while the Heisman went to Alabama’s Mark Ingram.
McCaffrey is the first Stanford player to win the award.