Gordon in Gotham: Heisman runner-up
December 13, 2014 | Football
Dec. 13, 2014
BY JERRY BARCA
For UWBadgers.com
? Photos: Gordon in Gotham 
NEW YORK -- Melvin Gordon knew what most people who follow college football knew: Oregon's Marcus Mariota was pegged to win the Heisman Trophy.
Saturday night, when the winner was announced, the Wisconsin junior running back had finished second to Mariota.
"It wasn't a surprise. We had been hearing since the beginning that he was the frontrunner," Gordon said after the ceremony. "He deserved it, though. It is well deserved."
Gordon had dreamed of winning the Heisman. Really, it was a dream hatched by him and his father, also named Melvin, years ago.
"My dad's been telling me since I was nine that he wanted me to win the Heisman for him," Gordon said. "He always said, `Bring that trophy back. Get that trophy. We need that trophy.'"
The trophy is not coming back. But Gordon's father offered him a different perspective Thursday night after the Badger picked up the Doak Walker Award at The Home Depot College Football Awards. In speaking about the Heisman that night, father and son spoke about Mariota's great season and Gordon's father said this: "Have faith. If you don't win it, you won it, to me."
The 6-1, 213-pound Kenosha product did put together one of the most spectacular rushing seasons in college football history. His 2,336 rushing yards ranks as the fourth best single-season total. He also reached the 2,000-yard milestone in the fewest carries ever.
Among the 18 2,000-yard rushing seasons in FBS history, Gordon's 7.6 average yards per carry stands as No. 2, tied with Heisman winner Barry Sanders and behind another Heisman winner, Mike Rozier, who averaged 7.8 yards per rush.
The 2014 campaign also included a 408-yard, four-touchdown, three-quarter run through Nebraska. The mid-November game punctuated Gordon's Heisman candidacy and, though it lasted only a week, it set the record for the most rushing yards in a game.
While in New York, Gordon spoke with a cadre of past Heisman winners. He appeared on national TV and radio multiple times. He toured the Big Apple, stopping by the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree for a photo op. But what stands out for him is being able to meet his fellow finalists and share the Heisman experience with this family.
"Meeting Coop (Amari Cooper of Alabama) and Marcus has been an honor," Gordon said Saturday night. "Bringing my family out here, and them having the opportunity to come out here -- they've never been out here. It's just been a blast. I'm just so happy I got to share this moment with all of them."
Then the conversation shifted to what's next. He started to talk about the Outback Bowl versus Auburn. Tomorrow, he is scheduled to fly back to the Madison campus.
"When I get back it's time to go back to work."
You can follow Jerry Barca on Twitter @JBarca
