Week 3 of the college football season was supposed to be boring.
Yeah, it wasn't.
The rankings were flipped upside down with upsets in Blacksburg, Chestnut Hill, and Columbia - along with near upsets in many other places, but the Heisman race really started to thin out.
The guys at the top are starting to distance themselves while the rest of the pack falls further back, but there's plenty of time for 'Heisman moments' to play out. Where do things stand right now?
DARK HORSES
10) Trevor Knight, QB, Oklahoma
Last Week: NR
Knight makes the list almost by default as some other Heisman hopeful quarterbacks have played their way off the list (see Hundley, Brett and Hogan, Kevin). He's been solid so far this season leading the Sooners to three blowout victories, recording 860 yards through the air and six total touchdowns. A trip to Morgantown to face an improved West Virginia team this coming weekend should tell us whether Knight's Heisman chances are for real or not.
9) Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
Last Week: NR
Abdullah had the incredible game-winning catch and run that put the Cornhuskers past McNeese State, but it was his 110 yard rushing performance against Fresno State this week that catapulted him into the top 10 of our list. He now has 396 yards rushing on the year - averaging 6.9 yards a carry - and is a proven dual threat with 105 yards receiving. Abdullah's chances hinge on him having more games with crazy stats, which could be possible given Nebraska's easy schedule.
8 ) Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama
Last Week: 9
Cooper has been the most consistent player on the Crimson Tide this season, providing a security blanket to whoever is running Alabama's offense (Blake Sims and Jake Coker are both still getting playing time). He's third in the country in receiving yards with 454 (Baylor freshman K.D. Cannon ranks first with 471 on 33.6!!! yards per catch) and first in receptions with 33. The opportunity is there for Cooper to move up the list if he can keep those numbers up and make big plays in the Tide's big games.
7) Taysom Hill, QB, BYU
Last Week: NR
Hill lands at No. 7 on our list because of how impressive BYU has been this season. He jumpstarted his Heisman campaign with a three rushing touchdown performance in the Cougar's 41-7 win over Texas, and now has 1,045 total yards and 10 total touchdowns to his name.
If BYU keeps winning, it'll be because of Hill and he'll continue to move up the list. If they lose once, expect Hill to fall out of the top 10.
6) Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor
Last Week: 6
Petty sat out of Baylor's 70-6 win over Northwestern State two weeks ago due to a back injury, but came back strong against Buffalo with 416 yards passing and four touchdowns...in the first half. He sat out the last 30 minutes in the Bear's 63-21 win, but his performance was impressive nonetheless. Petty now has six passing touchdowns and has yet to throw an interception this year while essentially playing one full game of football due to Baylor playing in three massive blowouts. If he can keep his numbers this high against good competition, he'll challenge Mariota and Winston at the top of our list.
CONTENDERS
5) Everett Golson, QB, Notre Dame
Last Week: 5
Golson continues to keep the Fighting Irish rolling, recording three total touchdowns in their 30-14 win over Purdue. He still hasn't lost a regular season game as the starting quarterback for Notre Dame, and has stepped his game up tremendously after missing all of last season. Golson's recorded 11 total TDs to lead the Irish, but his first chance to really prove himself won't come until October 4 when Notre Dame hosts Stanford.
4) Kenny Hill, QB, Texas A&M
Last Week: 4
Kenny Trill has been perhaps the most impressive player so far in this young season, throwing for 1,094 yards and leading the country in touchdown-to-interception ratio (11:0). He continued his dominance against Rice, putting up 300 yards passing and four touchdowns, and should continue to do over the next few weeks as the Aggies face SMU, Arkansas, and Mississippi State.
3) Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Last Week: 2
Winston is coming off a bye week, but he falls a spot due to the play of Todd Gurley. He's been good-but-not-Jameis-good this year, totaling 626 yards passing for three touchdowns and two interceptions. The Seminoles face Clemson on Saturday, giving Winston another shot to make a big statement on a national stage against a pretty good defense.
2) Todd Gurley II, RB, Georgia
Last Week: 3
Georgia might have lost to South Carolina, but Gurley was still a force to be reckoned with. The Gamecocks continuously loaded the box on defense, and Gurley still managed to gash them for 131 yards and a touchdown - not including one 50+ yard TD run that was called back due to a holding penalty.
He now has 329 yards rushing and four touchdowns in two games, averaging an eye-popping 9.6 yards a carry. It's been clear that Gurley is the best running back in the nation, now his Heisman success will come down to how far he can carry the Bulldogs.
1) Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Last Week: 1
The Ducks started slow against Wyoming (perhaps still riding high after beating Michigan State), but turned it on in the second quarter and won easily, 48-14. Mariota was a big part of that turnaround, posting 221 yards passing and two touchdowns along with 71 yards and another two TDs on the ground. With two more "easy" games coming up against Washington State and Arizona, expect Mariota to put up more crazy stats before Oregon travels to Los Angeles to face UCLA.
Who’s your pick to win the Heisman? Is your dark horse missing from the list? Leave a response in the comments!
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