Last week, I wrote that no one seemed to want to lay claim to the Heisman. This week, real contenders began to separate themselves with dominant performances. Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, who reclaims the top spot, Clemson’s Tahj Boyd, and Florida State’s Jameis Winston all put together such dominant performances that they passed Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel, who picked a bad week to have a bye. At this point, those four really stand out.

1.  QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon (Last Week- #3)– Mariota reclaims the top spot after a one week hiatus. His 7 total touchdowns powered the Ducks to yet another dominant victory.

2. QB Tahj Boyd, Clemson (Last Week- #2)– Behind Boyd, the Tigers were able to dominate Syracuse. The quarterback’s 455 yards are bound to impress Heisman voters.


3. QB Jameis Winston, Florida State (Last Week- #6)– The Seminoles destroyed a solid Maryland team, and Winston was flawless. The freshman threw for 393 yards and 5 touchdowns, removing any doubt as to whether or not he is a legitimate Heisman contender.


4. QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (Last Week- #1)– Texas A&M did not play this week


5. RB Lache Seastrunk, Baylor (Last Week- #5)– As the Bears put together another incredible performance with 73 points against West Virginia, Seastrunk was integral, gaining 172 yards on the ground.

6. QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville (Last Week- #4)– An impressive 348 yard performance goes almost unnoticed this week.


7. QB Brett Hundley, UCLA (Last Week- #10)– Hundley did not “wow” against Utah, but his team keeps winning and he is the reason why.


8. QB Zach Mettenberger, LSU (Last Week- Unranked)– The Tigers routed Mississippi State as they continue their evolution into a passing team riding Mettenberger’s arm to victories in 2013. Until now, 340 passing yards in a game was unheard of at LSU.

9. RB Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin (Last Week- #9)– Wisconsin did not play this week.

10. QB Keith Price, Washington (Last Week- Unranked)– Despite the loss, Price continues to impress.

On the Cusp: QB Derek Carr (Fresno State), QB Bryce Petty (Baylor), WR Mike Evans (TAMU),  RB Ameer Abdullah (Nebraska)

In the Mix: QB Aaron Murray (UGA), WR Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt), RB Jeremy Hill (LSU), RB Bishop Sankey (Washington),  QB Taylor Kelly (Arizona State)


Stock Falling: QB AJ McCarron (Alabama), QB Jordan Lynch (Northern Illinois), RB De’Anthony Thomas, RB Alex Collins (Arkansas), RB Todd Gurley (UGA), DE Vic Beasley