Four top-10 teams suffered upset losses this weekend, allowing new contenders to emerge in the Heisman race heading into the second half of the season. Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor has earned strong consideration, and a handful of stellar defenders may quietly earn respect as viable Heisman dark horses.
Saquon Barkley and Penn State escaped the weekend’s upset by simply not playing, but they’ll face two of the best teams in the country in consecutive weeks. Those games will give Barkley all the stage he needs to make a statement for the Heisman — good or bad.
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Others to Watch
Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State
Bradley Chubb, DE, N.C. State
Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
Sam Darnold, QB, USC
Quinton Flowers, QB, South Florida
5. Jalen Hurts, Alabama
Why he’s top-five: Another week, another 30-point win for the Crimson Tide. Hurts didn’t have his best game at the helm of the Alabama offense, but he’s still the leader of the team and, as quarterback, will be the catalyst for its success. The team’s multitude of talented running backs may hurt his Heisman chances — not to mention Minkah Fitzpatrick, whose season reminds somewhat of Tyrann Mathieu’s breakout year at LSU.
What he needs to show: Winning in SEC will continue to boost his chances, but for Hurts, playing well against top-10 teams — most notably Georgia in the SEC title game — should be enough to get him invited to New York.
4. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
Why he’s top-five: Wisconsin hasn’t gotten much fanfare this year thanks to a lackluster Big Ten schedule and playing on the opposite side of the conference, away from Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State. But Taylor ranks sixth nationally with 986 rushing yards, and Taylor’s Heisman chances have risen with the Badgers' rise to No. 5 in the country.
What he needs to show: Taylor is nearly at 1,000 rushing yards a little past halfway through the season, and should be in the mix to finish among the top rushers in the country. It will be a great help if the Badgers can finish the regular season undefeated (they still have Iowa and Michigan on the schedule). That would be compounded if Wisconsin is competitive in, or wins, the Big Ten title game.
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3. Bryce Love, Stanford
Why he’s top-five: Bryce Love’s national reputation has only gotten better with each week, as the Stanford star seamlessly replaced Christian McCaffrey to become college football’s leading rusher. Love will be an easier sell to Heisman voters as Stanford continues to win (5-2 on the year).
What he needs to show: It’d be a surprise, assuming he stays healthy, if Love does not finish with the highest rushing total in the country. But Stanford needs to continue to win this year for him to earn first-place votes. With a bye week and then Oregon State the next two weeks, Love should have no issues getting healthy and getting his team to six wins. But Washington State, Washington, California, and Notre Dame remain on the schedule, and Love needs to help Stanford win at least two of those games to be a real Heisman favorite.
2. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
Why he’s top-five: While his Sooners didn’t make a statement in their win against Texas, Mayfield played well throughout and certainly didn’t hurt his chances. Mayfield really hasn’t had a bad game yet this season, and the respect he earned a year ago has not faded with Heisman voters.
What he needs to show: In their last three games, Mayfield’s Sooners narrowly beat an 0-6 Baylor team, lost to Iowa State at home, and needed two great fourth-quarter drives to beat an unranked Texas team. Mayfield has played well in all of these games, but for quarterbacks, Heisman success generally flows from team success. Oklahoma still has TCU, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech on the schedule, none of which is an easy matchup.
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1. Saquon Barkley, Penn State
Why he’s top-five: With Penn State now ranked No. 2 in the country, Barkley’s Heisman excitement is unmatched. Following its bye week, and thanks to four top-10 teams losing, Penn State looks like one of the few teams that can actually compete with Alabama. And Barkley’s elite talent is a big reason why.
What he needs to show: Penn State’s season will be defined over the next two weeks. The Nittany Lions play Michigan at home this Saturday after two weeks of preparation, and then travel to Ohio to play the Buckeyes. Facing two of the best defenses in the country in back-to-back weeks will be a tough task for the Nittany Lions offense — and a tremendous test for the Heisman favorite.