In just 10 days, we’ve seen Heisman favorites Sam Darnold, Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield look surprisingly ineffective in defeat.
Just six weeks into the Heisman Trophy race, we’re already seeing projected top contenders drop out of contention, while others like Washington State's Luke Falk and Clemson's Kelly Bryant have begun to earn real consideration.
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Positioning for the Heisman Trophy race has changed again, but we may be looking at a true four-man race at this point in the season.
Just Missed
Sam Darnold, USC
Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
Quinton Flowers, South Florida
Jake Browning, Washington
Luke Falk, Washington State
J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
Kelly Bryant, Clemson
Kenny Hill, TCU
Malik Rosier, Miami (Fla.)
5. Jalen Hurts, Alabama
Why he’s top five: He’s the offensive leader on the clear best team in the country. Even in a lackluster win over the Texas A&M Aggies, Alabama looked in control the entire game, and coach Nick Saban even showed displeasure for the team’s narrow victory. Hurts may end the year as the quarterback on the only undefeated team in the country. That helps a lot.
What he needs to show: Hurts didn’t have his best game against Texas A&M, and his lack of Heisman-level elite talent is likely going to make him a “worst case scenario” candidate, rather than one who takes it. If Alabama keeps winning and other Heisman contenders falter, Hurts' leadership, consistency and dual-threat value on the country’s best team may be enough for him to earn consideration.
4. Rashaad Penny, San Diego State
Why he’s top five: If not for Bryce Love and Saquon Barkley, we’d be talking about Penny as the clear best running back in the country. Penny is just seven yards shy of 1,000 rushing yards on the season — through six games. He also has six straight 100-yard games this year, and has guided the Aztecs to an undefeated record and a top-20 ranking.
What he needs to show: With Boise State next on their schedule, another huge performance should help keep Penny in the mix all season. But so long as Love doesn’t slow down behind the Stanford offensive line and Penn State keeps winning, it’ll be hard for Penny to get any votes above Love and Barkley at the position.
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3. Bryce Love, Stanford
Why he's top five: Love, who averages 207 rushing yards per game, is on pace to be the most productive single-season running back in FBS history. While the Pac-12 isn’t known for its stout run defenses, Utah offered maybe the best challenge for him all year — and he still finished with 152 yards and 7.6 yards per carry.
What he needs to show: With that narrow victory at Utah, Stanford already has four wins at the halfway mark, and should be on their way to at least nine wins. Stanford likely won’t have a shot at the conference title game, but keeping their loss total below four would go a long way in giving Love a shot to win the trophy. He’s third in these rankings, but has a strong argument to be considered the favorite.
2. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
Why he’s top five: Oklahoma lost this weekend to Iowa State in a major upset, and the blemish on the record alone forces Mayfield off the top spot in the Heisman projections. But Mayfield played fine in the game, finishing with three total touchdowns and no turnovers. It’s really hard to go undefeated in college football, and this loss at midseason may actually do some good to keep Oklahoma hungry in what should be a brutal Big 12 slate.
What he needs to show: Mayfield will enter the Red River Rivalry this weekend with an extra chip on his shoulder, which could be bad news for Texas. With TCU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State still on the schedule, plus the Big 12 title game, Mayfield may need to win out — or hope Barkley and Love suffer multiple losses.
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1. Saquon Barkley, Penn State
Why he’s top five: With a loss from Baker Mayfield, Barkley officially takes the reins as the leader for the Heisman Trophy. Considering Penn State’s ranking and tough schedule, Barkley will have every opportunity to stay in the driver's seat, especially when he plays Ohio State and Michigan in back to back weeks later this month.
What he needs to show: With an undefeated record and a shot at the college football playoff, Barkley needs to continue being the offensive leader for the Nittany Lions, in every sense of the word. Barkley gets the weekend off from game action, but then gets Michigan at home and Ohio State on the road — two games that will define Penn State’s 2017 season and Barkley’s Heisman chances.