The Heisman race is a fluid situation on a weekly basis, as evidenced by the Todd Gurley situation that emerged last week. We've been saying since late September that Jameis Winston's chances are slim due to the totality of his off-the-field shenanigans, and regardless of whether he misses time or not, those low hopes were completely dashed yesterday when his name was linked autograph signings, potentially for cash.
As for Mississippi State's Dak Prescott, his stock continues to rise, while Oregon's Marcus Mariota made it clear that he's still a player in the 2014 Heisman chase.
The Top Candidates:
1. Dak Prescott (Mississippi State QB, 2-1 'chalk') -- All he's done is lead the Bulldogs to four straight covers and three outright wins over top-10 teams. The last time a team won three in a row over top-10 foes was 1983. Prescott has 1,478 passing yards with a 14:4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Not to mention, he has 578 rushing yards and eight TDs, in addition to two catches for 35 yards and one more score.
2. Marcus Mariota (Oregon QB, 3-1 odds) -- Mariota was the catalyst in Oregon's 42-30 win at UCLA that kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive. He has completed 69.7 percent of his passes for 1,621 yards and 17 TDs without an interception. Mariota also has 290 rushing yards and five TDs with a 5.9 yards-per-carry average. Like Prescott, he also has a touchdown reception to his credit. The Ducks host a one-loss Washington team on Saturday.
3. Everett Golson (Notre Dame QB, 5-1 odds) -- Golson's hopes are mostly tied to the success of the Fighting Irish. Therefore, his candidacy becomes legit or possibly gets ruined altogether based on Notre Dame's result in Tallahassee against FSU this weekend. Golson has led the Irish to an unbeaten record by throwing for 1,683 yards with a 16:4 TD-INT ratio. He has 209 rushing yards and four TDs.
4. Bryce Petty (Baylor QB, 6-1 odds) - Petty produced Heisman-like heroics by leading the Bears back from a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat TCU, 61-58. He torched the Horned Frogs for 510 passing yards and six TDs. Petty has a 15:3 TD-INT ratio and three rushing scores.
Fringe Contenders:
Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin RB, 12-1 odds) -- Gordon is second nationally in rushing yards (1,046) and has 13 rushing TDs. However, the Badgers have two losses and are an abysmal 1-5 ATS. They need to win out while he puts up sick numbers for him to have a shot.
Bo Wallace (Ole Miss QB, 15-1 odds) -- With the Rebels emerging as legit national-title contenders, Wallace can't be left out of the conversation. His three interceptions against Boise St. in the season opener are nearly forgotten at this point.
Longshots:
These players include Alabama WR Amari Cooper (20-1), Georgia RB Todd Gurley (25-1), Auburn QB Nick Marshall (25-1), Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah (28-1), FSU QB Jameis Winston (35-1) and East Carolina QB Shane Carden (45-1).
Sporting News Heisman watch: Who does SN have on top?
Brian Edwards is a college football handicapper who contributes a weekly column to The Linemakers on Sporting News. For more valuable information and insight, follow him on Twitter @vegasbedwards and visit his website, BrianEdwardsSports.com.
While Las Vegas sports books are not allowed to accept bets on voted-upon events such as the Heisman Trophy, the wagering option can be found elsewhere, and Brian is providing updated mock odds throughout the college football season.
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