A fantastic weekend slate of rivalry games has passed, and conference championship week approaches. And with it, a once overflowing field of candidates for college football's Heisman Trophy has almost certainly thinned to just two viable candidates.
Last Week's Heisman Trophy Power Rankings
Here's an assessment of the race as we enter the final month of 2014.
Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Prescott entered last week's power rankings solidly in the top three. A powerhouse performance on the road against Ole Miss would've solidified not only his place as a true contender, but his team's place in the inaugural playoff final four.
Alas, Prescott was merely solid when the Bulldogs needed him to be spectacular. The Ole Miss defense seemed to leave him flummoxed from the opening kick. He threw no interceptions, but he completed less than 60 percent of his passes, leading to multiple stalled drives. He also was ineffective out of the pocket, rushing a gargantuan 24 times, but only at a two yards-per-carry clip. Mississippi State fell to their in-state rivals by two touchdowns, and Prescott's Heisman hopes fell with it.
The Best & Worst of the 2014 College Gridiron Season
Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
Last week I argued that, if the Heisman Trophy is truly designed to reward the best player in the FBS, then Gordon should be the ultimate choice. I stand by that claim, and Gordon's 151 yards and two touchdowns vs. Minnesota did nothing to disabuse me of that notion.
However, it's clear that the Badgers are just too far out of the playoff picture and Gordon too far removed from the limelight to garner anything resembling the momentum necessary for a running back to loosen the strangehold quarterbacks have on the inside track to the Heisman (12 of the last 15!).
To make matters even more precarious for Gordon, Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper had a sterling night of his own on Saturday, torching a very good Auburn defense for 224 yards and three TDs. He'll effectively split the non-QB vote, leaving the door wide open for our presumptive winner...
Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Mariota should probably get to work on polishing his Heisman Trophy acceptance speech right now. While I still maintain this award could legitimately go to Gordon, I have no reason to knock the all-but-inevitable Mariota coronation.
He truly looked like a video game player turned up to 99 against Oregon State, dissecting the Beavers for 367 yards on 76 percent passing, to go with four touchdowns in the air and two more on foot. The man has a mere two interceptions on the season and just twelve in his three-year career. To give you perspective, Jameis Winston threw ten picks during his own Heisman season alone.
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