The Heisman Trophy Award will be handed out in two months, so which players are currently in the best position to win one of the more famous individual awards in all of American sports?
1. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Odds: 2/1
The quarterback of the team that makes the national championship game or, in this season, the College Football Playoff, is a player who is usually in good shape to win the Heisman. Dak Prescott is very much in that position with No. 1 Mississippi State, which has ascended from being unranked after topping a top 10 team in each of the last three weeks. Prescott is an impressive dual-threat quarterback, and as long as Mississippi State keeps winning thanks in part to its offense, Prescott is going to get plenty of votes.
2. Nick Marshall, Auburn
Odds: 5/2
There is less margin for error for Marshall after a very inconsistent performance in a loss to Mississippi State last Saturday. Auburn will still get to play teams in the top 10 this season, with Ole Miss and Alabama on the schedule. If Marshall can play well in those games, he’ll push himself back into the race, but his spot at number two is something that’s likely to drop in the near future rather than go up. He has a lot of work to do.
3. Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Odds: 4/1
The Mariota candidacy remains in very good shape. Mariota has not yet thrown an interception this season against 17 touchdown passes. He’s completing just under 70 percent of his passes and has carried a team that has dealt with a lot of injuries along its offensive line. If Oregon wins out, Mariota will definitely be a Heisman finalist.
4. Everett Golson, Notre Dame
Odds: 6/1
The starting quarterback at Notre Dame, if he can lead the Fighting Irish to the College Football Playoff, will get consideration for the Heisman. If Golson has a huge game this Saturday at Florida State, he’s going to remain a Heisman Trophy talking point through the next month, probably through the end of the regular season.
Tie, 5. Amari Cooper, Alabama
Odds: 20/1
The star receiver for Alabama will have chances to win a lot of big games in the next one and a half months. If the Crimson Tide rally in the SEC West and make things difficult for Mississippi State and Auburn, Cooper will move up the charts, because it’s likely he’ll have made big plays.
Tie, 5. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
Odds: 20/1
The Nebraska season can still be a good one, but the Huskers lost to Michigan State and didn’t play that well on offense. Abdullah can’t have more than one average game the rest of the way if he wants to be a finalist for this award. There are too many other competitors, as you can see in the multi-player tie for fifth place according to Bovada’s latest odds.
Tie, 5. Kenny Hill, Texas A&M
Odds: 20/1
The Aggies were manhandled by Ole Miss, so Hill’s place as a contender is very fragile. Hill has to be awesome, not merely good, against Alabama this Saturday to stay in contention.
Tie, 5. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
Odds: 20/1
The Badgers’ offense has been poor, but Gordon has been great, anyway. However, Wisconsin has to win the Big Ten West Division for Gordon to be a finalist.
