The Heisman Trophy Award is going to become more and more of a conversation topic in the coming weeks. Here’s the latest report on where the various contenders stand:
1. Marcus Mariota, Oregon
Odds: 1/1
The big statistic that’s part of Mariota’s overall resume is that he hasn’t yet thrown an interception this season. If Mariota can carry a clean sheet all the way through the season and can get Oregon to the Pac-12 championship and into the College Football Playoff, he’s going to be a sure-fire Heisman finalist with a trip to the Downtown Athletic Club firmly in his hands. He would likely be a top-two finisher in the voting for the award. It would depend on what the next person on this list manages to do:
2. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Odds: 3/1
There is no question that Prescott is going to get his chance to either play his way into the award or out of the award in the coming weeks. Alabama and Ole Miss are also top-10 teams in college football. Prescott faces both of them on the road on national television. If he stars and leads Mississippi State to impressive wins in each of those games, he’ll then play in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 6. Teams that play on Dec. 6, or on the first Saturday of December in any season, play on a day when most other teams are done for the regular season. The teams playing in early December are usually playing conference championship games. The exceptions are the Sun Belt, the American Athletic Conference, and the Big 12. If Prescott gets to the SEC Championship Game and does well, he’s going to leave the final memory on the minds of Heisman Trophy voters. If he can get to that game in Atlanta against the SEC East champion (probably Georgia), Prescott will be in position to win this award.
3. Melvin Gordon, Wisconsin
Odds: 7/1
Gordon’s big problem is that he plays for a team with a very poor passing offense. Wisconsin will have to beat Nebraska and win the Big Ten West Division just to keep Gordon on the minds of voters and in the chase for the Heisman. If Wisconsin can then play well against either Ohio State or Michigan State in the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 6 in Indianapolis, Gordon could make a strong push for the award even if the Badgers lose the game. If Gordon can be at his best in the biggest games of the year and Wisconsin can make its way into those big games, the star running back can make his presence felt.
4. Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska
Odds: 12/1
The situation outlined above with Gordon is also something that applies to Abdullah. The Nebraska-Wisconsin game later this season will probably be an elimination game in terms of winning the Heisman Trophy. The loser won’t be out of the running in terms of being a finalist with a trip to New York City, but the loser will lose his last best chance to win the award outright.
Tie, 5 – Amari Cooper, Alabama
Odds: 20/1
Cooper and Alabama will play Mississippi State. They will play Auburn. They could play in the SEC Championship Game. Cooper will get his chance, much like Prescott at Mississippi State. Cooper is a receiver, though, so he doesn’t have the same margin for error Prescott has. Cooper must be great, not just good, in every remaining big game he plays.
Tie, 5 – Everett Golson, Notre Dame
Odds: 16/1
The candidacy of Golson would have been in much better shape had Notre Dame beaten Florida State. That didn’t happen, though, so the Irish must run the table and hope other Heisman contenders struggle. That’s how Golson can win this award.
