2012 College Football Power Rankings: Top 5 Heisman Trophy Contenders after Week 3

2012 College Football Power Rankings: Top 5 Heisman Trophy Contenders after Week 3 of NCAA Football: Just three weeks of the 2012 college football season are in the books, but the race for the Heisman Trophy has already seen some serious surprises. It seems like every week a preseason frontrunner has fallen by the wayside. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson couldn’t handle Alabama’s defense in the season opener, and last week, USC quarterback Matt Barkley was held without a touchdown in a surprise loss to Stanford. Not to mention that Wisconsin running back Montee Ball is on pace for less than 10 touchdowns after scoring 39 last year. Needless to say, there are plenty of new faces in contention for college football’s most prestigious individual honor, and here is how they stack up heading into Week 4 of the season.

2012 Heisman Trophy Favorites After Week 3

1.      Geno Smith, Quarterback, West Virginia Mountaineers

Three games into the year, West Virginia is undefeated and Smith has thrown as many touchdowns as he has incompletions. In fact, he has actually scored 10 touchdowns compared to just nine incompletions if you count a rushing score. Smith has a big arm, big body and an excellent group of receivers to work with. Even if the Mountaineers drop a few games in conference play, the lackluster defense played in the Big 12 should allow him to keep his yardage and touchdown totals at video game like levels.

2.      Braxton Miller, Quarterback. Ohio State Buckeyes

Miller has been the ideal fit for Urban Meyer’s spread-option offense, and the true sophomore is quickly becoming one of the best dual-threat QBs in the country. He has thrown seven touchdowns and run for five more, compiling nearly 1,000 yards of total offense in just three games. More importantly, the Buckeyes are 3-0 in those games, and Miller has thrown just two interceptions. It remains to be seen if Ohio State can continue to win once Big Ten play heats up, but Miller should continue to burn defenses with both his arm and his legs.

3.      De’Anthony Thomas, Offensive Weapon, Oregon Ducks

My made up title for his position says it all. Thomas will line up at running back, wide receiver and on special teams during the course of a game, and he is deadly no matter how Oregon gets him the ball. Thomas has seven touchdowns in 2012 and has done so on just 24 offensive touches. He also has a ridiculous 228 rushing yards on just 13 carries, averaging 17.5 yards per rush. Thomas is probably the fastest and most explosive offensive player in the country, and with a few timely scores throughout the course of the year, he could literally run away with the Heisman.

4.      Johnathan Franklin, Running Back, UCLA Bruins

A big part of UCLA’s resurgence in 2012 has been the workhorse play of Franklin. He currently leads the country with 541 rushing yards, and he is averaging an impressive 8.2 yards per carry. Franklin has added another 121 yards receiving, and he has scored four total touchdowns. More importantly, his best game thus far came in the Bruins’ biggest game. UCLA knocked off Nebraska in Week 2, and Franklin delivered to the tune of 276 yards from scrimmage, including 217 on the ground. If he continues to put up big numbers in Pac-12 play, Franklin will only work his way higher on the list.

5.      Collin Klein, Quarterback, Kansas State Wildcats

Last year, no player was responsible for their team’s success more than Klein, and he and Kansas State are picking up where they left off. Klein has accounted for nine total touchdowns and more than 800 yards of offense for the 3-0 Wildcats. He has remained the bulldozing runner outside of the pocket that allowed him to score 27 times on the ground in 2011, but more importantly, he is currently completing more than 71 percent of his passes. If Klein can carry the Wildcats to another 10-win season and add solid passing numbers to go with his numbers in the ground game, he might just become the second straight Big 12 QB to win the Heisman.

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