2013 College Football Power Rankings: Top 5 Heisman Trophy Candidates – Jameis Winston Tops the List

2013 College Football Power Rankings: Top 5 Heisman Trophy Candidates: The final couple of weeks of the 2013 college football season have arrived, and after a wild slate of games in Week 13, the Heisman Trophy race is suddenly as wide open as ever. Defending winner Johnny Manziel looked awful as Texas A&M suffered ugly loss to LSU, and Marcus Mariota couldn’t save Oregon from getting torched by a mediocre Arizona team. Last but not least, Baylor saw its national title hopes destroyed by Oklahoma State, and the Heisman hopes of Bears’ QB Bryce Petty likely suffered a similar fate. As a result, several new players are now serious contenders for the 2013 Heisman Trophy, and here is a closer look at how they stack up after Week 13.

Jameis Winston, Quarterback, Florida State Seminoles

Winston fired four more touchdown passes as the Seminoles hung a school-record 80 points on the board in their Week 13 win. Meanwhile, his 194.5 QB rating is the best in the country, and his 32 touchdown passes are tied for the fourth most. With Florida State seemingly cruising to the BCS title game, Winston is the clear frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy at this point. However, things could change quickly depending on the outcome of the sexual assault investigation he is involved in.

A.J. McCarron, Quarterback, Alabama Crimson Tide

With several of the other frontrunners falling by the wayside in Week 13, McCarron suddenly has a real chance to snag the Heisman Trophy. Keep in mind that the guy is 36-2 as a starter, he has guided Alabama to back-to-back national titles, and he ranks in the top 10 nationally in QB rating for the second straight year. Granted, his career resume may outweigh his actual numbers this season, but the Crimson Tide could potential end the year with two straight games against opponents ranked in the top five. If McCarron has big performances in both the Iron Bowl and SEC title game and sends Alabama back to the BCS title game, he will win over a lot of voters.

Jordan Lynch, Quarterback, Northern Illinois Huskies

He has been a one-man wrecking crew on offense for an undefeated Northern Illinois team that has knocked off a pair of Big Ten teams and is in the mix for a BCS bowl bid. Lynch has thrown for 2,418 yards and 21 touchdowns and run 1,434 yards and 17 more scores. Along the way, he set a single-game record for rushing yards by a QB. Lynch may be the most important player on any team in the country, and with the struggles of some of the big names, the door is open. He just needs a couple more monster performances to pull off the upset.

Andre Williams, Running Back, Boston College Eagles

Boston College’s 7-4 record doesn’t help his cause, but Williams’ numbers are getting downright ridiculous. He currently leads the country with 2,073 rushing yards, and he has five straight games of more than 160 yards, including three straight games of more than 260 yards. Williams is also averaging 6.5 yards per carry and has scored 16 times. Some of his memorable moments include a five-touchdown performance against Army and a 339-yard effort against North Carolina State. He also put up 149 yards as the Eagles gave Florida State its biggest scare to date. If Williams continues his torrid pace and at least approaches Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing record, he is going to be in the mix.

Ka’Deem Carey, Running Back, Arizona Wildcats

A perfect storm of events suddenly has Carey in the Heisman picture. In Week 13, he carried the ball 48 times for 206 yards and four scores as the Wildcats shocked the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks. Not to mention the fact that he also ranks fourth in the country in rushing with 1,559 yards and has scored 16 times. Carey’s consistency has also been impressive, and he has rushed for at least 119 yards in every game thus far. He is fighting an uphill battle given Arizona’s 7-4 record, but with a game against 12th-ranked Arizona State remaining, he will have one more chance to deliver a statement performance on a big stage.

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