2013 College Football Power Rankings: Top 5 Heisman Trophy Contenders

2013 College Football Power Rankings: Top 5 Heisman Trophy Contenders: The 2013 college football season just wrapped up Week 8, and the first BCS rankings have been officially unveiled. While teams are busy fighting for position in the national title picture, the top individual players have begun to separate themselves a bit in the battle for the Heisman Trophy. Yes, there is enough time and big games remaining for players not currently in the conversation to jump into the mix, but the current group of frontrunners definitely has a leg up on the competition going forward. With that in mind, here is a look at the top contenders for the 2013 Heisman Trophy following Week 8 of the college football season.

1.      Jameis Winston, Quarterback, Florida State Seminoles

The freshman delivered a huge statement last weekend, leading the Seminoles to a dominating victory over third-ranked Clemson on the road and throwing for a career-high 444 yards in the process. Overall, Winston ranks second in the country in quarterback rating, third in passing touchdowns and seventh in completion percentage. Meanwhile, Florida State is currently in position to play in the BCS title game. There was little doubting his physical skills, and after the poise he showed in the road win against the Tigers, Winston appears to be the total package under center. For now, he deserves to be considered the frontrunner.

2.      Marcus Mariota, Quarterback, Oregon Ducks

Mariota is a one-man wrecking at times, and he has been torching defenses all season with his arm and his legs for an undefeated Oregon team ranked second in the country in rushing and scoring. For his part, Mariota has already topped 2,000 yards passing and has added 493 more yards on the ground. He has also scored a combined 28 touchdowns compared to just a single turnover, and he has thrown and rushed for at least one score in every game this year. Yes, he is still searching for a signature win, but with UCLA and Stanford looming, he has a chance to bolster his resume. In the meantime, he is the dual-threat engine that drives the seemingly unstoppable offense of a Ducks team in the thick of the national title hunt.

3.      A.J. McCarron, Quarterback, Alabama Crimson Tide

For the naysayers that have been claiming the Heisman Trophy is in no way a lifetime achievement award, spare me. If Ron Dayne and Ricky Williams can win the award for breaking the career rushing record, McCarron deserves to be in the mix as he tries to guide the Crimson Tide to a third straight national title. By the way, he is also eighth in the country in QB rating, and he outdueled the defending Heisman Trophy winner in College Station earlier this year. At the end of the day, it is going to be tough to overlook McCarron if his numbers remain solid and Alabama is again slated to play for the BCS title when it comes time for Heisman voters to cast their ballots.

4.      Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, Texas A&M Aggies

Manziel’s numbers remain impressive, and despite missing most of the season opener, he has 24 combined touchdowns and ranks third fifth in the country with almost 2,300 passing yards. He also ranks second nationally in completion percentage and fourth in QB rating to go along with almost 500 rushing yards. On the flip side, Manziel has thrown seven interceptions already, and in addition to losing at home to Alabama, he was unable to rally the Aggies past Auburn last weekend after returning from a shoulder injury. Granted, his numbers are as impressive as ever, but thus far, his two chances to have a Heisman moment have ended in defeat.

5.      Jordan Lynch, Quarterback, Northern Illinois Huskies

The Huskies crashed the BCS party last year, and Lynch is trying to crash the Heisman party this season. The dual-threat QB has more than 2,400 yards from scrimmage and a combined 20 scores for an undefeated Northern Illinois team that has cracked the top 25 in the polls. In fact, Lynch is fourth in the country with 932 rushing yards, and last weekend, he set a new single-game record for rushing yards by QB with 316. Granted, Lynch and the Huskies play in a smaller conference, but Northern Illinois has gone on the road and knocked off two Big Ten opponents, including an Iowa team that just gave fourth-ranked Ohio State all it could handle last weekend. Lynch will need some of the other frontrunners to stumble, but is record-setting performance last weekend has him in the mix.

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