1. Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M
Texas A&M redshirt freshman dual-threat quarterback Johnny Manziel has ascended to the top of the Heisman list. Johnny Football has been gaining momentum since leading the Aggies to an upset of defending national champion Alabama.
For the year, Manziel has thrown for over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 1114 yards and 17 touchdowns. Manziel will have one more chance to make his case when the Aggies host Missouri Saturday night in College Station.
2. Marqise Lee WR USC
USC wide receiver Marqise Lee had another strong individual performance last week against rival UCLA hauling in nine receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown. For the season, Lee has hauled in 107 receptions for 1605 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Despite his team’s struggles, Lee has clearly established himself as the premier receiver in the country. Lee will have a national audience when the Trojans host undefeated and top ranked Notre Dame on Saturday night at the Coliseum. A big time performance against the stalwart Irish defense could earn Lee the Heisman.
3. Collin Klein QB Kansas State
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein’s Heisman hopes took a serious hit after the Wildcats were crushed 52-24 at Baylor. Klein threw three interceptions in a loss that likely ended Kansas State’s national title hopes.
Even so, Klein has had a great season, accounting for 34 total touchdowns in leading the Wildcats. With a victory over Texas Dec 1, K State will clinch a BCS berth and likely earn Klein a trip to New York.
4. Manti Te’o LB Notre Dame
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are undefeated heading into their final game at USC. With a victory, the Irish will play for the BCS National Championship. The driving force behind Notre Dame’s ascension has been the defense led by linebacker Manti Te’o.
For the season, Te’o has 6 interceptions and at least six tackles in every game for the Irish. With no clear cut offensive candidate, the opportunity for Te’o to take home the hardware remains a possibility.
5. Aaron Murray QB Georgia
With Oregon’s overtime loss to Stanford last week, the Georgia Bulldogs are in position to play for the BCS National Championship with a victory over Alabama in the SEC title game. The primary catalyst behind the Bulldogs success has been the stellar play of junior quarterback Aaron Murray.
For the season, Murray has 2986 passing yards and 28 touchdowns. In his last three games, Murray has thrown 11 touchdowns with no interceptions. If Murray can lead Georgia past Alabama, his Heisman stock will skyrocket.
