Heisman Watch: Mississippi State's Dak Prescott looks like leading man

Todd Gurley should have been a Heisman finalist.

He was well on his way to New York and even potentially hoisting the bronze statue until he was suspended amid allegations that he signed memorabilia for money. Even if Gurley is cleared of wrongdoing down the road, the missed playing time almost certainly will knock him out of the Heisman race, which is unfortunate because he could have won.

In his absence, a fellow player in the SEC has emerged and started to take hold of the Heisman conversation.

Here’s a look at Dr. Saturday’s Heisman Watch:

Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State: Prescott didn’t have the best outing against Auburn, but he did overcome two interceptions to help lead the Bulldogs to a win. His next game against Kentucky (Oct. 25) could be interesting despite the Wildcats not being ranked. It’s been easy to get up for top-10 foes in each of the past three games, but what about an unranked and underrated foe? He’ll have a week off to get his mind right.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin: We noted last week that Gordon would have to keep putting up big numbers against weaker Big Ten competition, and he didn’t disappoint with 175 yards and four TDs against Illinois. Thanks to Gordon, Wisconsin leads the nation in rushing. He also has a bye week before facing a Maryland defense that is ranked 104th nationally against the run.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon: Mariota might have been on the Heisman fence following two fumbles in a loss to Arizona, but he made up for it in a big way with 285 total yards and four touchdowns in a pivotal Pac-12 game against UCLA. Now, he’ll face Pac-12 North foe Washington, a team that has seemingly clamped down defensively in the past few weeks. The Huskies could be an unexpected challenge for Mariota and his piecemeal offensive line.

Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor: Petty might have had his Heisman moment when he led the Bears to a 61-58 win against TCU last week. Petty brought his team back from 21 down with 11 minutes remaining, threw three touchdown passes and set up the game-winning field goal. But the Big 12 season doesn’t get any easier this week against another opponent that can put points up in a hurry (West Virginia). Petty will need to continue to put up gaudy numbers to stay in the Heisman race and more importantly, keep his team in the playoff hunt.

Everett Golson, QB, Notre Dame: Notre Dame’s near loss to North Carolina was not its finest moment, but Golson did manage 371 total yards and three touchdowns. However, this week’s game against Florida State will probably determine whether Golson is worthy of a Heisman invite. The Seminoles are by far the best team on the Irish schedule to date and putting up Heisman-worthy numbers in this contest would go a long way for voters.