Advertisement

Heisman Watch Week 11: Is there time for Kyler Murray to move past Tua?

Each week through the rest of the season, we will highlight the five players we think are the top Heisman Trophy contenders. The list will likely change often before the true candidates separate themselves from the pack.

Previously: Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10

With three weeks of football remaining before voting is due, it’s hard to envision anybody other than Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa winning the Heisman Trophy.

But maybe there’s time for Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray to make one final push.

Alabama beat Mississippi State 24-0 over the weekend, and Tagovailoa had another solid outing, but it was below the spectacular standard he set earlier in the year. That was mostly because Mississippi State’s ferocious front got pressure on him early and often. Tagovailoa ended up taking a shot to the knee in the third quarter. It knocked him out of the game.

Meanwhile in Norman, Oklahoma, Murray led the Sooners to another high-scoring win, this time over rival Oklahoma State. Alabama already has the SEC West locked up with games against The Citadel and Auburn remaining before playing Georgia in the SEC title game.

Oklahoma, on the other hand, is fighting for its Big 12 and College Football Playoff life down the stretch. This week, Kansas visits OU. But a Nov. 23 trip to West Virginia, another team still in the CFP race, follows. That game will likely be followed a week later by a rematch between the two in the Big 12 title game in Arlington, Texas, a few days before Heisman ballots are due.

Could Murray leapfrog Tagovailoa with standout performances down the stretch? It’s unlikely, but it’s not entirely out of the question.

(Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports)
(Amber Matsumoto/Yahoo Sports)

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

In the win over Mississippi State, Tagovailoa had his worst statistical output of the season, completing 14-of-21 passes for 164 yards, one touchdown and one interception. MSU’s vaunted defensive line got plenty of pressure on Tagovailoa, but the Alabama defense pitched a shutout for the second week in a row. For the season, Tagovailoa is up to 2,525 yards, 28 touchdowns and just two interceptions while completing 67.9 percent of his passes.

Even with his knee not totally healthy, Nick Saban said there is no plan to rest Tagovailoa against FCS The Citadel on Saturday.

“No. Why would we do that? To say this isn’t an important game or he doesn’t need to play? I think we need to do a better job of the people playing around him doing what they’re supposed to do so he doesn’t get hit. And he needs to do a better job of stepping up in the pocket and getting rid of the ball, which he had several opportunities to do,” Saban said Monday.

(Last week: 1)

2. Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma

Kyler Murray had another big performance in the win over Oklahoma State. He completed 21-of-29 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown while adding 66 yards on the ground. Murray (212.9) has moved past Tagovailoa (207.7) for the national lead in pass efficiency rating, well ahead of the record-setting pace from Baker Mayfield’s 2017 season.

Murray is eighth nationally in passing yards (3,038) first in yards per attempt (12.3) and third in both touchdown passes (32) and completion percentage (70.9). On top of that, his 640 rushing yards is 12th among quarterbacks. His 6.7 yards per carry is second-best among quarterbacks. He’ll have a great chance for another big performance on Saturday vs. Kansas.

(Last week: 2)

Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (1) passes against Oklahoma State in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)
Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray (1) passes against Oklahoma State in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

3. Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington State

Minshew Mania reached new heights when Mike Leach donned a fake mustache after Washington State’s win over Colorado on Saturday. Minshew, the mustached graduate transfer from East Carolina, had another great game, throwing for 335 yards and two scores. He also had a 10-yard rushing touchdown in the 31-7 victory.

Minshew has thrown for at least 300 yards in all 10 of his games in a WSU uniform. The Cougars are now 9-1 on the year and still in the College Football Playoff hunt. Minshew leads the nation with 3,852 passing yards — 478 more than Ole Miss’ Jordan Ta’amu. If Minshew leads WSU past Arizona and rival Washington and into the Pac-12 title game, he’ll likely make the trip to New York as a Heisman finalist.

(Last week: 3)

4. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia

Much like Murray and Oklahoma, Will Grier and West Virginia still have a path to the College Football Playoff. Grier threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday’s win over TCU, helping WVU improve to 8-1 on the year. Grier, who is fifth in the country with 31 touchdown passes and ninth with 2,961 passing yards, has thrown for at least 330 yards in eight of WVU’s nine games.

The Mountaineers travel to Oklahoma State this weekend and cannot afford to slip up. From there, Oklahoma — WVU’s top Big 12 competition — visits Morgantown for what will likely amount to a CFP elimination game. The two teams could very well meet the following week for a rematch in the Big 12 title game. Grier could very well find himself right in the top of the Heisman conversation with a few awesome performances.

(Last week: 4)

5. Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State

Tylan Wallace has emerged as one of the best receivers in the country this season. He caught just seven passes for 118 yards as a freshman, but is now among the national leaders in receptions and receiving yards. His 68 catches rank 11th and his 1,272 yards are third. He is also tied for ninth in the country with nine touchdown catches.

He has been on fire in recent weeks, combining for 28 receptions, 554 yards and five touchdowns over OSU’s last three games. That includes performances of 10 catches for 222 yards vs. Texas and 10 catches for 220 yards vs. Oklahoma. Pretty impressive.

(Last week: unranked)

Also considered:

Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State: Though he has been nowhere near as sharp as he was earlier in the season, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins is now just 51 yards shy of a school record for single-season passing yards. After putting up 227 yards in the win over Michigan State, Haskins is up to 3,280 yards (No. 3 nationally) with 33 touchdowns (No. 2 nationally).

Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin: Wisconsin has had a very disappointing season, but Taylor continues to put up big numbers. The sophomore leads the nation with 1,548 yards and is tied for eighth with 12 TDs. In Saturday’s loss to Penn State, Taylor rushed for 185 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown.

More from Yahoo Sports:
49ers cheerleader takes a knee for 2nd time
Nets star suffers gruesome right leg injury
Durant, Green squabble as Warriors lose in OT
NFL Power Rankings: Chiefs sitting pretty, for now