Todd Gurley vs. Vanderbilt: Stat Line, Heisman Impact and Reaction

On a day when collegiate juggernauts that were destined for the College Football Playoff took a dive and Heisman favorites crumpled under the pressure, Georgia running back Todd Gurely stood tall amid the chaos.

Gurley was workmanlike in his approach as always, this time victimizing a Vanderbilt defense to the tune of 163 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Also, 24 receiving yards. Also, 50 passing yards.

Call it a routine day at the office for Gurley, no hyperbole included. His numbers this season speak volumes as to his frightening consistency:

OPP	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
Clemson	15	198	13.2	51	3
@South Carolina	20	131	6.6	40	1
Troy	6	73	12.2	48	0
Tennessee	28	208	7.4	51	2
Vanderbilt	25	163	6.5	26	2

Seriously, look at his season-low 73 yards. He carried it six times.

Knox Bardeen of FoxSports.com put it best:

The only thing that usually does not come stock with a Gurley weekend is the passing totals, but Georgia coach Mark Richt decided to get tricky and let his star back have some fun:

Even without the tomfoolery, Gurley's night is impressive and yet another reaffirmation that he is the best player in the nation.

But to review, let's consume a brief summary of how other Heisman favorites fared this week:

• Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon: 267 yards, two touchdowns and a critical lost fumble late in a loss to an unranked opponent.
• Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama: Nine receptions, 91 yards in a loss to a ranked opponent.
• Kenny Hill, QB, Texas A&M: 365 yards, four touchdowns, three interceptions in a loss to a ranked opponent.

Like it or not, wins play a major factor in the outcome of the Heisman race, as does the timeliness of the wins or losses. Heisman underdogs such as Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott will continue to work their way up watch lists, but Gurley is a proven commodity who survived an overall brutal weekend.

It helps that Gurely has had an overall productive tenure and is well on his way to historic marks, as noted by Anthony Amey of WSB-TV Atlanta:

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller is one of many who concur that Gurley is the Heisman front-runner at the moment:

On Friday, Miller and Bleacher Report's Michael Felder weighed in on Gurley's chances of being selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft:

Look, Gurley was already the No. 1 player on ESPN's watch list entering the week.

There is simply something special about watching a player like Gurley do his weekly damage. Defenses know he is getting the ball. Each observer in the stadium and around the globe does, too. There are eight or more defenders in the box because the Bulldogs passing game surely is no threat. Yet, there is Gurley, bruising and weaving his way to the second level and beyond more often than not.

Obviously, the future leaves plenty of room for others to enter the conversation, and team success is certainly a factor in the final reward. Georgia does not figure to be in the CFP conversation, not with a schedule that includes Missouri, Arkansas and Auburn, among others.

It also hurts that Gurley plays a position that has not won the prestigious award since 2009 (Mark Ingram).

Still, Gurley's continued elite production has him in the Heisman hunt for good reason. It would be silly to write him off too. Like the defenses tasked with stopping him, we certainly know he is coming for it.

Stats and information via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.