Remaining Games That Will Have Biggest Impact in 2014 Heisman Trophy Race

There’s only six weeks remaining in the college football regular season, but the Heisman Trophy is still very much up for grabs.

Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota still lead the pack in the latest ESPN Heisman Watch poll, but one slip up can change everything. Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon, Alabama’s Amari Cooper and Nebraska’s Ameer Abdullah are among the names patiently hoping for one of the top two to lay an egg in the next coming weeks.

Fortunately for them, and for those hoping for an exciting stretch run, there are plenty of opportunities for the Heisman Trophy race to take some twists and turns.

Join B/R as we take a look at eight matchups that will have a major impact on the race for college football’s most-coveted trophy.

Notre Dame at Arizona State (Nov. 8)

STEVEN CANNON/Associated Press

Golson (center) will have a lot to prove against ASU.

Contenders Involved: Notre Dame QB Everett Golson

The Skinny

Offensive pass interference stole a potential Heisman moment from the Irish quarterback in his team’s deflating 31-27 loss to Florida State on Oct. 18. Still, the senior did enough—313 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions—to keep his name in the running.

It won’t be long before Golson has a chance to make amends and get people back in his corner.

On Nov. 8, Notre Dame travels to face a very good Arizona State squad on the road. The Sun Devils may only rank No. 60 in the nation against the pass, but the team has only conceded nine passing touchdowns in seven games.

If Golson can win against a tough secondary and do it on the road, there’s no doubting that the Myrtle Beach native would deserve reconsideration for the Heisman Trophy.

Kansas State at TCU (Nov. 8)

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press

Boykin has been stellar thus far.

Contenders Involved: TCU QB Trevone Boykin

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The Horned Frogs signal-caller opened eyes with a 433-yard, seven-touchdown performance in a 82-27 steamrolling of Texas Tech last weekend. After that, it was darn near impossible to ignore Boykin when talking about the Heisman Trophy.

But like every other contender, the Dallas native must prove his worth. Enter Kansas State.

The Wildcats are arguably the best team in the Big 12. At least they’re the only undefeated team in the conference.

Kansas State is a tough team to stop offensively, with the quarterback-receiver duo of Jake Waters and Tyler Lockett nearly unstoppable. Not to mention, the team has a stout defense which ranks No. 16 in the nation in points allowed (19.3 PPG).

In a contest that will go a long way in deciding the Big 12, Boykin has an opportunity to prove his start to the season is no fluke.

Oregon at Utah (Nov. 8)

Ryan Kang/Associated Press

Mariota has a big game on the horizon. No we're not talking Stanford.

Contenders Involved: Oregon QB Marcus Mariota

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Everyone wants to talk about Stanford, but it’s a showdown with Utah that will have the biggest impact on the Oregon quarterback’s Heisman Trophy campaign.

The Utes have been surprisingly good this season. The team has beaten Michigan—OK, who hasn’t—and followed that up with back-to-back road victories against UCLA and Oregon State and just recently knocked off USC at home. Sitting at No. 17 in the latest polls, Utah is looking to use Oregon to springboard itself into possibly cracking the Top 10. 

This is a team that is seriously thinking Pac-12 title.

Mariota will have his hands full with a physical Utah defense on the road. If the junior can overcome these obstacles and play mistake-free football, the Ducks should easily avoid a setback.

But more importantly, Mariota’s Heisman Trophy stock will soar.

But to Mariota, the main objective is winning.

"For myself, I just try to represent where I come from, my family, this university in the right light," he said in an interview with B/R's Greg Couch. "There is no extra responsibility with being a Heisman Trophy candidate."

Florida State at Miami (Nov. 15)

Steve Helber/Associated Press

Johnson (with ball) would like to keep his momentum going.

Contenders Involved: Florida State QB Jameis Winston, Miami RB Duke Johnson

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The Seminoles quarterback’s Heisman Trophy bid took yet another hit on Thursday, as Winston threw three interceptions and completed just 52.1 percent of his passes in a 42-31 win at Louisville.

Although last year’s Heisman Trophy winner might be free-falling at a sprinters pace, time hasn’t run out yet. He’ll have an opportunity to make amends when Florida State travels to Miami on Nov. 15.

Conversely, after having his stellar season cut short via injury last year, Johnson has been on a tear thus far. The junior has rushed for 1,036 yards and seven touchdowns on 139 carries (7.5 YPC). 

With the Hurricanes struggling once again—already three losses—the opportunity to shine on the big stage hasn’t come often for Johnson. A far rock's throw away from even being considered in the same breath as these other contenders, Johnson needs a monster game to get the hype train rolling again. 

The November matchup between these two rivals could have major impacts on the campaigns of both these players.

Nebraska at Wisconsin (Nov. 15)

Nati Harnik/Associated Press

Abdullah has been a sight to see this season.

Contenders Involved: Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon, Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah

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This game will go a long way in determining who the best running back in the nation is.

On one hand, the Badgers boast Gordon. The junior ranks second in the nation in rushing yards per game, racking up 1,168 yards and 16 touchdowns on 154 carries. His big moment came on Sept. 20 against Bowling Green when he rushed for 253 yards and five touchdowns.

On the other hand, the Cornhuskers counter with Abdullah. The senior has been phenomenal, leading the nation in rushing with 1,249 yards and 17 touchdowns on 180 carries. His Heisman moment came when he turned a short pass into a 58-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left to help Nebraska beat McNeese State, 31-24.

In a game that could set a college football record for most combined rushing attempts in a single contest, only one running back will come out with their Heisman hopes still intact.

Mississippi State at Alabama (Nov. 15)

Wade Payne/Associated Press

Cooper has a chance to boost his Heisman Trophy campaign.

Contenders Involved: Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott, Alabama WR Amari Cooper

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The primary focus when these two meet on Nov. 15 will be the SEC West title and a shot at the national title. However, whether the Bulldogs and Tide admit it or not, Heisman Trophy hopes are also on the line.

For Mississippi State, Prescott has been one of the most dominant players in all of college football. He has proven he can beat you with his arm (15 touchdowns) or with his legs (10 touchdowns). However, a matchup on the road, against one of the best defensive units in the nation, will go a long way in proving just how for real Prescott is.

Conversely, Cooper leads a young Alabama offense. The junior already has a career high in yards and is two shy of his career mark for touchdowns. More impressively, he’s gone for 90 yards or more in all but one game this season.

Don’t be surprised if one of these two sees their stock rise significantly following this big-time showdown.

Auburn at Alabama (Nov. 29)

Brynn Anderson/Associated Press

Marshall will look to crash the party.

Contenders Involved: Alabama WR Amari Cooper, Auburn QB Nick Marshall

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It’s the rivalry game that enthralled an entire college football audience last year. What will these two heated rivals have in store for 2014?

We already touched on the talents of Cooper in this slideshow. But a big game in a contest that has the possibility to decide the SEC West won’t go unnoticed by the voters. 

Meanwhile, this game also has the opportunity to get Marshall back in the spotlight.

After beginning the season as a contender, the senior quarterback hasn’t done much to keep his Heisman Trophy hopes up. However, he did account for four touchdowns in a thrilling 42-35 win over South Carolina last weekend.

A big game here might not do enough to win Marshall the Heisman, but it certainly could earn him an invite into the final ceremony.

Mississippi State at Ole Miss (Nov. 29)

David Stephenson/Associated Press

Prescott is the frontrunner thus far.

Contenders Involved: Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott

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There has never been an Egg Bowl with more at stake than this one possibly will have.

The SEC West title. A berth into the inaugural College Football Playoff. The Heisman Trophy.

All will likely be on the line when the Bulldogs and Rebels meet on the last weekend of November. It will only add to the reasoning that if Prescott can lead Mississippi State to a victory on the road, there’s no doubt he is deserving of the Heisman Trophy.

Sure, in recent weeks the junior has shown his vulnerability—he’s thrown three picks over the last two games. However, with a tough finishing schedule that includes games against Arkansas and at Alabama before facing Ole Miss, Prescott has all the opportunities to make up for it.

A Egg Bowl victory would simply be the icing on the cake.

All stats, recruiting information and rankings used in this article are courtesy of CFBStats.com and 247Sports.

For complete coverage and everything college football, you can reach Sebastian on Twitter and via email at [e-mail].