Heisman Watch 2014: Ranking Favorites in Race Heading into Week 14

The Heisman Trophy is on everyone's mind at the onset of a new college football season and remains there until a winner is crowned during the annual ceremony in New York. Each and every week, analysts and fans scrutinize the performances of front-runners and adjust their rankings in accordance with their findings.

This is one such example.

Of the many, many talented student athletes throughout the nation, several stand out above the rest. To decide which of them are deserving of the prestigious award, voters are asked to identify their top three selections in order. A first-place vote is worth three points, a second-place vote is worth two points and a third-place vote is worth one point.

Here's a look at the three players who should be receiving the lion's share of those votes, ranked from third through first.

3. J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State

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This was a very difficult decision. Barrett was neck-and-neck with Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott, but recent record-breaking performances propelled the freshman signal-caller into third place.

After a rocky start to his season, Barrett began to light up scoreboards, beginning with his six-touchdown performance against Kent State. He rode the momentum established in that game to a nine-game winning streak heading into Week 14.

This young player only appears to be getting better as the season progresses. He put up one of the best all-around performances of the season against a stout Michigan State defense, throwing for 300 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 86 yards and two more scores. He outdid himself one week later, rushing for a school-record 189 yards against Minnesota.

In Week 13, Barrett threw four touchdown passes against Indiana, cementing himself further in the team's record books with two more records, via Bill Rabinowitz of The Columbus Dispatch and ESPN Stats & Info:

The freshman won't go on to win the Heisman this season, but the sky is the limit for the quarterback. Expect to see his name in the mix for the trophy very early next season.

2. Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin

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Speaking of players who only seem to get better as the season rolls along, Gordon has been electric recently. The junior running back has eclipsed the 100-yard mark in 10 of the team's 11 contests this season and leads the FBS with 2,109 rushing yards heading into Week 14—he tops the rushing touchdowns category as well with 25.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Gordon is the fastest player in history to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark in a season:

Over Gordon's last three contests, he's gained more than 200 yards on the ground in each. His crowning achievement this season was his 408 rushing yards against Nebraska, setting a new NCAA single-game record. ESPN's Travis Haney expanded on just how impressive the ball-carrier has been recently:

Currently, Barry Sanders owns the all-time single-season rushing total of 2,628 yards. That mark has stood since 1988, but Gordon has a chance to break that mark, especially if the Badgers can defeat Minnesota and earn a trip to the Big Ten title game.

If that winds up being the case, this Heisman race will get very interesting.

1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon

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Mariota, the Oregon Ducks' junior signal-caller, may be one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the history of college football. He's an extremely accurate passer and makes very good decisions with the football in his hands. That's led to a total of just two interceptions this season. That's right, two.

Throwing two picks is impressive for any quarterback who accompanies them with roughly 1,000 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. However, Mariota has already passed for 3,103 yards and 32 touchdowns this season. That ratio is simply incredible.

And, according to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports, that's nothing new for the NFL's future first-round draft pick:

In Week 13, Mariota led the Ducks to a 44-10 drubbing of Colorado, throwing three touchdowns and running for another in the process. That set a new Pac-12 single-season record, according to SportsCenter:

Accumulating that immense amount of touchdowns is a feat all in its own; doing it with the kind of efficiency Mariota displays every single week is absolutely extraordinary. That's the reason he could go No. 1 overall in the 2015 NFL draft, and that's the reason he'll win the Heisman Trophy.