Heisman Watch 2014: Latest Predictions in Race for Coveted Award

The case against Marcus Mariota winning the 2014 Heisman Trophy becomes increasingly difficult to make with each passing week.

The junior exorcised his demons with a Pac-12 Championship victory over No. 7 Arizona on Friday night, scoring two touchdowns through the air and three on the ground. He will lead the Oregon Ducks into the College Football Playoff boasting 4,452 total yards, 53 touchdowns and two interceptions for an offense that generates 45.8 points per contest.

Before Friday night's showdown, an ESPN poll projected the race as a nail-biter between Mariota and Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon. Per College GameDay's Twitter page:

The future pro put a bow around his submission with another impressive evening, this time proving that Oregon's offense can't go the distance. In a perfect world, individuals would be judged on their own merit, but voters certainly won't turn a blind eye to Mariota's eye-popping season now it's attached to a 12-1 program.

Rank	Player	Pos	Team
1	Marcus Mariota	QB	Oregon
2	Melvin Gordon	RB	Wisconsin
3	Amari Cooper	WR	Alabama
4	J.T. Barrett	QB	Ohio State
5	Tevin Coleman	RB	Indiana

It's hardly an open-and-shut case, but looking at the quarterbacks alone, none of Mariota's peers hold a candle to him. 

Player	Pass YDs	CMP %	YPA	Pass TDs	INTs	Rush YDs	Rush TDs
Marcus Mariota	3,783	68.3	10.2	38	2	669	14
J.T. Barrett	2,834	64.7	9.0	34	10	938	11
Dak Prescott	2,996	61.2	8.7	24	10	939	13
Trevone Boykin	3,254	59.3	7.7	26	6	598	8
Jameis Winston	3,250	65.1	8.3	21	17	75	3

Emerging as Mariota's steepest adversary under center, J.T. Barrett will not receive the opportunity to wrap up his sterling freshman year. The Ohio State newcomer's season ended prematurely when he suffered an ankle injury against Michigan.

Although robbed of a Big Ten title appearance against Wisconsin, his 45 touchdowns and 3,772 total yards keep him on the short list of possible invitees for the Heisman ceremony. If any quarterback besides Mariota gets the call, it should be Barrett.

Dak Prescott once represented a strong contender heading the top-ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs, but he could not maintain his stellar start. The junior surrendered eight interceptions during a five-game stretch that culminated in a loss to Alabama.

His candidacy relied on Mississippi State's success. While his numbers keep him in the conversation, they're not enough to surpass Mariota's amazing campaign.

Trevone Boykin strikes a dashing 26-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, but he has completed just 59.3 percent of his passes for the TCU Horned Frogs. The junior sneaked into the conversation with a seven-touchdown outing against Texas Tech, but the full ledger simply doesn't stack up.

Anyone who still considers Jameis Winston a viable candidate to retain his crown hasn't been paying attention. After throwing four interceptions to Florida, the defending champion has now coughed up 12 picks in his last six games.

Player	Rushes	Rush YDs	YPC	Rush TDs
Player	Rec.	Rec. YDs	YPC	Rec. TDs
Melvin Gordon, RB, WIS	283	2,260	8.0	26
Tevin Coleman, RB, IND	270	2,036	7.5	15
Amari Cooper, WR, ALA	103	1,573	15.3	14

But quarterback isn't the only position out there. With 665 rushing yards through the past three games, Tevin Coleman is giving Melvin Gordon some healthy competition as the nation's top rusher. However, the Wisconsin phenom hasn't slowed down, rattling off at least 120 rushing yards and a score during each contest since Week 2.

Once he finds a hole, he routinely bites off massive gains. He has scooped up at least one 20-yard run in every contest. College GameDay expanded on his incredible breakaway speed off the edges:

He has convinced everyone except himself of his awesomeness. When speaking to Grantland's Holly Anderson, he insisted that those 2,260 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns don't make him a finished product.

“I don’t feel like I’m top-notch at anything I do,” Gordon said. “I’m not overly fast, I’m not overly strong. My strong suits, I can work on those too.” 

Amari Cooper has certainly wowed for the Alabama Crimson Tide, especially after his 224-yard, three-touchdown outburst against Auburn. Yet, a wide receiver has not picked up a Heisman Trophy since 1991, when Desmond Howard won with the help of an inflated touchdown tally (23) and his return-game prowess.

Quarterbacks have taken home the hardware in 12 of the past 14 seasons, with running backs Reggie Bush and Mark Ingram representing the two holdovers. The committee will only look someone else's way if that person commands their attention well above the passers and runners.

With elite choices elsewhere, that's not the case, so barring another groundbreaking performance in Saturday's SEC Championship game, Cooper will have to settle for third place. 

When it comes to Maritoa and Gordon, it's tough to pick wrong. Both are offensive dynamos functioning at an optimal rate. In a battle pitting an otherworldly quarterback with an unstoppable running back, the passer usually wins out.