Heisman Watch 2017: Breaking Down Top Candidates in the Race After Week 10

So you think you know who the Heisman Trophy favorite is?

After Week 8's games, Penn State running back Saquon Barkley was a few steps away from locking the trophy in a case at the Nittany Lions' athletic facility.

In Week 9, after J.T. Barrett led Ohio State's incredible comeback against Barkley and the Nittany Lions, the Buckeyes quarterback was all the rage.

Now it appears Oklahoma signal-caller Baker Mayfield is in the driver's seat after his terrific performance against Oklahoma State.

But since this is college football, everything can change on a weekly basis, just like the Heisman race has in the past month.

For now, these are the top contenders for the coveted honor after Week 10.

Baker Mayfield

Mayfield had the best week by far of any of the Heisman candidates. The Oklahoma gunslinger came out on top of the Bedlam shootout against Mason Rudolph and Oklahoma State, but he wasn't perfect.

Mayfield almost lost the game for the Sooners, as he threw an interception late in the fourth quarter that almost led to a game-winning score for the Cowboys.

After his 598-yard passing performance, Mayfield was asked about the Heisman. He said he's more concerned with winning games, per Max Olson of The Athletic:

The senior quarterback has risen to the occasion in the Sooners' biggest wins over Ohio State and Oklahoma State.

Mayfield's Heisman resume will look even better if he shines in Week 11 at home against TCU and follows that up with standout performances against West Virginia on Thanksgiving weekend and in the Big 12 Championship.

As we've seen with Barrett and Barkley in recent weeks, nothing is guaranteed for the presumed Heisman front-runner. But given the stature of his team, which is in the hunt for the College Football Playoff, and his numbers, Mayfield is as close to a favorite as you can get.

Saquon Barkley

Barkley's Heisman stock is plummeting as fast as Penn State is in the rankings. 

Since curb-stomping Michigan on October 21, Barkley has seen his production decline versus Ohio State and Michigan State as the Nittany Lions have dropped out of College Football Playoff contention.

Outside of his kickoff-return touchdown to start the game, Barkley didn't do much against the Buckeyes, totaling 44 rushing yards.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

The Spartans followed the same formula as the Buckeyes in Week 10, as they held the junior tailback to 63 yards on 14 carries in a game affected by wet conditions in East Lansing, Michigan.

Barkley's numbers should be on the upswing for the rest of November, as the Nittany Lions face Rutgers, Nebraska and Maryland. But no matter how much he gains in those three games, he already has two blemishes on his resume.

J.T. Barrett

One week after being portrayed as a saint in Columbus, Ohio, and vaulting himself into the Heisman discussion, Barrett's season cratered in Iowa City, Iowa. 

The senior quarterback threw four interceptions in the demoralizing 55-24 defeat that dealt a massive blow to Urban Meyer's team's College Football Playoff hopes.

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Barrett has thrown three touchdowns and five interceptions in Ohio State's two losses; he's tossed 25 touchdowns in its seven victories, including four in the triumph at home over Penn State.

His Heisman case is a curious one because he does have a marquee performance against a ranked foe on his resume, but he also has two duds in games in which the Buckeyes were outplayed.

Barrett still has a case to make it to New York as a finalist. But he's not a lock, with Stanford's Bryce Love and Arizona's Khalil Tate playing well out West.

Bryce Love

Speaking of Love, he created another eye-popping highlight in Week 10 with a 52-yard touchdown run against Washington State. He has a run of 50 or more yards in every game this season:

However, the rest of the game didn't go as planned for Love, who ran for 69 yards on 16 carries in a loss to the Cougars in Pullman, Washington.

Love has two more chances to catch our attention on a national level with Washington and Notre Dame still on the schedule. Stanford head coach David Shaw has been his biggest advocate, and he told journalist Paul Finebaum on Thursday exactly what he thought about the running back's season: 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.