Heisman Watch 2018: Top Contenders in Race for College Football's Biggest Honor
Like many things in college football, the Heisman Trophy race is dominated by Alabama.
Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is the favorite to win the sport's most prestigious individual honor, but if Nick Saban's team suffers a defeat, there are plenty of candidates who could make a case to take the sophomore's spot atop the pecking order.
Two signal-callers from the Big 12 and a transfer lighting up the Pac-12 are currently fighting for invitations to the Heisman ceremony.
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In the case Tagovailoa stumbles and the trio of other candidates shine at the end of the regular season, the race for the award could become an unexpectedly heated one.
Heisman Trophy Contenders
Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama
The biggest question surrounding Tagovailoa entering Week 12 is whether he'll play against The Citadel.
The sophomore quarterback, 20, is dealing with a knee injury, and since the Crimson Tide are hosting a weaker opponent, it seems like a good idea to sit him.
However, backup quarterback Jalen Hurts is also injured, which puts Saban in a less-than-ideal situation ahead of Saturday's game.
The Alabama head coach has been adamant Tagovailoa will play Saturday, and he's claimed sitting his star quarterback would send the wrong message to the rest of the team, per 247Sports' Charlie Potter.
"Just like when I got asked on Monday like we should not play Tua in this game," Saban said. "Well, if we didn't play Tua in this game, we'd be sending the message to every good player that we have that they shouldn't play in the game."
If Tagovailoa plays, it should only be for a half to put away The Citadel, but even though he'll take the field, he won't produce a great performance, which could leave the door open for the other Heisman candidates.
Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
Kyler Murray has the opportunity to play well on the national stage and possibly pressure voters into reconsidering who they'd choose to win the Heisman.
The Oklahoma quarterback eclipsed the 3,000-yard mark through the air in the Week 11 win over Oklahoma State, and he's been able to make a difference with his legs throughout the season.
Murray has 3,038 yards and 32 touchdowns through the air and 640 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
None of the other quarterbacks in contention for the Heisman will come close to matching his dual-threat production, which makes him a worthy challenger to Tagovailoa.
Although he's playing Kansas Saturday, the 21-year-old has a chance to impress voters since the game is in a prime-time television slot.
The following two weeks will matter the most to Murray's Heisman campaign, as he likely faces West Virginia twice with the Big 12 Championship and possibly a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line.
Will Grier, QB, West Virginia
The last thing we said about Murray's Heisman opportunity rings true for West Virginia's Will Grier as well.
The 23-year-old could give himself a slight edge over Murray if he shines on the road against Oklahoma State in Week 11, but our final judgment of the quarterback will come against Oklahoma.
Grier already proved he is capable of playing at his best in big games, as he led the Mountaineers to a 42-41 win over Texas two weeks ago by throwing a late touchdown and running in the game-winning two-point conversion.
The passing numbers of the West Virginia signal-caller stack up against the other Heisman candidates, as he's thrown for 2,961 yards and 31 touchdowns.
But it doesn't matter how dominant Grier is against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma unless Tagovailoa and Alabama display flaws over the next three weeks.
Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington State
Gardner Minshew has helped Washington State thrust itself into the national spotlight despite playing in the weakest power conference.
The No. 1 passer in the FBS has thrown for more than 300 yards in each of his 10 games, and although he doesn't use his legs much, he scored on the ground against California in Week 11.
In the next two weeks, Minshew faces the best opposition possible in a below average Pac-12, as he takes on an Arizona team still in contention for the Pac-12 South and rival Washington with the Pac-12 North title on the line.
Even if the 22-year-old quarterback puts up eye-popping stats, it might not be enough to wow Heisman voters given the conference he plays in.
Right now, the best situation Minshew can hope for is to lead the Cougars to the Pac-12 Championship, have Alabama lose, and Oklahoma and West Virginia split their potential back-to-back games.
If that occurs, Washington State could slide into the playoff and Minshew should receive more attention for the season he's having, which might sway a few extra votes in his direction.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.
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