Heisman Watch Week 5: 4 Better and 4 Worse

As we move through the college football season, we're looking through the best and worst of each week in terms of players in the Heisman hunt. 

These are not Heisman rankings, but simply weekly snapshots of how much players helped or hurt themselves with the Heisman. 

It is also not a ranking of best performances from the week in terms of players not viewed as being Heisman candidates. For instance, A.J. Jenkins, as impressive as his 268-yard, 12-reception, 3-touchdown performance was, is not a Heisman candidate, so he is not included. 

Therefore, candidates must be actually in the Stiff Arm poll from last week to be included here. The Stiff Arm poll is a survey conducted from 50 actual Heisman voters. 

They are ranked from bottom to top in alternating order of better and worse. 

Not on the List

A few players not on the list who had incredible performances that might have moved them up are below. 

Tyler Wilson went 30 of 51 for 510 yards and two touchdowns in leading Arkansas to an amazing comeback. Look for him to move onto the rankings this year. 

A.J. Jenkins had a remarkable 268-yard, 12-reception, 3-touchdown performance for Illinois. He is now third in the nation in receiving yards with 633. He might start drawing some attention now too. 

Dustin Garrison of West Virginia seemed to come from nowhere to give West Virginia a rushing attack, going for 291 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. 

Worse 4: Kellen Moore

It's not that Kellen Moore had a bad game, he just didn't have a good game. With the schedule that Boise State has, he needs to shine every time out.

Particularly when they are facing the one team who beat them in the last three years, you would expect Moore to be...well more. 

He was second in the last Stiff Arm Trophy poll, but expect him to fall a bit this week as other players shined and he merely won going 19 of 33 for 142 yards with two TDs and two INTs. 

Better 4: Landry Jones

Landry Jones' candidacy this year has been based on the spot of Oklahoma in the rankings. This week, he had his best week of the season and will give voters what they've been seeking: a good reason to vote for him. 

Jones hit on 23 of 33 attempts for 425 yards and five TDs to only one interception. Jones fell to the No. 4 in the last Stiff Arm poll. Look for him to move back up next week. 

Worse 3: Robert Griffin III

Robert Griffin III had been really vaulting himself to the top. It's not that he had a bad game. In fact, all things considered, he had a pretty good game going 23 of 31 for 346 yards and three touchdowns. 

Griffin falls in the rankings, though, because he threw an interception when he had a chance to bring Baylor back to Kansas State. Things like that stick with voters. He's still very much in the race, but this is the first sign of mortality from Griffin.

When you come out of nowhere, the voters tend to have a higher standard. 

Better 3: Tyrann Mathieu

Tyrann Mathieu has been nothing short of spectacular. The best quote about the diminutive 165-pound, 5' 9" Mathiu comes from LSU head coach Les Miles, who says, when Mathieu looks in the mirror, he sees a guy "6'4", 300 pounds and runs a 4.3 forty."

Mathieu just plays bigger than he is and makes big plays every game. In LSU's game against Kentucky, Mathieu had five tackles, one sack, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and returned that for a touchdown. 

In that game, after just 18 starts with LSU, he became the school's all-time leader in forced fumbles. 

Worse 2: Marcus Lattimore

Marcus Lattimore has been exploding, carrying the South Carolina offense on his back, and as a result has carried himself into the Heisman rankings. Based on the last poll, he would have earned himself a trip to New York.

However, after last week, he might move out of the top five. He had his worst week of the season, gaining only 66 yards and one TD on 16 carries. He also had one fumble. This coming on the heels of last week's 77-yard performance against Vanderbilt is not good for Lattimore's Heisman hopes.

Better 2: Trent Richardson

Trent Richards had his biggest game of the season in Alabama's biggest game so far this season. On the road at No. 12 Florida, Richardson exploded for 181 yards and two TDs. There's nothing like playing your best against the best to loft you into the top of the Heisman watch. 

Look for Richardson to start moving up into the top five if he continues playing like that through 'Bama's SEC schedule and helping the Tide roll. 

Worse 1: Taylor Martinez

Taylor Martinez was 13th in the last ranking. He may fall completely out of the list after this week's performance. He has almost no chance at all at the Heisman after last week's disaster. The Cornhuskers QB was 11 of 22 for 176 yards and three interceptions. 

On the ground, he did add 61 yards and a TD, but that hardly made up for the turnovers and poor passing. In a game in the national spotlight, nothing kills Heisman hopes faster than getting destroyed, particular when your counterpart is shredding your defense. 

Better 1: Russell Wilson

Speaking of the counterpart shredding the defense, nothing helps your Heisman hopes more than shredding the opposing defense in your biggest game of the year.

Russell Wilson was not on a lot of lists. It's becoming apparent that this is not your slightly older brother's Wisconsin Badgers teams. While Montee Bell did his thing, he's not the main candidate for the Badgers for a reason, and that reason is Wilson. 

Wilson makes the Badgers a complete team that can beat you just as easily through the air as on the ground. Wisconsin is suddenly a very realistic part of the National Championship conversation. Wilson was 14 of 20 for 255 yards and two touchdowns, and added 32 yards and another touchdown on the ground as No. 7 Wisconsin destroyed No. No. 8 Nebraska 48-17.