This past Saturday of college football saw the full gauntlet of stunning performances and disappointing outings that have all now come together to help set up one of the most tightly contested Heisman races in the last few years. The focus over the last three weekends has been on the battle between Mississippi State University’s Dak Prescott and Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, but it may be time to look at a new battle at the top of the Heisman hopeful list. This would be because Prescott played his worst game of the season over the weekend against Alabama. While Prescott struggled against the Crimson Tide, Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon was well on his way of having not just a career day, but an all-time great performance by a college running back. Most around the country now see Gordon as the major challenger to Mariota and pushed Prescott back to just a mere afterthought.
It’s not an understatement to say that Saturday’s outing against Alabama was the low point of Prescott’s season. He ended up throwing three interceptions for the game. While the loss was a major blow to the Bulldogs’ chances of winning the SEC West, it may ultimately prove to be a fatal blow to Prescott’s chance at the Heisman Trophy.  
As early as Sunday morning, Prescott no longer appeared in any of the five major networks’ Heisman favorite watch lists, and many experts now question whether he will even be invited to New York for the ceremony come December. “Bleacher Report’s” featured columnist, Brian Leigh, vividly summed up just what happened to Prescott’s Heisman campaign at Alabama on Saturday. 
“Prescott’s Heisman run crashed and burned in Tuscaloosa—or, if you prefer, it was crashed into and set aflame,” he said. 
Prescott’s down week opened the door for many other names throughout the realm of college football to step up to fill the void left near the top. 
Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston again was able to work some of his late-game magic to help his Seminoles to a 30-26 win at Miami. He finished the game with 304 yards passing, completing almost 60 percent of his passes thrown on the night. He did throw an interception, but it’s fair to say the safety made a very nice play to come up with the pick. A lot of the reason Winston still finds himself in the top five comes down to the fact he has been so clutch at the end of the last four games he has played. 
The Texas Christian University quarterback Trevone Boykin is a newcomer, but don’t let that sway the very good credentials he brings to the conversation. Boykin has led his team to a 9-1 record, with the only loss coming in a shootout against Baylor earlier in the season. He boosts a strong stat line for the season of 3,021 passing yards, 31 total touchdowns and only five interceptions for the campaign. 
In third place sits maybe the most all-around talented player in college football, Alabama’s Amari Cooper. He was able to haul in eight catches for 88 yards and a touchdown against Mississippi State on Saturday, adding to his productive junior season totals. He now sits with 87 catches on the season for 1,303 yards and 11 touchdowns.  One of the factors working against Cooper, and really any receiver trying to win the Heisman, is the amount of balls thrown his way. 
The new battle at the top of the list is now between Mariota and Wisconsin standout running back Melvin Gordon. Mariota, who was idle this weekend, still carries  the most remarkable stats of anyone. He has only thrown two interceptions, which is outstanding when you take into account he has thrown the ball 277 times. 
If Gordon plays at an inhuman level for the rest of Wisconsin’s campaign, like he did on Saturday, then these same voters may not have a choice other than the powerful yet speedy running back. Gordon was so good Saturday he was able to shatter the single-game rushing record, previously held by LaDainian Tomlinson at 406 yards, by amassing 408 yards against Nebraska on Saturday in a mere three quarters. He’s only 91 yards away from breaking 2,000 yards on the season, which only 14 players in college football have ever done. Gordon also has scored a total of 25 touchdowns through both the air and on the ground. Mariota might be having a solid season, but not one that is even close to being a historically great all-time season like Gordon is having. 
While the Heisman race remains closer than ever, things will begin to narrow down soon. All that is for certain is that the entire country will certainly be hanging on every moment these guys produce for the rest of the year.