Contenders, and maybe even some pretenders, for this year's Heisman Trophy became a bit more clear after a wild Week 7 across college football.
Fernando Mendoza and Indiana flew across the country and took down No. 3 Oregon in Eugene for a truly signature win for Curt Cignetti's program. That meant a tough day in the office for Ducks quarterback Dante Moore, a Heisman candidate himself, as he dealt with significant pressure from the Hoosiers defense.
Elsewhere, Alabama's Ty Simpson continued to show out for the Crimson Tide with a nice road win over No. 14 Missouri. The Tide are now winners of five straight, defeating ranked opponents three weeks in a row. Simpson's stellar play, which included three touchdown passes Saturday, has helped lift Alabama back as a true national title contender after their opening week loss to Florida State.
We saw the return of Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer after he missed just one game due to a hand procedure. He was at the top of early Heisman conversations, but a three-interception day in his return against Texas in the Red River Rivalry left much to be desired.
Plus, top-ranked Ohio State continues to roll with their star-studded offense, taking down No. 17 Illinois on the road for their best win since their defensive showdown with the Longhorns to open the season.
With Week 7 behind us, here are the top-five Heisman Trophy candidates ranked from top to bottom. Five players isn't enough, so we have some additional players who deserve to hear their names in Heisman conversations, too:
1. Carson Beck — QB, Miami
- Season Stats: 1,213 passing yards, 12 total touchdowns (one rushing) and three interceptions
- Week 7 Stats: Idle
Beck remains near the top of Heisman conversations in Miami's off week. Although the Hurricanes' win last week over Florida State looks worse after the Seminoles dropped their third game in a row when they were upset by Pitt Saturday, Beck's four-touchdown performance on the road still stands out. Miami is a perfect 5-0 with wins over Notre Dame, Florida and South Florida. They have the potential to run the table should the Georgia transfer continue his strong start to the season. Beck and the Hurricanes return to the field Friday when they play 4-1 Louisville at home.
2. Ty Simpson — QB, Alabama
- Season Stats: 1,678 passing yards,18 total touchdowns (two rushing) and one interception
- Week 7 Stats: 23-for-31 passing, 200 yards and three touchdowns to no interceptions (27-24 win over No. 14 Missouri)
Simpson did wonders for his Heisman case Saturday, throwing for three scores in Alabama's close win over a tough Missouri team on the road. He made two massive fourth-down throws to help the Crimson Tide pull off their fifth win in a row after a disappointing opening week loss to Florida State. Alabama now has wins over ranked SEC opponents in three consecutive weeks following their recent triumphs over Georgia and Vanderbilt. It doesn't get any easier for the Tide from here with No. 12 Tennessee next week in Tuscaloosa, Ala. If Simpson keeps up his efficiency and Alabama continues to win over their gauntlet of the schedule, he undoubtedly deserves a spot in New York.
3. Fernando Mendoza — QB, Indiana
- Season Stats: 1,423 passing yards, 19 total touchdowns (two rushing) and two interceptions
- Week 7 Stats: 20-for-31 passing, 215 yards and one touchdown to one interception plus 31 yards rushing (30-20 win over No. 3 Oregon)
Mendoza and the Hoosiers shocked No. 3 Oregon on the road with a signature win for the program and the junior Cal transfer. Although Mendoza threw a pick-six early in the fourth quarter at Autzen Stadium Saturday, he remained calm and led a 75-yard touchdown drive when he got the ball back to give Indiana the go-ahead score. IU earned their first win over a top-five opponent in 58 years with the shocker against the Ducks. Mendoza has put up numbers all season and helped silence any question whether the Hoosiers are a legitimate contender for this year's College Football Playoff.
4. Dante Moore — QB, Oregon
- Season Stats: 1,396 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions
- Week 7 Stats: 21-for-34 passing, 186 yards and one touchdown to two interceptions (30-20 loss to No. 7 Indiana)
Indiana's defense sacked Moore six times Saturday, putting the pressure on which led to two picks for one of the top Heisman candidates in recent weeks. Moore had a signature performance two weeks ago in Oregon's thrilling win at Penn State in double overtime. Unfortunately, that win continues to look worse as the Nittany Lions have now lost three in a row after they dropped close contests with UCLA and Northwestern in consecutive weeks. Despite the first blemish on Oregon's record this season, Moore can creep back toward the top of Heisman conversations as the Ducks have interesting tests against Iowa on the road, plus a duo of 5-1 teams in USC and Washington before their Big Ten slate concludes.
5. Julian Sayin — QB, Ohio State
- Season Stats: 1,479 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and three interceptions
- Week 7 Stats: 19-for-27 passing, 166 yards and two touchdowns to no interceptions (34-16 win over No. 17 Illinois)
Jeremiah Smith has gotten most of the Heisman buzz out of Columbus this year as the best weapon in college football, but his quarterback has impressed over the Buckeyes' 6-0 start, too. Sayin threw for two scores on the road against Illinois on Saturday, giving the sophomore QB 15 touchdown throws over his first six games as he has OSU's offense humming in their national title defense. Sayin and Smith both deserve to hear their names in Heisman conversations and if the Buckeyes win out, fans might see the pair of teammates in New York.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the Top Five Heisman Trophy Candidates After College Football's Week 7.
