1. Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
Oregon was on bye in Week 12, so Mariota cannot be downgraded from his status as the Heisman frontrunner even if Melvin Gordon does rush for 408 yards. The Ducks quarterback has been excellent at limiting turnovers this season, and he has his team on track to win the Pac-12 championship and maybe even the national championship. His play has led the Ducks to wins in games they may not have won without his production.
Mariota only has to lead his team to victory against Colorado and Oregon State, so he should head into the conference title game with Oregon having just one loss. However, Oregon State proved that they can be a tough team to beat on the road as they played spoiler against Arizona State. If Mariota continues to lead an imposing Ducks offense with great statistics and wins, the award is as good as his.
Stats: 2,780 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 67.1 completion percentage; 89 carries, 524 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns; 1 reception, 26 receiving yards, 1 touchdown
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