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Oregon QB Mariota Strengthens Lead In ESPN’s Heisman Watch

By Brandon C. Williams

Nov 1, 2014; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) throws the ball before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1, 2014; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) throws the ball before the game against the Stanford Cardinal at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Olmos-USA TODAY Sports /
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Marcus Mariota’s performance in destroying Stanford has allowed the Oregon QB to put some distance between himself and Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott in the latest ESPN Heisman Watch

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At this point, the Heisman Trophy is Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota’s to lose, as his surgical dissection of Stanford last week allowed him to pull further ahead for Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott in this week’s ESPN Heisman Watch.

Mariota has a 47-38 lead over Prescott, garnering seven of the ten first place votes, while Prescott took the other three. The Ducks’ signal caller generated 343 yards and four touchdowns from scrimmage during Oregon’s 45-16 win last Saturday, a victory that helped Oregon shoot up to the fourth and final playoff spot in this week’s College Football Playoff Rankings. He has a 26-2 TD-INT margin while also running for 410 yards and seven more scores.

Mississippi State remains atop the rankings as Prescott threw for a career-best 331 yards in the Bulldogs’ 17-10 escape over Arkansas, yet also threw a pair of interceptions and was held to just 61 yards rushing.

Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon remained in the third spot with 24 points, taking two second place votes, while Alabama wideout Amari Cooper stayed at fourth as the Crimson Tide took the week off.

TCU’s Trevone Boykin leaped into the fifth spot as the dual-threat quarterback led the Horned Frogs to a 31-30 thriller on the road against West Virginia. Boykin, who has thrown for 2,472 yards and 22 touchdowns, will further help his cause as TCU — ranked sixth in the Playoff rankings — faces seventh-ranked Kansas State on Saturday.

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