Heisman rankings – Week 10: Tua Tagovailoa passes biggest test yet

4. Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington State

Throughout their run to becoming a top-10 team in the country, quarterback Gardner Minshew and the Washington State Cougars have boasted a high-powered offense that few teams have been able to stop. In Week 10, however, Minshew and Co. were stifled a bit by the Cal Golden Bears as they only put up 19 points, but they were still able to get the win. And, despite the lack of scoring, Minshew’s performance was a big reason why.

The senior quarterback threw for 334 yards on 35-of-51 passing, tossing one score and one interception on the game. That’s not overwhelming, but his productivity and limited turnovers allowed the Cougars to take enough control of the game to get the win. With over 3,500 yards passing and 27 touchdowns on the year, Minshew has risen into the top five clearly.

3. Will Grier, QB, West Virginia

After a few lackluster performances, Will Grier has enjoyed two bounce-back games that have boosted his Heisman stock once again. After throwing for 353 yards and three touchdowns and adding a rushing score last week, he went up on the road in a marquee Big 12 matchup against the Texas Longhorns and played the role of hero for the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Grier was great in terms of productivity on the day, going 28-of-42 for 346 yards and three touchdowns. That alone is enough to warrant some credit being given to the quarterback, but it’s also worth noting that, with the game on the line after scoring to make it 40-41, the ball was in Grier’s hands. The senior leader then made the game-deciding play, running in the winning two-point conversion. A big statistical performance and the winning score certainly helps him move up in these rankings.