Heisman rankings Week 2: Joe Burrow enters the conversation

2. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

Much like what we saw last season from Tua Tagovailoa, the Alabama quarterback is starting off the 2019 season by making things look easy. After a four-touchdown showing in the win over Duke, Tagovailoa went 16-of-24 for 227 yards and three touchdowns while also adding a 25-yard rushing score against New Mexico State in Week 2 — all in one half. There is no doubt at this point that he’s on track for another ridiculously productive year.

With some of the big numbers being put up by other Heisman candidates this season, though, Tagovailoa’s biggest hurdle to overcome might actually be how easy things are coming to him. If Alabama continues to blow everyone out — something that’s surely in the cards — Tagovailoa isn’t going to have that much time on the field to pad his stats. That still may be enough for him to be a finalist again but it might cause him to fall short of a win again, as well.

1. Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma

If anyone was curious regarding if Jalen Hurts’ monumental debut for the Oklahoma Sooners was an aberration or not, the Alabama graduate transfer answered those questions with another strong performance. Of course, as he and Lincoln Riley’s team were making quick work of South Dakota, Hurts barely broke a sweat as he submitted another strong outing.

The quarterback finished the day going 14-of-18 for 259 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 47 yards as well in just over one half of work. After his six-touchdown effort against Houston to start the season where he also finished with north of 500 total yards, Hurts remains in the driver’s seat in the 2019 Heisman Trophy race until he lets up or someone picks up the pace in a major way behind him.