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QBs dominate final preseason Heisman Trophy watch

Paul Myerberg
USA TODAY Sports
Baylor Bears quarterback Bryce Petty (14) throws a pass against the Central Florida Knights during the Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium.

The race for the 2014 Heisman Trophy is on, led by last year's winner, and will be impacted only slightly by Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller's season-ending shoulder injury.

Though Miller was a contender for the Heisman, it doesn't alter the quarterback-heavy top four heading into the season opener: Oregon's Marcus Mariota, Florida State's Jameis Winston, Baylor's Bryce Petty and UCLA's Brett Hundley.

All four quarterbacks, much like their respective teams, will jostle for national positioning throughout the course of the regular season. Seeing that all four will put forth similar numbers, the Heisman may come down to a familiar deciding factor: which quarterback's team sits atop the polls heading into the postseason.

1. QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon

Mariota may very well have won the Heisman last season had he not been sidelined by a knee injury during the final stretch of Pac-12 Conference play. A year later, a stronger and healthier Mariota stands as the near-consensus preseason pick to become the Ducks' first Heisman recipient. No quarterback in college football is a better fit for his specific system; in Mariota's case, it's one of the friendliest, most effective offensive systems in the country.

2. QB Jameis Winston, Florida State

The reigning winner becomes the latest to attempt what might seem impossible: Outside of former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin, no player has successfully defended his Heisman. Winston's best case will come from an even stronger performance statistically, though that seems similarly impossible, and the fact that Florida State enters the opening weekend as the overwhelming favorite to win the inaugural College Football Playoff. What remains to be seen, however, is how Heisman voters will view Winston's off-field missteps.

3. QB Bryce Petty, Baylor

Like Mariota, Petty inhabits the catbird seat in Baylor's unstoppably effective passing game. There's reason to think that his production will improve as a second-year starter, strengthening the Bears' chances at reclaiming last season's Big 12 Conference championship. On a game-by-game level, Petty likely needs to lead Baylor past Oklahoma in November to remain among the top three for the Heisman.

4. QB Brett Hundley, UCLA Hundley is the total package. He’s also the centerpiece of UCLA’s projected run at a spot in the College Football Playoff, an under-the-radar charge that should develop major momentum by midseason. In terms of importance to his team’s efforts, Hundley is absolutely irreplaceable. But he does have to deal with Mariota in his own conference – and as great as both are, one is going to make noise at the expense of the other. Stats-Rushed for 748 yards, threw for 3071 yards and completed 67.2% of his passes (248/369).

4. QB Brett Hundley, UCLA

Hundley's case is hampered by Mariota's excellence within UCLA's own conference. But the junior, who turned down a high slot in April's NFL draft to return in 2014, will have his shot at Mariota and the Ducks in the Pac-12 title game, should the Bruins fend off USC, Arizona and Arizona State to claim the South Division title. If UCLA matches its preseason expectations – and the expectations are to reach the playoff – Hundley may be hard to beat.

5. RB Todd Gurley, Georgia

Gurley stands atop a Southeastern Conference largely devoid of a Heisman frontrunner, thanks in large part to the number of starting quarterbacks lost to graduation. That fact helps Georgia's chances of winning the SEC East Division, which remains somewhat up for grabs. The Bulldogs might need double-digit wins and a spot in the conference title game for Gurley to have a shot at leapfrogging the top four quarterbacks.

6. QB Connor Cook, Michigan State

Cook's candidacy is boosted by Miller's season-ending injury. Now the unquestioned leader of the preseason favorites in the Big Ten, the junior could earn a trip to Manhattan by leading the Spartans to the conference championship.

7. RB Ameer Abdullah, Nebraska

It's mostly about the gaudy rushing totals, true, but Abdullah would be aided immensely by Nebraska's projected push for a Big Ten West division championship.

8. RB Mike Davis, South Carolina

Though nursing a rib injury, Davis enters his junior season as a proven commodity, unlike a season ago, and should put up the numbers to justify some Heisman recognition on one of the nation's best teams.

9. QB Keenan Reynolds, Navy

Reynolds will benefit from marquee games against Ohio State and Notre Dame, the sort of matchups that would allow an under-the-radar contender to showcase his Heisman credentials in front of a national audience.

10. QB Rakeem Cato, Marshall

Cato will put up crooked numbers at the controls of Marshall's offense, but his team's soft regular-season schedule could keep him on the outside looking in.

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