Heisman Watch: Rise of the 'Dak Attack'
After a week of tremendous upsets, Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota's reign at the top of the list has come to an end.
Georgia running back Todd Gurley is the new king of the hill after sitting as the runner-up for four straight weeks. Meanwhile, Mississippi State pivot Dak Prescott can no longer be denied - he makes the largest jump on the list, landing in second.
Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace makes his first appearance this season, edging out last week's No. 5 Everett Golson, after a Rebels win so big that the student body ripped out the goalposts.
Here is the Heisman Watch list after Week 6:
Each player's previous ranking is listed in brackets.
1. Todd Gurley, RB - Georgia (2)
Georgia's Todd Gurley is undoubtedly the nation's best running back, and now he takes the spot as the nation's best player.
He displayed his versatility and dominance in his team's 44-17 win over Vanderbilt on Saturday with 163 yards rushing and two scores. His greatness has become so consistent that he has to do obscure things to stand out, such as throw the Bulldogs' longest pass of the season, a 50-yard completion to tight end Jeb Blazevich.
In addition to his huge throw, Gurley has 773 rushing yards, eight touchdowns, and an 8.2 yards-per-rush average this season.
2. Dak Prescott, QB - Mississippi State (NR)
Mississippi State's Dak Prescott went into Saturday's game against Texas A&M with something to prove, and he didn't disappoint.
His five touchdowns - two through the air and three on the ground - and 345 total yards were too much for the Aggies to handle, as they were upset 48-31 by the Bulldogs.
His 2014 tally of 1,232 yards passing, 13 touchdowns, and only two interceptions is solid. The passing numbers, combined with his 455 yards rushing and six scores, show that he has all the tools to be the next dual-threat quarterback darling out of the SEC.
3. Marcus Mariota, QB - Oregon (1)
Just as Oregon goes as far as quarterback Marcus Mariota takes them, his stock rises and falls with his team's success. Being upset at home 31-24 against Arizona was one thing, but his personally less-than-spectacular game is the focus here.
Mariota's 276-yard, two-touchdown performance was not enough to carry the Ducks over the Wildcats. It was the first game this season where he was held to less than 40 yards rushing - in fact, he finished with only a yard on the ground. He remains in the middle of this pack due to his body of work throughout 2014: 15 touchdowns, zero interceptions, 1,411 yards passing, and 215 yards and three touchdowns rushing.
4. Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin (NR)
Melvin Gordon's achievements in 2014 challenge Gurley's. It's just unfortunate that possibly Gordon's best game of the year couldn't help Wisconsin avoid a 20-14 upset loss to Northwestern.
Gordon put up his strongest rushing game of the season with 259 yards and a score, yet somehow the Badgers' offense couldn't muster more than two touchdowns.
Regardless of the win-loss column, Gordon's 871 yards and nine touchdowns on 8.3 yards-per-carry this season is elite territory. More performances like these will force his name towards the top of this list.
5. Bo Wallace, QB - Ole Miss (NR)
The new kid on the block was responsible for the upset of the week, and probably the upset of the season so far. Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace led his team over Alabama 23-17 with a 251-yard, three-touchdown performance, including 32 yards on the ground.
Wallace has carried the Rebels to a perfect 5-0 record with 1,522 yards passing and 14 touchdowns. To stay on the list, he'll need to keep his number of interceptions (six) low and come out of Saturday's game against Texas A&M with a win.