Heisman hopefuls: Week 2

Week 2 is where the contenders separate themselves from the pretenders in the college football's Heisman Trophy race. There are some familiar names from Week 1's Heisman Watch list, but there are also some new names who got their resumes back on track or put up some eye-opening numbers to get some attention.

Here are the players who emerged from college football's second week in the battle for the sport's most sought-after trophy.

Kyler Murray, Oklahoma

Oklahoma running back (and one of last week’s Heisman Watch players) Rodney Anderson went down with a leg injury in the first quarter and watched the rest of the game in street clothes. It might be a big loss for the Sooners, but it allowed junior quarterback Kyler Murray to show what he can do.

With Baker Mayfield-sized shoes to fill, Murray stepped up and threw for 306 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 69 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. If Anderson is out for an extended period of time, Oklahoma will need more performances like this from Murray, which will only help his Heisman resume.

Justin Herbert, Oregon

Herbert’s Heisman case took a hit last week against FCS school Portland State, but he recovered in a huge way. The junior quarterback took Bowling Green to the woodshed in Week 2, posting an efficient game. He completed 20 of 26 passes for 250 yards and added four touchdowns to get himself back in the Heisman conversation.

The Pac-12 is looking like one of the more wide-open conferences in the country this year. If Herbert continues to have performances like this and Oregon climbs to the top of the conference standings, he has a great chance at hoisting college football’s most coveted trophy.

Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State

The rain was falling in Columbus and so were Haskins’ passes — right into his receivers’ hands that is. The sophomore passer built on last week’s eye-opening performance with an efficient showing against Rutgers, going 20 for 23 and gaining 233 yards through the air with four touchdowns.

It has been 12 years since a Buckeye held the Heisman Trophy. Haskins might be the next man up.

Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

Elite Power Five players are supposed to do well against teams like Western Kentucky and New Mexico, but what Taylor has done in 2018 so far has been astounding. Coming off a 145-yard performance last week against the Hilltoppers, the sophomore running back pulverized the Lobos with a Division I-leading 253 yards and three touchdowns.

The Badgers face a tough BYU team next week, but all indications are that Taylor will have no problem carving up the Cougars like he has with every other team so far.

Drew Lock, Missouri

While all eyes are on Tua Tagovailoa and his situation at Alabama, Drew Lock has been putting up numbers and opening some eyes in Missouri. His 289-yard, four touchdown effort was impressive against UT Martin, and he followed that up with nearly 400 yards and another four touchdowns against Wyoming. The senior quarterback has had accuracy issues in the past, but he has improved every year since he became the starter at Missouri in 2015.

Some believe Lock’s numbers are a product of playing smaller, non-conference teams. But if he continues this aerial assault on SEC opponents, we could be seeing a dark-horse candidate for the Heisman in Lock.