Heisman hopefuls: Week 11

While talent and production play huge factors in Heisman Trophy candidacy, so does luck. Injuries can often derail a great season, but these players have been fortunate enough to continue through the year relatively unscathed — although that may not be the case as the regular season is wrapping up.

Tua Tagovailoa was knocked out of a game again, in Week 11, but that hasn't affected his status among Heisman voters as one of the top players in the country. Still, there are some players who are making a late push to close the gap with only two more regular-season games left in the year.

Here are the players who improved their cases the most this week.

Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama Crimson Tide 

Oh, he’s not a machine? Not only did Tagovailoa have a subpar game, but he also left the game in the third quarter with an apparent leg injury that has been nagging him the last couple of weeks. He passed for only 164 yards and had one touchdown and one interception before he was benched. Alabama’s defense carried the team to the win against Mississippi State, keeping the lefty quarterback’s perfect starting record intact. Despite the injury, his 2,525 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and only two interceptions for the season put him in a great position to win the Heisman Trophy.

Gardner Minshew, Washington State Cougars 

Don’t look now, but Gardner Minshew is starting to make a case for some late-season Heisman consideration. Washington State’s flame-throwing quarterback rocked the mustache and ate up Colorado’s defense after a slow first half, throwing for 335 yards and two passing scores. He also added a rushing touchdown to put a little extra salt in the Buffaloes' wounds. The Pac-12 doesn’t have a lot to cheer for nationally this year, but this grad transfer formerly from East Carolina can give the conference something to root for next month if he continues to put up numbers.

McKenzie Milton, UCF Knights 

While Alabama continues to dominate the headlines, the self-proclaimed national champions keep chugging along with Milton at the helm. The junior quarterback did most of his damage in the first half, throwing for two touchdowns. He finished the game with 200 yards and a rushing score to help the Knights to their 22^nd straight victory. Milton finished eighth in the Heisman voting last year, but if he continues to build on his 2,309 yards and 29 total passing touchdown season so far, he could finish higher.

Will Grier, West Virginia Mountaineers 

Add TCU to a growing number of teams that were flamed by Grier. The West Virginia quarterback amassed 343 yards on 25 completions and finished with three passing scores. The superb senior now has 31 touchdowns through the air with nearly 3,000 yards for the season. Looking ahead to his last two games of the regular season, Grier will be facing Oklahoma State and Oklahoma — two defenses that have been porous of late, to say the least. If Grier can put on a show for both games, don’t be surprised if he is a finalist in December.

Kyler Murray, Oklahoma Sooners 

Murray’s first foray into Bedlam was an exciting affair, to say the least. The Sooners’ dual-threat quarterback was impressive with 349 yards on 21 of 29 passing with a touchdown, and he carried the ball 14 times for 66 yards as Oklahoma beat Oklahoma State, 48-47. Murray has made the season look easy so far, throwing for over 3,000 yards with 32 touchdowns.
Kansas and West Virginia on are deck for the Sooners. Judging from how he’s performed so far, Murray will carve up both defenses to pad his numbers.