College football: Heisman watch, Week 4

Whether it is fair or not, a player’s Heisman Trophy résumé can depend on his team’s success. Heisman voters love recognizing the best players on the best teams, but that can mean equally talented players fall by the wayside if their respective squads don’t do well.

Washington State quarterback Anthony Gordon had one of the greatest games in college football history with 570 yards and nine touchdowns, but the Cougars’ unprecedented collapse to UCLA might affect his candidacy for the Heisman in December. In college football, every game matters for teams and aspiring trophy winners alike.

Fortunately for the players on this list, their respective teams took care of business with their extraordinary performances. Here are five players who continued to improve their stocks.

Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama

Alabama continues to roll through lesser opponents, and Tagovailoa continues to be the field general leading the charge. The Heisman favorite (according to OddsShark) had little trouble finding the open man against Southern Mississippi, notching 293 passing yards and five touchdowns in three quarters of work.

Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was the beneficiary of Tagovailoa’s big arm, catching 45-yard and 74-yard scores in the first nine minutes of the game. Within the first 19 minutes, the Crimson Tide were up 28-0 on the strength of their star quarterback’s arms. Not even Brett Favre could’ve helped his alma mater against Alabama.

Meanwhile, the Hawaiian native achieved his second straight five-touchdown game in the passing attack. With Ole Miss heading to Tuscaloosa next week, don’t expect him to let up anytime soon.

Justin Fields, Ohio State

Miami (OH) wasn’t supposed to give Ohio State any problems, and Justin Fields made sure it didn’t. The sophomore quarterback continued his assault on college football with another superhuman effort that kept him among the elite touchdown scorers in the country.

The day didn’t start off so well for Fields, getting taken down for a safety in the first quarter. Ohio State led just 7-5 after the first quarter, but the Georgia transfer got back on track, throwing for four touchdowns and running in another two before the end of the second quarter, bringing his touchdown total to 19, good for second in the nation.

The Buckeyes' first true test comes next week against 3-1 Nebraska, and they’ll need Fields to have another good game to stay atop the Big 10.

Sam Ehlinger, Texas

Texas ended its four-game skid against Oklahoma State powered by the effort of its star quarterback. Sam Ehlinger is making the most of his senior year and doing his best to make good on his word that the Longhorns are back.

It was a normal game from the Austin native, getting the job done through the air and the ground. He finished his day with 281 yards passing and four touchdowns while adding 73 rushing yards. He threw his first interception of the season but was pivotal in the clock-killing drive at the end of the game.

With West Virginia’s suspect defense next on the docket, Ehlinger will be looking to build on his already successful season.

Joe Burrow, LSU

The Tigers have an offense that fans are going gaga over, and Joe Burrow is the engine that is making this transition possible. The senior quarterback is helping change the culture in Baton Rouge with an aggressive style, as he rewrites the history books.

Burrow threw an LSU-record six touchdowns and nearly 400 yards, as he continues to show the rest of the SEC that the Tigers offense is a force to be reckoned with. He also became the first quarterback in the school’s history to throw for 350 yards in three straight games. His 357 yards at halftime was also a record.

LSU hosts Utah State in two weeks to finish off the Tigers’ non-conference schedule.

Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin

The Badgers were looking for some respect playing against mighty Michigan. Running back Jonathan Taylor helped them get that and then some.

After the bye week, Taylor looked fresh and made sure Michigan felt his presence early and often. The junior running back rumbled his way to 203 yards on 23 carries, finding pay dirt twice. He gained 143 of those yards in the first quarter, including a 72-yard blistering run that left the Wolverine defense in the dust.

The Heisman Trophy has been a quarterback award for the last three years, but Taylor is proving that he is worthy of serious consideration.

For up-to-date betting odds for the Heisman Trophy winner, visit BetOnline.ag.