College football's most prestigious and recognizable award has found its three finalists. Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon, and Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper are the lucky candidates making the trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation.
Mariota and Gordon were largely considered definitive locks to make the list. Cooper's spot was probably the most tenuous, but 300+ receiving yards and three touchdowns over the last two weeks of the season ensured the strength of his candidacy.
A host of other quarterbacks -- Mississippi State's Dak Prescott, Baylor's Bryce Petty, and Ohio State's J.T. Barrett among them -- were each considered top candidates at some point during the season.
And Archie Griffin can rest assured that he'll be the sport's only two-time winner for yet another year; 2013 winner Jameis Winston was not invited to back as a repeat finalist.
Of the three left standing, Mariota remains the consensus top pick. The award is already considered to be predisposed to go to quarterbacks (12 of the last 15 have been field generals), and Mariota has been sterling all year. He was responsible for 5 touchdowns in the Ducks' Pac-12 Championship rout of Arizona (two in the air and three on foot), and has just two interceptions this season.
Gordon will see his chances drop after a largely pedestrian 76 yards and 2.9 yards-per-carry in Wisconsin's 59-0 loss to the Buckeyes Saturday.
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