Heisman Power Rankings: Jackson stretches lead after torching FSU

They say one cannot win the Heisman Trophy in September, but one can certainly lose it. While it's still too early to permanently remove anyone from contention, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, Florida State running back Dalvin Cook, and Ole Miss pivot Chad Kelly are among the preseason favorites who have fallen way down the list with inconsistent play in the opening month.

After three weeks, here are the top five candidates to win the Heisman Trophy:

5. Donnel Pumphrey, RB - San Diego State

He might be the best-kept secret in college football based on playing in the Mountain West Conference, but San Diego State running back Donnel Pumphrey is no joke. In fact, it's Pumphrey who leads the FBS in rushing through three weeks - and it's not even close.

His 599 yards on the ground are more than 150 better than second, while he's tied for third in rushing touchdowns with seven. After failing to reach the 100-yard mark in San Diego State's opener, Pumphrey has recorded back-to-back games of 200-plus, including a massive 281-yard performance versus Cal in Week 2. The Aztecs have raced out to a 3-0 start on Pumphrey's back.

4. Leonard Fournette, RB - LSU

LSU's third-year sensation returned with a vengeance Saturday after being forced to miss one game due to injury. Leonard Fournette punished Mississippi State to the tune of 147 yards and threw one huge stiff-arm en route, reminding everybody why he's projected to go first overall in the upcoming NFL draft.

Though his season line of 285 yards and two touchdowns may not stand out as anything special, Fournette is still on pace to rush for more than 1,500 yards for the second straight year, and is a couple of big-time performances away from a chance to challenge the 2,000-yard barrier.

3. Christian McCaffrey, RB - Stanford

Christian McCaffrey returned from his bye week to do what he does best, racking up 260 all-purpose yards for Stanford in its methodical beatdown of the USC Trojans. His performance would be noteworthy for most, but it was just another day at the office for McCaffrey, who's now picked up at least 200 total yards in 12 of his last 13 games.

McCaffrey leads the FBS in all-purpose yards per game with 235, and has found the end zone in four straight, dating back to last year. He's also rushed for at least 100 yards in 13 of his last 14 contests across this season and last.

2. J.T. Barrett, QB - Ohio State

It's hard to go unnoticed at Ohio State, but it feels like that's precisely what J.T. Barrett has done while leading the Buckeyes to a 3-0 start. He threw four touchdowns in Ohio State's weekend rout of Oklahoma, clearly outperforming Mayfield, who began the year as a fellow Heisman candidate.

His numbers won't stand out among the game's best pivots - Barrett only has 650 passing yards through three games and has thrown for less than 200 in two straight weeks - but he's made throws when Ohio State has asked him to. There may not be another quarterback in the country as consistently solid as Barrett, who's used his arm and legs to reach the end zone 13 times while committing only one turnover in 2016.

1. Lamar Jackson, QB - Louisville

If there were any questions about the validity of Lamar Jackson's numbers in his first two games, he answered them in Week 3 by leading Louisville to a pounding of No. 2 Florida State. Jackson has now accounted for over 350 yards of offense and five or more touchdowns in all three contests this season, and is the head of an offensive juggernaut that has scored north of 60 points in each affair.

The Cardinals' sophomore quarterback ranks 15th in the FBS in passing yardage, second in rushing, and No. 2 in points scored. Only Arizona State running back Kalen Ballage has accounted for more points, but most of his damage came in an eight-touchdown performance two weeks ago. Jackson is clearly the man to beat in the early portion of this Heisman race.