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Heisman Power Rankings: Haskins tumbles after shocking upset

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We're one week away from the first College Football Playoff rankings in 2018, and a number of stars across the country have their teams in contention for a national title.

Here are the top five Heisman candidates after an exciting weekend:

5. Gardner Minshew, QB - Washington State

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It's time to show this Wazzu quarterback some love. Minshew enters the Heisman race after an impressive performance in the Cougars' win over Oregon. The senior is an ideal fit in Mike Leach's offense and his decision to transfer from East Carolina to Washington State has proven to be a smart one. The Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate ranks second in the nation in passing yards and is currently tied for fifth with 23 touchdowns. Minshew may be a step behind other top-tier quarterbacks for college football's top individual honor, but he'll have every chance to make up ground. After leading big wins over Utah and Oregon this season, Washington State's November features battles with California, Colorado, and rival Washington.

4. Travis Etienne, RB - Clemson

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Clemson's touchdown-scoring machine enjoyed another productive Saturday in a victory over N.C. State. Etienne found the end zone on three occasions against the Wolfpack, giving him a tie for the nation's lead with 14. The sophomore has now scored three rushing touchdowns in three straight games, and he's recorded at least one in seven straight. The explosive playmaker is leading the Tigers' revitalized offense, and there are few players as dangerous offensively. Etienne looks like the best bet among running backs to be named a Heisman finalist.

3. Dwayne Haskins, QB - Ohio State

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Haskins' raw stats - 470 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception - look impressive on the surface, but the pivot wasn't at his best in Ohio State's shocking upset loss to Purdue. The redshirt sophomore struggled under pressure, failing to sustain drives on multiple occasions. It was the first blip in an otherwise outstanding season, however, so Haskins certainly isn't out of the Heisman race just yet, especially with Ohio State still in College Football Playoff contention. The strong-armed passer still leads the FBS in passing yards and touchdowns. We're looking forward to seeing how he handles a tough Michigan defense on Nov. 24.

2. Kyler Murray, QB - Oklahoma

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Murray's stellar season continued Saturday in a blowout victory over TCU. The redshirt junior cemented his status as nation's premier dual-threat quarterback after tossing four touchdowns and continuously torching the Horned Frogs' defense. The Sooners' passer has now accumulated 30 total touchdowns to just three interceptions in 2018 while completing 72.3 percent of his passes. Murray is a special player who's a big-play threat on every drop back. His status as a Heisman finalist is all but locked up.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB - Alabama

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What more can we say at this point? Despite throwing a total of 0 fourth-quarter passes this season, Tagovailoa finds himself just five touchdowns shy of the school record with at least four games to play. The sophomore is simply the best player in college football at the moment, leading a seemingly unstoppable offense to perfection. He added 306 yards and four touchdowns to his Heisman resume versus Tennessee and has yet to throw an interception in eight contests. The star lefty now has three games this season with at least 300 passing yards and four scores. Defenses better find a way to stop him soon, or the Crimson Tide are going to cruise to a national championship.

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