Heisman hopefuls: Week 4

Week 4 had plenty of spills and thrills, as Heisman Trophy candidates continued to build their cases to be a finalist for the most sought-after trophy in college football. A couple of newcomers made their way into the national spotlight, while a trio of highly touted quarterbacks continued to dazzle their way into fans' and voters' hearts alike.

Here are five Heisman hopefuls who helped their resumes the most.

Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama Crimson Tide 

OK. Full disclosure: A guy in a quarterback platoon doesn’t deserve Heisman Trophy recognition most years. However, Tua Tagovailoa is special enough to change many minds.

The Crimson Tide quarterback played a majority of this past weekend's game, and he let critics know how good he is with a 387-yard performance and four touchdowns. If there were any doubts he could lead a national championship contending team on his own, they were exorcised after the 45-23 destruction of the Texas A&M Aggies. Tagovailoa may be known as the guy who got Nick Saban his fifth national championship in nine years, but this game showed that he is no fluke.

Will Grier, West Virginia Mountaineers 

Will Grier continues to do Will Grier things at West Virginia, and that usually means bad things for any defense.

The former Florida Gator transfer got back on track this week (after a week off due to Hurricane Florence), throwing for 356 yards and a gaudy five touchdowns against Kansas State on Saturday. In three games, Grier has shown he has no lasting effects from last year’s season-ending injury, notching 14 scoring throws. He might have finished with two interceptions, but he still showed he is one of the most valuable players in all of college football with his ability to get the ball to his playmakers.

J.J. Taylor, Arizona Wildcats 

Khalil Tate may have gotten some preseason Heisman consideration, but J.J. Taylor showed he has some juice on his own.

The redshirt sophomore running back had his way with the Oregon State Beavers, piling up 284 yards rushing and hitting pay dirt twice. Taylor may have been overlooked by bigger schools because of his 5-foot-6 frame, but this performance made him stand tall in the race for the most famous trophy in college football.

Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State 

The Ohio State Buckeyes remained undefeated after trouncing Tulane 49-6, and Haskins is a big reason why.

The former four-star recruit needed only one half to prove he’s one of the most dangerous players in the nation, throwing for five touchdowns and 304 yards. This is his second five-touchdown game of the season, putting him in an exclusive club with J.T. Barrett as the only two players in Ohio State history to have multiple five-passing-touchdown games in one season. If that doesn’t say Heisman, nothing does.

Benny Snell Jr., Kentucky Wildcats 

Kentucky hasn’t had a lot to cheer about when it comes to its football team, but Benny Snell Jr. has been a revelation for the Wildcats since 2015, and now the country is starting to notice.

The junior running back showed out against Mississippi State, bobbing and weaving his way to 165 rushing yards and finding the end zone four times. The Wildcats were able to secure the win against the Bulldogs, 28-7. If Snell can match this production through SEC play and power the Wildcats to more wins, it won’t matter how bad Kentucky was in the past — he will get recognition from the Heisman Trophy voters.