2. NICK CHUBB, RB, GEORGIA 

LSU running back Leonard Fournette said Nick Chubb is the SEC’s best running back. That’s a high-profile endorsement, given Fournette could be a Heisman contender in his own right.

Chubb took over as the Bulldogs’ primary ball-carrier with Todd Gurley sidelined, and Georgia’s offense did not skip a beat. In fact, one could argue that Chubb was more of a threat than his teammate and erstwhile Heisman favorite Gurley.

Chubb scored at least one touchdown in each of Georgia’s final nine games and totaled 113 or more yards in the last eight. He torched Arkansas and Louisville, two of the nation’s best run defenses, for 202 and 266 yards.

Chubb is Georgia’s strongest Heisman contender since Garrison Hearst in 1992, who I contend should have beaten out winner Gino Torretta.

1. TREVONE BOYKIN, QB, TCU

Trevone Boykin’s transformation last season fueled TCU’s surprise 12-1 finish.

His exclusion from last December’s Heisman presentation was actually rather surprising, given his astronomical statistical output and the Horned Frogs’ reemergence as title contenders.

Boykin fits every criteria one looks for in the Heisman recipient. He’s a dual-threat quarterback, who puts up big numbers both with the run and pass. His second-ranked Horned Frogs promise to factor into the championship landscape. And after popping off to media last season, head coach Gary Patterson told ESPN.com’s Ivan Maisel on the ESPNU podcast that Boykin has matured into more of a leader.