Heisman Power Rankings: Murray, Grier close gap on Tua

With the 2018 campaign winding down, a once wide gap between a spectacular SEC quarterback and his competition is narrowing, as Tua Tagovailoa's Big 12 counterparts have caught fire in recent weeks.

Here are the top five Heisman candidates with two games remaining in the regular season:

5. McKenzie Milton, QB - UCF

UCF may not get the credit it deserves by the College Football Playoff committee, but Milton deserves a spot among Heisman contenders. The junior quarterback has led the Golden Knights to 22 straight victories, an incredible feat on its own. Add his level of production - he threw for 200 yards, ran for 62 more, and totaled three touchdowns against Navy on Saturday - to an impressive record, and you have one of the nation's top signal-callers. It's too bad he won't get an opportunity to match up with a top-tier defense until (possibly) bowl season.

4. Gardner Minshew, QB - Washington State

The mustachioed man put in another strong performance against Colorado, completing 35 of 58 passes for 335 yards and two touchdowns in a dominant victory. Minshew is playing prolific football for Washington State, completing nearly 70 percent of his passes and leading the nation with 3,852 passing yards. The Cougars have an outside shot at qualifying for the College Football Playoff if they win out thanks to their sensational senior passer. Minshew's coming-out party under head coach Mike Leach has been one of this season's top stories.

3. Will Grier, QB - West Virginia

Grier's rise up our rankings continues after he torched TCU on Saturday. The senior quarterback threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns against the Horned Frogs in another efficient effort. Grier is making Big 12 defenses look silly on a weekly basis and is showing no signs of slowing down. The productive passer has put the Mountaineers on the verge of the Big 12 title game and in a position to vie for a playoff spot with a conference championship. Expect Grier to produce more fireworks with upcoming matchups against Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.

2. Kyler Murray, QB - Oklahoma

Murray came oh-so-close to the top spot this week after yet another exciting Bedlam shootout, but for now, he falls just short. The redshirt junior totaled 415 yards (349 passing, 66 rushing) against rival Oklahoma State on Saturday. Murray may have accounted for just one touchdown, but the Sooners quarterback was spectacular. The dynamic pivot fields quite the Heisman resume through 10 games, ranking second in total scores, third in completion percentage, and eighth in passing yards in the nation. Murray has Oklahoma on the brink of a playoff spot in his final season at Norman.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB - Alabama

Tagovailoa's grip on the top spot isn't as tight as it once was, but he's still the Heisman favorite at this moment. The play of Alabama's star quarterback has been seemingly affected by various injuries over the last few weeks. The Crimson Tide bested Mississippi State to remain undefeated, but Tagovailoa threw an interception for the second straight game. However, the fact that we're outlining this as the lefty's lone negative on an otherwise flawless Heisman resume speaks volumes on how incredible the sophomore has played. Somehow, his numbers are on par with the likes of Murray and Grier despite hardly seeing game action in the fourth quarter this season.