When Marcus Mariota won the 2014 Heisman Trophy, it ended an eight-year drought for the Pac-12. Though the conference has grown accustomed to prolonged periods without capturing college football's highest individual honor, their current drought might end before it even becomes one.
The conference enters 2017 with a handful of legitimate Heisman candidates, including one of who finished in the top 10 of last year's voting and another who's widely considered the favorite to unseat Lamar Jackson.
MORE: Mayfield and Rudolph Lead Each Big 12 Team's Heisman Chances
Here is the best Heisman candidate for each Pac-12 team.
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Arizona – Brandon Dawkins, QB
Even if co-offensive coordinators Calvin Magee and Rod Smith engineer one of the most remarkable offensive turnarounds in Pac-12 history, Brandon Dawkins — or any other Arizona player for that matter — is not winning the Heisman.
Dawkins, who completed less than 54 percent of his passes last year and barely threw more touchdowns (eight) than interceptions (six), is still battling Khalil Tate for the starting job.
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Arizona State – Manny Wilkins, QB
Like Brandon Dawkins, Manny Wilkins hasn't won the starting job yet. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound dual-threat junior played well against Texas Tech (shocking) and Arizona but that was about it.
If Alabama transfer Blake Barnett wins the spot, he'd carry the Sun Devils' unrealistic chances at the Heisman.
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Cal – Ross Bowers, QB
Another yet-to-be-named starter, Ross Bowers is still battling Chase Forrest or the starting nod.
Bowers, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound sophomore from Washington, appeared in one game last year but did not attempt a pass. He played well in the spring game, completing 18 of 29 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns.
Obviously, Ross will need to average more than six yards per attempt to be impactful, let alone contend for the nation's highest honor. Cal winning more than three games would help too.
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Colorado – Phillip Lindsay, RB
Longtime starting quarterback Sefo Liufau is finally gone but the Buffs return dynamic all-purpose running back Phillip Lindsay.
He will challenge the Pac-12's best backs for First-Team honors in 2017, and if he performs as well as he did against Arizona State, Stanford and Washington State, the 5-foot-8 Lindsay will become a household name.
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Oregon – Royce Freeman, RB
Injuries and an oft-confused offense led to a disappointing season for Freeman, who entered the year with 3,707 total yards and 38 touchdowns in his first two years.
Back for his senior campaign, Freeman will spearhead the Ducks' attempt at redemption after the four-win debacle. A strong start and outburst against Stanford on Oct. 14 would put him in the Heisman discussion.
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Oregon State – Ryan Nall, RB
Captain of the all-unknown team, Ryan Nall is primed for a monster season.
The Oregon native has averaged more than six yards per game in each of his first two years and ran for more than 120 yards five times in 2016, including 221 on just 14 carries vs. Cal.
However, unless the Beavers miraculously win 10 games, Nall won't sniff Heisman contention but he's slowly becoming an elite running back.
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Stanford – Bryce Love, RB
Christian McCaffrey averaged more than seven yards per carry as a freshman. So did Bryce Love. Love also averaged more than seven yards last year, yet no one noticed.
Now a junior, Love replaces McCaffrey as the workhorse and looks to build on a season with three 100-yard games, including 115 yards in relief of McCaffrey in the Sun Bowl.
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UCLA – Josh Rosen, QB
It's time for Josh Rosen to take the next step.
Now a junior, the future NFL quarterback missed the Bruins' final six games with injury. In their first six, he failed to complete 60 percent of his passes, had a mediocre 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and tossed three interceptions in a season-opening loss to Texas A&M.
The talent is there for a big year and run at the Heisman and 2017 top-overall pick.
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USC – Sam Darnold, QB
Sam Darnold's offseason hype is deserved.
He played wonderfully as a redshirt freshman, averaging 8.4 yards per attempt while completing more than 67 percent of his passes. He took just six sacks in in 10-plus games, beat Washington on the road and gashed Penn State for 453 yards and five scores in the Rose Bowl.
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Utah – Troy Williams, QB
Ready for this?
Troy Williams reminds me of pre-Heisman Lamar Jackson. He's an athletic freak, erratic in the passing game and a good runner.
He played terrible against Oregon State (4-for-13) and Colorado (13-for-40), was one of college football's most inconsistent players all season and could lose the starting job at any moment. Still, he's bursting with more potential than any Ute and is their best chance at the Heisman.
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Washington – Jake Browning, QB
Had it not been for poor performances against USC and Colorado, Jake Browning would've finished higher than sixth in 2016 voting.
The junior quarterback has as good of a chance as anyone to win the award in 2017 — if the Huskies win at least 10 games.
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Washington State – Luke Falk, QB
Luke Falk passed on the NFL for another chance at a Pac-12 title.
He's smart, efficient and responsible, completing 70 percent of his passes and throwing one interception every 58 attempts. Falk needs huge games against Boise State in Week 2 and USC in Week 5.
