Heisman Trophy candidates announced

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Marcus Mariota, Melvin Gordon, and Amari Cooper have been listed as the three finalists for the 2014 Heisman Trophy Award.

The most prestigious award given to college football's finest player will be handed out for the 80th time Saturday in New York.

Oregon QB Marcus Mariota (Junior)

EUGENE, Ore. - For many weeks considered the favorite for the award, Mariota led the No. 2 Oregon Ducks to a berth in the Rose Bowl semifinal, where the team will face defending-champion Florida State. 

He threw for 3,773 yards, the second-most passing touchdowns (38), and only two interceptions, adding 669 rushing yards and 6 scores.

His 346 total yards and five all-purpose touchdowns led the Ducks to a 51-13 victory over Arizona for the Pac-12 Championship. 

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Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon (Junior)

MADISON, Wis. - Melvin Gordon became the fastest college football player to reach 2,000 gained yards in history this season. He held the all-time record for most rushing yards in a contest in the college game, gaining 408 yards against Nebraska Nov. 15th. (Though Oklahoma's Samaje Perine broke that record the following week with 427 yards against Kansas.)

His 2,336 yards are good for the fourth-best mark of any tailback to play, and added 26 touchdowns on the ground for the Wisconsin Badgers. He was held, however, to only 76 yards in the Badgers' 59-0 flattening at the hands of Ohio State in Saturday's Big Ten Championship.

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Alabama WR Amari Cooper (Junior)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - This season found Amari Cooper claim the all-time reception record for the Southeastern Conference (115), also the best mark in the nation. His 1,656 yards and 14 touchdowns are both tied for second-best nationally. 

His 224 yards receiving in the Tide's Iron Bowl victory over Auburn were the most in that 79-year series, a contest in which his Heisman candidacy became more pronounced. 

Alabama, ranked first in the country, will face No. 4 Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl semifinal to determine who will play the Rose Bowl victor for the National Championship Jan. 12th. 

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Wisconsin has two Heisman Trophy winners (tailbacks Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne), Alabama has one (tailback Mark Ingram), and Oregon is yet to win the award. Desmond Howard of Michigan was the last wide receiver to claim the prize, in 1991.