Brett Hundley’s Heisman hopes on the line in UCLA vs. Memphis

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley is still a candidate to win the Heisman Trophy despite a mediocre game against Virginia last weekend, but he’s going to need a big game against Memphis to keep those hopes alive.

Against the Cavaliers, Hundley threw for 242 yards and zero touchdowns, but did have a score on the ground. Fine stats, but not Heisman level.

Looking back on the last four Heisman winners — all quarterbacks — three of them have dominated in their season openers.

Auburn’s Cam Newton had five touchdowns in the opener against Arkansas State in 2010. When Baylor’s Robert Griffin III won the award in 2011, he tore up TCU in the opener by passing for 359 yards and five touchdowns. And while Florida State’s Jameis Winston was nowhere near the Heisman conversation going into his freshman season, he blasted Pittsburgh in the opener by throwing for 356 yards and four touchdowns.

That doesn’t mean Hundley’s already out of Heisman contention, though.

His best-case road map comes from former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, who also had a mediocre start to his Heisman-winning season in 2012. Like Hundley, he had zero passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown against Florida in the first game of his season. But in his second game, Manziel threw for four touchdowns and ran for two more against SMU. He finished that year with 47 total touchdowns.

In terms of staying in Heisman contention, having a less-than-stellar game early in the season is manageable. Two is going to be harder to overcome.

Hundley should have no problem putting up big numbers against a Memphis defense that finished 99th in the country last year in passing yards allowed. If he doesn’t, his Heisman chances are slim.

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