Dak Prescott returned to form in Week 13 by completing 16 of 21 passes for three touchdowns and no interceptions in a 51-0 rout of Vanderbilt in Mississippi State’s home finale.

While no one is impressed by the opponent, they should be impressed by Prescott’s numbers.

The junior’s 200.5 passer rating was his second highest in 11 games this season, and so was his 76.2 completion percentage. He accounted for four total touchdowns and did not commit a turnover against an FBS opponent for the first time since an Oct. 4 win over Texas A&M.

All in all, it was a banner day for Prescott and the Bulldogs, whose 51 points were their highest total in a game this season. Unfortunately for Prescott’s pursuit of the Heisman Trophy, it came two weeks too late.

Prescott began the year on a tear, accounting for 26 total touchdowns through the end of October while setting a pace to throw for 2,900 yards and rush for 1,000 by season’s end. Then November arrived, and his play hit a wall. In the first three games of the month — at home against Arkansas and UT Martin then on the road at Alabama — he accounted for just six total touchdowns compared to five interceptions, and Mississippi State’s offense began to look much less dynamic.

He committed two costly turnovers against Arkansas, and the offense scored just 17 points, which remains its lowest output of the season. He played just so-so against UT Martin, putting up decent numbers while almost no one paid attention.

Then he had his worst game of the year at Alabama, throwing a season-high three interceptions in MSU’s only loss, a loss that came before its largest viewing audience of the year.

Had Prescott continued his tear in the Arkansas and UT Martin games, he might have left himself some room for a poor performance against the Tide. Likewise, had he limited his turnovers against Alabama he may have stayed close to the top of the Heisman straw poll even in a loss. After all, current Heisman favorite Marcus Mariota lost at home to Arizona.

However, it was the pair of lackluster performances leading into his worst game of the year (coming on his biggest stage of the year) that ultimately ended his run at the Heisman.

His numbers against Vanderbilt were Heisman-esque, and although Vandy is far from a world-beater you can’t ask him to apologize for a conference opponent. Had this game come before the Alabama game, Prescott might have had some positive momentum heading into Tuscaloosa, and his Heisman campaign might have been able to withstand the impact of the loss to the Tide.

But beating Vandy one week after the Alabama game gave Prescott no chance at resurfacing atop the Heisman polls upon beating a 3-7 team. He padded his overall stats, but those stats still trail Mariota’s, and against the Dores there was no “Heisman moment” to be had.

He has a chance for a Heisman moment in Saturday’s Egg Bowl against Ole Miss and the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense, but even a huge performance against the Rebels might not be enough to supplant Mariota. Prescott is sure to be a finalist in New York, but the lack of buzz surrounding his name after the Vandy win goes to show how impactful that Alabama game truly was.

Prescott looked like a Heisman contender against the Commodores, but that won’t win him the award.