We’re now eight weeks into the college football season, and the nation’s pool of candidates for the Heisman Trophy has thinned considerably during the past few weeks.

With more than half of the regular season in the books, it is time for us to start trimming the list of SEC players that are candidates for the award as well.

So as we examine how things went down in Week 8, we will also narrow our scope to a trio of SEC players that still have a reason to hope to receive college football’s most prestigious award.

As each week passes, we will continue to assess the performance of the league’s top players and re-calibrate this list to better reflect the chances of an SEC player bringing home the hardware for the first time since former Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel did so in 2012.

Let’s see how they fared in Week 8:

SEC HEISMAN HOPEFUL RANKINGS

1. THE OVERWHELMING FAVORITE

RB Leonard Fournette, LSU

2015 stats: 176 carries for 1,352 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns; seven catches for 58 yards in seven games.

Week 8 performance: For the seventh consecutive game, Fournette reached the 150-yard plateau, rushing for exactly 150 yards and a score on 26 carries during a win against Western Kentucky. Though it was his lowest rushing output of the season, the performance did nothing to hurt his Heisman campaign.

Status: Heading into a Week 9 bye, Fournette retains his title as the overwhelming favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. He is likely to seal the deal if he puts up a big performance in a showdown with Alabama in Week 10.

2. THE SECONDARY CANDIDATE 

RB Derrick Henry, Alabama

2015 stats: 180 carries, 1,044 rushing yards, 14 rushing touchdowns; eight receptions for 69 receiving yards in eight games.

Week 8 performance: Henry followed a career-best performance against Texas A&M in Week 7 with another impressive outing in Week 8 against Tennessee. The junior ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, scoring the game-winning touchdown in the contest’s final minutes.

Status: Henry has built a strong case to be considered for the award. If it were not for Fournette making him the second-best back (statistically) in his own division of the conference he plays in, I truly think there would be much better traction for his campaign. Following a Week 9 bye, he will have a chance to change some minds with a head-to-head meeting with Fournette in Week 10.

3. THE LONGSHOT CANDIDATE

QB Dak Prescott, Mississippi State

2015 stats: 173 of 260 passing for 2,048 yards and 14 touchdowns, one interception; 72 carries for 371 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns in eight games.

Week 8 performance: Prescott had his best game of the season, accounting for 465 yards of total offense and six touchdowns in a blowout win against Kentucky. He completed 25 of 35 passes for 348 yards passing and three touchdowns, while also running for 117 yards and three touchdowns.

Status: Just when you’re ready to write off the talented senior from consideration, he comes through with a big-time performance like Saturday’s schooling of Kentucky. If he can continue to put up games like that, and if the Bulldogs have it in them to make a run at winning out, it could be enough to get Prescott some Heisman love.

 INJURED, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

RB Nick Chubb, Georgia

2015 stats: 92 carries for 747 yards and seven rushing touchdowns; four catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.

2015 summary: Chubb, who was considered one of the league’s top Heisman candidates in the preseason and through the early portion of the season, suffered a season-ending knee injury at Tennessee on Oct. 10. He was on pace to potentially have an opportunity to make a trip to New York as one of the Heisman finalists. Chubb finished the season with an average of 8.1 yards per carry, and averaged scoring a touchdown once every 12 touches.

On the outside looking in: Texas A&M DE Myles Garrett; Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly; Tennessee RB Jalen Hurd; Texas A&M WR Christian Kirk; Ole Miss DL Robert Nkemdiche; Arkansas RB Alex Collins; Auburn RB Peyton Barber; Missouri LB Kentrell Brothers; Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell.