USA TODAY Sports Heisman Survey: Jordan Lynch up to second

Daniel Uthman | USA TODAY Sports

Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch nearly doubled his share of the vote in the latest USA TODAY Sports Heisman Survey and sits in second place behind Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston entering the final week of voting.

Winston's percentage of the total vote held steady at 43 percent while Lynch moved from 11 percent to 19 percent. Lynch is coming off a win vs. Western Michigan in which he broke his own single-game rushing record for a quarterback by gaining 321 yards. He is fourth nationally in total offense, a statistical category dominated by quarterbacks, and is third nationally in rushing yards, a category dominated by running backs.

Lynch and Northern Illinois are playing for the Mid-American Conference Championship and a second consecutive Bowl Championship Series berth on Friday night against Bowling Green.

In the BCS era, no player from a non-automatic qualifying conference has won the Heisman trophy.

Lynch – and Ohio State's Braxton Miller, for that matter – gained favor with voters who previously had included Alabama's AJ McCarron high on their ballots. McCarron's share of the vote fell from 28% to 13% this week following the Crimson Tide's loss at Auburn, its first in 15 games. McCarron remains in third place, just ahead of Miller, who earned a season-best 7.7%. Miller accounted for 286 yards and five touchdowns Saturday in a 42-41 win at Michigan.

More than two dozen staffers from Gannett properties participate in the survey each week.

Winston remains under investigation for an alleged sexual assault battery incident Dec. 7, 2012, though no charges have been filed, and last week the State Attorney's office in Tallahassee said any charges would not come until next week, if then. Winston was ranked first on 22 ballots and was left off of three.

Eleven players received votes in this week's survey, a season-high.

Breaking down the ballots (three points are awarded for a first-place vote, two for second and one for third):

1. QB Jameis Winston, Florida State: 22-1-0 = 68

2. QB Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois: 3-7-7 = 30

3. QB AJ McCarron, Alabama: 1-5-7 = 20

4. QB Braxton Miller, Ohio State: 0-3-6 = 12

5. RB Andre Williams, Boston College: 0-3-2 = 8

6. QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M: 0-3-0 = 6

7. (tie) QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon: 0-1-2 = 4

7. (tie) QB Bryce Petty, Baylor: 0-2-0 = 4

9. QB Derek Carr, Fresno State: 0-1-0 = 2

10. (tie) RB Tre Mason, Auburn: 0-0-1 = 1

10. (tie) RB Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona: 0-0-1 = 1

More than two dozen staffers from Gannett properties participate each week. Daniel Uthman is USA TODAY Sports' senior editor, colleges. He is not a Heisman voter.