Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck didn’t lose the Heisman Trophy with his substandard performance in the loss to Oregon, but he lost a stranglehold on the award.

For the first time this season, the Heisman race is just that: a race.

Luck held a commanding lead until he committed three turnovers last week in a 53-30 loss in the biggest game of Stanford’s season and, consequently, the biggest game of Luck’s candidacy. But he remains on top, albeit narrowly, in the most accurate Heisman tracker: the weekly straw poll of 13 voters conducted by HeismanPundit.com.

How he performs against Cal on Saturday and Notre Dame next week will help determine whether he becomes the first Stanford player since Jim Plunkett in 1970 to win college football’s most prestigious award.

But don’t expect to see Luck throwing 40 or 50 passes in an attempt to generate gaudy statistics and impress Heisman voters.

Stanford will continue to use a balanced attack, with its punishing running game setting up passing opportunities.

“We’re trying to win games, and Andrew knows that and wants that,” Cardinal coach David Shaw said. “You can’t sacrifice the team for one guy. As much as it’s tempting because of his skills, I don’t think it’s right.”

Luck’s continuing lead in the Heisman Pundit poll stems from several factors:

His status as the top NFL prospect in the country and widespread name recognition that dates to last season, when he finished second in the Heisman voting to Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.

Heisman voters who watched the Oregon game no doubt realized that Luck had no help from his teammates. The line struggled with protection, several passes were dropped and one of his two interceptions bounced off the chest of a receiver.

Several early-season candidates (quarterbacks Russell Wilson of Wisconsin and Robert Griffin III of Baylor) have faded. The best team in the country, Louisiana State, doesn’t have an elite quarterback or running back; the positions that have produced the past 13 Heisman winners. The best offensive player in the powerful Southeastern Conference, Alabama tailback Trent Richardson, has not been spectacular.

The player having the best statistical season, Houston quarterback Case Keenum, faces second-rate competition in Conference USA.

The Heisman race is highly fluid. But at this point, Luck’s top competitor is probably Brandon Weeden, the quarterback for No. 2 Oklahoma State whose statistics are similar to Luck’s.

Weeden isn’t the best player on his own team that would be All-America receiver Justin Blackmon but he has one potentially decisive advantage.

Luck will have a big stage to impress voters when Stanford faces No. 24 Notre Dame on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. But that pales in comparison with Weeden’s opportunity. He’ll face No. 5 Oklahoma on the final day of the regular season with the Big 12 title and a berth in the national championship game at stake.

Clearly, Luck’s margin for error is minuscule. Stanford must beat Cal and Notre Dame, and he must play well. His touchdown-to-interception ratio is of particular importance.

But Luck’s candidacy is unique because, to a far greater degree than any college quarterback in recent memory, Luck calls his own plays.

Stanford typically signals in three plays from the sideline. Luck has the option to run the first play in the progression or switch to one of the other two. His decisions are always based on how the defense is aligned when Stanford gets to the line of scrimmage.

When asked how often Luck changes out of passing plays and into running plays thus reducing his opportunity to accumulate passing yards and touchdowns Shaw declined to answer.

“It’s too complicated to put a percentage on,” he said. “But when he gets us into a run, it’s generally successful.

“The guy runs the game like nobody else in college football.”