Monday Musings: The Big Ten Didn’t Look Like “Murderer’s Row”

The second week of bowls has given us a lot to talk/think about this week.

1. Murderer’s Row got murdered. We all know that Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee stuck his foot in his mouth back in November with his comments that playing the Big Ten conference schedule was “like murderer’s row every week.” We just didn’t realize how far his foot went in his mouth. Murderer’s row got murdered New Year’s Day. The Big Ten was 0-5 in bowl games, and many of them were not pretty. Michigan was destroyed 52-14 by Mississippi State. Michigan State was obliterated by Alabama 49-7. Penn State played horrible against a bad Florida team and lost 37-24. Northwestern couldn’t hang with Texas Tech long enough and lost 45-38. Last, but not least, Big Ten Champion Wisconsin lost to none other than … TCU. Five teams—that’s half the conference. So, if the Big Ten is murderer’s row, then what does that make the SEC (three of the five Big Ten opponents were SEC teams)? A mine field? A rainstorm of nuclear bombs?

2. Where’s the backup quarterback? Penn State quarterback Matthew McGloin had a terrible game in the Outback Bowl against Florida. He was just 17 of 41 for 211 yards, with one touchdown and 5 interceptions. At what point do you bring in the back up quarterback? No surprise that it was an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown that put the nail in the coffin.

3. Nothing says New Year’s Day like infomercials. I turned the television to ABC to watch the Rose Bowl and found an infomercial. Later that night, I turned back to ABC to see what was in place of the Fiesta Bowl. More infomercials. What kind of a decision was that to move the biggest bowl games of the day to cable? How do you cost justify running infomercials on a Saturday during prime time? I don’t think they paid anywhere close to the amount advertisers would have paid for commercials during the Rose and Fiesta Bowls. ESPN has commitments to air plenty of snoozer “sporting” events during the year, so why not schedule the World Series of Poker or some fascinating X games while you broadcast the bowls on your sister station ABC.

4. Not like it used to be. Notre Dame and Miami renewed their rivalry in the Sun Bowl. It was 30-3 in the fourth quarter. Not quite the drama that we were used to 20 years ago. At least no fights broke out this time.

5. A plus-one system for the FSC? A plus-one system can’t be agreed upon for the football bowl subdivision of college football, but what about one for the Florida State Championship? With UCF beating a SEC team in its bowl to finish 11-3 and Florida State beating another SEC team in its bowl to finish 10-4, who is the best team in the state of Florida? I would love to see UCF and Florida State play one last game to settle the state championship.

6. The Holiday Bowl really was a holiday. Nebraska took the name of its bowl game a little too literally. Losing 19-7 to the same Washington Huskies that they beat 56-21 earlier this year, in Seattle, the Cornhuskers shouldn’t have even bothered to show up for the game. It’s a good thing that the Holiday Bowl payout is one of the better non-BCS bowl game payouts; otherwise, that would have been a total waste for Nebraska.

7. Upset alert. Five ranked teams lost to unranked or lower ranked teams last week. Ironically, Oklahoma wasn’t one of them. Number 12 Missouri lost to unranked Iowa. North Carolina State took down number 22 West Virginia. Number 20 South Carolina fell to number 23 Florida State. Number 18 Nebraska mailed it in against Washington. The 9th ranked Michigan State Spartans were clobbered by number 16 Alabama. LSU and Nevada better be paying attention.

8. Model of consistency. Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon had his 12th consecutive 100-yard receiving game when he logged 117 yards against Arizona in the Alamo Bowl. That is a new NCAA record for consecutive 100-yard receiving games and for the most receiving yards by a sophomore (sorry, Larry Fitzgerald). Blackmon reached the 100-yard milestone in every game played this year.

9. Time to relieve Rich Rod. I have argued for Michigan to retain Rich Rodriguez for 2011, but now I am switching sides. The 52-14 loss to Mississippi State shows that the players don’t want, and won’t, play for him. Michigan brass made it clear they were waiting for the bowl game to make a final decision. Okay men, time to rise up. One last chance to save your coach’s job. The players made it known how they feel. Don’t forget that Rodriguez doesn’t want to make the coaching changes necessary to improve the defense, either.

10. Loophole Lovers. The NCAA loves loopholes. It became known this week that the real reason that the five suspended Ohio State players were allowed to participate in the upcoming Sugar Bowl is because a loophole in the rules that allows suspended players to play in bowl games because of “the unique opportunity these events provide at the end of a season.” What about redshirted players? Why not let them play as well? This might be the only time in their careers that they make it to a bowl game. As if this loophole wasn’t enough, the NCAA needed to create another one with the Cam Newton situation earlier in the season.

Weekly Trivia: 2009-10 Bowl Challenge Cup

The answer to last week's trivia question, "What other FBS conferences (in addition to the Big Ten) had a three team tie for the conference championship?" is the Big East and the WAC. Uconn, Pitt, and West Virginia all had 5-2 conference records in the Big East. Hawaii, Boise State, and Nevada all had 7-1 conference records in the WAC. You could even throw in the Big 12 South, if you wanted; Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas A&M all had a 6-2 conference mark.

One of the newer traditions in college football is the Bowl Challenge Cup awarded to the conference with the best win percentage in bowl games. This week’s trivia question is:

Which FBS conference won the Bowl Challenge Cup in 2009-10?

Leave your answer in the comments section. The answer will be revealed next Wednesday when a new question is asked.

For more trivia questions, visit the Trivia page.

Heisman Hopefuls: Reaction to 2010 Results

As expected, Auburn Tigers quarterback Cameron Newton was awarded the Heisman Memorial Trophy last Saturday. He won by a land slide. Only five past winners have received more points than Newton’s 2,263 (O.J. Simpson-2,853, Tony Dorsett-2,357, Charlie Ward-2,310, Ricky Williams-2,355, Troy Smith-2,540). Congratulations Cam.

Following the announcement and the release of the voting, I have a few other thoughts before closing the book on Heisman Hopefuls 2010.

• Cam Newton received 729 first place votes and only 24 second and 28 third. With the controversy surrounding him, voters took an “all or nothing” approach to him. Either they were voting for him because he was clearly the most outstanding player, or they boycotted voting for him because of the possible pay-for-play.
• Andrew Luck should not have been second. I already explained why Luck should not have been a Heisman finalist. I am still dumbfounded about why Luck even got one first place vote, let alone enough votes to finish second. Especially since …
• Terrelle Pryor got no votes. Absolutely zero. He was one of the biggest preseason candidates, and he made huge strides this year. If Andy Dalton and Owen Marecic could get some votes, how did Pryor get none?
• Speaking of Owen Marecic, why did he get any votes? Because he plays two ways? Because he scored an offensive and defensive TD in the same game? A lot of players could play two ways. It’s just that nobody does. No one else can do what Newton, LaMichael James, and Justin Blackmon did. Marecic barely touched the ball on offense. The offensive and defensive TD feat was done just 4 years ago. Yeah, it is cool, but it’s not like it hasn’t happened since the leather helmet days.
• Ninety-one voters should lose their voting privileges. In addition to the 78 who voted Luck first, the six that voted Denard Robinson first, the four that voted Andy Dalton first, and the three that voted Owen Marecic first. I can understand local voters giving token votes to really good players in their region of the country, but putting them first on your ballot? No way.
• The token votes I was pleased to see were those for Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Statistically, he was on par with Newton (2,830 yards passing, 1,154 yards rushing, 20 TD rushing and 20 TD passing). He led the Wolf Pack to their first national ranking in ages. While his stats were not gaudy, he quarterbacked a 17 point second half comeback to dethrone Boise State.

Heisman Hopefuls: Cam Newton Will Win Auburn's Third Heisman

Auburn quarterback Cameron Newton has gone from junior college transfer to Heisman Trophy winner in one year. He will join Pat Sullivan (1971) and Bo Jackson (1985) as the third Auburn Tiger to win the award. He sealed the deal by leading the epic comeback against Alabama a week ago. This Saturday in the SEC Championship game, Newton put an exclamation mark on his campaign. His stat line: 17-28 (60.7%), 335 yards, 4 TD, plus 14 rushes, 73 yards, and 2 TD.

Since November started, only one player really had a shot at Newton. LaMichael James made a push, but Newton proved to be too much. James had 134 yards on 28 carries, and added 2 TDs, against Oregon State this week. Perhaps, James biggest setback in the Heisman race was teammate Kenjon Barner. Barner was right behind James with 133 yards rushing last Saturday. James split significant time with Barner the last two weeks. James could have pushed the 200 yard mark the last two games, which would have caught every voters' attention.

If I had a vote, here is how my ballot would look. Remember, all Heisman voters are supposed to vote for a first, second, and third place.



1. Cam Newton, Auburn, QB
STATS: 165-246 (67.1%), 2,589 yards, 28 TD, 6 Int., 188.2 Passer Rating
242 rushes, 1,409 yards (5.8 ypc), 20 TD
2 receptions, 42 yards, 1 TD
WHY: Newton has essentially duplicated Tim Tebow's Heisman season from 2007. He has joined the 20-20 club (20 TD passes, 20 TD rushes). Newton has roughly the same number of passing and rushing yards as Tebow did going into the Heisman ceremony (3,998 for Newton and 3,970 for Tebow). On top of that, Newton leads the nation in pass efficiency. At 188.2, that is over 7 points higher than Sam Bradford when he won the Heisman two years ago. Newton has been a dominating force. He takes over games. He has rallied his team back from enormous deficits, and he punishes the opposition to build a commanding lead. In one year, he has taken Auburn from an 8 win team to 13 wins and the number one ranking.

As far as the allegations about pay-for-play, the NCAA has made a ruling. Whether you like it or not, that decision has to be respected and upheld the same way a judge's ruling in the court of law would. The NCAA is the one entity with the authority to rule on this matter.

The integrity card? I don't think voters should play that card. The integrity issue this year has been cleared, as noted above. If you are going to reach back into the past, then we have to be fair and do it for all. I am sure we could pull up all kinds of dirt on most candidates. Besides, this award is for the "most outstanding player," in other words, play on the field should be the driving factor in who wins the award. Just as people are concerned that vacating a second Heisman Trophy winning in less than a decade will scar the award, so will withholding the award from a player who is heads and shoulders more outstanding than the rest. 

2. LaMichael James, Oregon, RB
STATS: 281 rushes, 1,682 yards (6.0 ypc), 21 TD
13 receptions, 169 yards, 1 TD
WHY: James has more rushing yards this year than anyone else, even though he missed the first game of the season. He has more rushing yards and more rushing touchdowns than 2009 Heisman winner Mark Ingram did last season. James has been very reliable he has nine 100 yard rushing games (three of which were 200+), and he never rushed for less than 91 yards in a game. He scored at least one touchdown in every game but one.

3. Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State, WR
STATS: 102 receptions, 1,665 yards, 18 TD
4 rushes, 77 yards, 1 TD
WHY: Blackmon averages 151 yards receiving per game. That's better than Michael Crabtree in 2007. He never had less than 105 yards in a game, and he scored at least one touchdown in every game. His 18 touchdowns is the best in the nation. If he could have showcased his outstanding talents one last time against Nebraska in the Big XII Championship game, maybe he would have moved up to number 2.

No Andrew Luck
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has gotten a lot of support from media and fans for the number 2 spot. In fact, he even got enough voters to vote for him to be flown out to New York as a Heisman finalist. As you can see, he wouldn't even make my ballot. Luck has done nothing "outstanding" in my judgment. He does not have "outstanding" stats (245-349, 70.2%, 3,051 yards, 28 TD, 7 Int, 166.1 passer rating / 51 rushes, 438 yards, 3 TD). Four other quarterbacks have a higher completion percentage (as well as 2 in 2009, 3 in 2008, 4 in 2007). Quarterbacks have been passing for 3,000 yards for well over 30 years, including 20 others this year. A 166 passer rating is merely good, nowadays. The best stat Luck has going for him is the 4:1 TD to Int. ratio. Then again, at least 10 other quarterbacks had that same ratio or better, including Cam Newton. I know it is a nice story that Stanford is having its best season in a really long time, and Luck could be the number one pick in the NFL draft. Those two things, however, don't mean a quarterback with good stats should get a Heisman vote.

Heisman Hopefuls: Cam Newton, Assume The Position

Only the NCAA can stop Cam Newton now. He has won the 2010 Heisman Memorial Trophy as the most outstanding player in the country. All that is left is formalities. Rallying Auburn from 24-0 to keep national championship hopes alive, and passing so well in the process, easily does the trick.

PLAYERS WHO STOOD OUT: Cameron Newton accounted for all four Auburn touchdowns. His passing was the tool Auburn used to shock everyone. His pass efficiency was 205.

LaMichael James has another strong workman like game. He has already surpassed his totals from last year, which was no small task.

PLAYERS DROPPED: Kendall Hunter. You have to give your team more than 55 yards in such an important game.

PLAYERS TOEING THE LINE: None.

PLAYERS ADDED: None.

LaMichael James, Oregon
2009: 230 rushes, 1,546 yards, 14 TD
2010: 256 rushes, 1,548 yards, 19 TD
Last: 28 rushes, 126 yards, 2 TD

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2009: 20 receptions, 260 yards, 2 TD
2010: 102 receptions, 1,665 yards, 18 TD
Last: 8 receptions, 105 yards, 1 TD

Cameron Newton, Auburn
2009: Junior College
2010: 148-218 (67.9%), 2,254 yards, 24 TD, 6 Int / 228 rushes, 1,336 yards, 18 TD
Last: 13-20 (65%), 216 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int / 22 rushes, 39 yards, 1 TD

Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Monday Musings: Ohio State Arrived Late And Left Early, But Still Got The Job Done
Poll Results: Who Will Win The Big XII?
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 13, 2010
Game Predictions, Week 13, 2010
Weekly Trivia: Texas A&M Aggies and Texas Longhorns Win-Loss Record

Poll Results: Who Will Win The Big XII?

The poll results are in and 41% of voters thought that Oklahoma State would win the Big XII. That obviously won't happen now. Nebraska was a close second with 39%. The Big XII South representative in this week's championship game Oklahoma was third with 17%. The Texas A&M Aggies had 2% and Missouri the last 1% of the vote.

Thank you to all who voted. Don't forget to vote in this week's question: "Should Nevada be ranked higher (#14/#17) after beating Boise State?"

Heisman Hopefuls: Oklahoma State Cowboys Justin Blackmon Is Added To The List

It was a quiet week on the Heisman Trophy front. Two of our four candidates had byes. No decision was reached by the NCAA, either.

PLAYERS WHO STOOD OUT: Kendall Hunter ran for over 100 yards, again, and now has more rushing yards than LaMichael James on the season. With James’ ankle injury, Hunter just might end the season on top. It was Hunter’s ninth 100 yard rushing game of the season.

PLAYERS DROPPED: Kellen Moore. To be cliché, Moore has been the model of efficiency, and that's not an exaggeration. His pass efficiency is way up in the stratosphere. His numbers aren’t that bad either. I am just not feeling it. I would probably vote for Denard Robinson before I voted for Moore. Moore has been phenomenal, but the Heisman is for the most outstanding player, and Moore doesn’t strike me as outstanding.

PLAYERS TOEING THE LINE: LaMichael James. You never want to see a guy lose the Heisman because of an injury, but the fact is if he can’t play these last two games, then he goes from a close second to an also ran.

PLAYERS ADDED: Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State. He is playing near the Michael Crabtree level. Whether he catches five passes or 13, he has had 125 yards or more receiving in all 10 games that he has played. If the Cowboys play in the Big 12 championship game, it isn't unrealistic that he finish the year with 2,000 yards receiving.

LaMichael James, Oregon
2009: 230 rushes, 1,546 yards, 14 TD
2010: 225 rushes, 1,422 yards, 17 TD
Last: Bye

Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
2009: 89 rushes, 382 yards, 1 TD
2010: 248 rushes, 1,461 yards, 16 TD
Last: 22 rushes, 105 yards

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
2009: 20 receptions, 260 yards, 2 TD
2010: 94 receptions, 1,560 yards, 17 TD
Last: 10 receptions, 130 yards, 1 TD

Cameron Newton, Auburn
2009: Junior College
2010: 135-198 (68.2%), 2,038 yards, 21 TD, 6 Int / 206 rushes, 1,297 yards, 17 TD
Last: Bye

ON THE RADAR: Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State; Kellen Moore, Boise State, Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State, Andy Dalton, TCU.

Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Michigan Wolverines Will Fire Rich Rodriguez Next Monday
Monday Musings: College Football Is America's New Pasttime
Poll Results: Which Team Was The Most Overrated?
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 12, 2010
Game of the Week: Virginia Tech Hokies at Miami Hurricanes
Game Predictions, Week 12, 2010
Weekly Trivia: Oregon Ducks' Best Season Record

Heisman Hopefuls: The Solution To The Cam Newton Cloud

The Heisman Trophy race, unfortunately, still has a cloud hanging over it. This cloud can quickly go away, and the NCAA isn’t the only ones that can blow that cloud away. The simple solution to the Cam Newton issue is for the Heisman Trust to provide a second ballot to Heisman voters and have them cast two votes. One ballot will be the standard ballot. The second will have the caveat to vote under the pretense that the NCAA concludes that Cam Newton accepted improper benefits and is declared ineligible for the 2010 season.

Certainly, no one wants to see another Reggie Bush situation five years from now. We have the technology now to make this happen and for there to be no future controversy or to have a second vacated Heisman Trophy. The Heisman Trust can get this done in a day.

PLAYERS WHO STOOD OUT: Cam Newton had 148 yards passing and 151 yards rushing to get Auburn a guaranteed spot in the SEC Championship game. He accounted for four touchdowns.

Kendall Hunter ran for over 100 yards and two touchdowns as Oklahoma State beat Texas for the first time in 12 years.

PLAYERS DROPPED: Denard Robinson. His rushing output has become pedestrian the last two weeks. His TD to Int ratio is 14:9, barely over 1.5:1. If he is able to guide Michigan to upset wins over Wisconsin and Ohio State, I will gladly welcome Robinson back on the list, but he has fizzled off down the stretch when other players are stepping it up.

PLAYERS TOEING THE LINE: None. I think these four will last to the finish.

PLAYERS ADDED: No players were added this week.

LaMichael James, Oregon
2009: 230 rushes, 1,546 yards, 14 TD
2010: 225 rushes, 1,422 yards, 17 TD
Last: 29 rushes, 91 yards, 0 TD

Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
2009: 89 rushes, 382 yards, 1 TD
2010: 226 rushes, 1,356 yards, 16 TD
Last: 23 rushes, 116 yards, 2 TD

Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 174-242 (71.9%), 2,588 yards, 24 TD, 4 Int.
Last: 19-26 (73.1%), 216 yards, 3 TD, 0 Int.

Cameron Newton, Auburn
2009: Junior College
2010: 135-198 (68.2%), 2,038 yards, 21 TD, 6 Int / 206 rushes, 1,297 yards, 17 TD
Last: 12-15 (80.0%), 148 yards, 2 TD, 1 Int / 30 rush, 151 yards, 2 TD

ON THE RADAR: Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State; Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State, Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State, Andy Dalton, TCU.

Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Monday Musings: Wisconsin Badgers Leave Me Speechless
Poll Results: Will the NCAA rule regarding Cam Newton's eligibility fast enough to avoid a Heisman or BCS controversy?
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 11, 2010
Game of the Week: South Carolina Gamecocks at Florida Gators
Game Predictions, Week 11, 2010
Weekly Trivia: Conference Championships for UCF Golden Knights
Boise State Broncos Got The BCS Blues

Heisman Hopefuls: Auburn QB Cam Newton Controls The Race In More Ways Than One

While there is still a lot of football to play, the Heisman Hopefuls are starting to become clear cut. I have kept several players On the Radar, but the only one that might eventually make it up is Justin Blackmon. As for the rest, two players were eliminated, and one is hanging on by a thread. The most interesting twist this week was the news about Cam Newton being shopped for $200,000 out of Blinn Junior College. It would be a tragedy if this report is true.

PLAYERS WHO STOOD OUT: Cam Newton had a great passing day. His pass efficiency rating was over 261. Granted it was just Chattanooga. I have gotten so used to the big games in both passing and rushing that I didn't think that Newton had a stand out performance. He is, after all, a quarterback, so if he only tears it up through the air it should still count as a stand out game.

Kellen Moore exploded for 507 yards. He is the only quarterback on this list to throw for 500 yards this year. He completed over 80 percent of his passes.

PLAYERS DROPPED: Initially, I planned to drop Denard Robinson. His durability is starting to become a hindrance to his team. He left the game early, again, and it could have cost Michigan the game. He only completed 50 percent of his passes. However, his pass efficiency was over 200, and his passing yardage was over 300. Robinson is still the nations leading rusher as well. While we all assume the Wolverines will lose to Wisconsin and Ohio State, Michigan might surprise all of us and win one or both of those games. That would help Robinson's case immensely. It will also help if Cam Newton is declared ineligible over this report that he was being shopped around to the highest bidding school last year. This is college football, and “anything can happen.”

Taylor Martinez missed this week due to injury. That put him farther behind Newton and Robinson. With Kansas, Texas A&M, and Colorado on the schedule, plus a Big XII Championship game, Martinez could post some huge numbers, but I don't think it is going to be enough. Don't forget that Roy Helu is becoming a bigger part of the Cornhusker offense.

Terrelle Pryor has been on the list all season, but the fact of the matter is he is not having any better of a season than Andy Dalton at TCU. Neither of them can match Denard Robinson and Cam Newton. I would even vote for LaMichael James over Pryor or Dalton at this point. I have both Pryor and Dalton on the radar, but some strange changes will have to happen for them to make it to New York.

PLAYERS TOEING THE LINE: Robinson is still toeing the line for the durability issues already noted. 

PLAYERS ADDED: No players were added this week.

LaMichael James, Oregon
2009: 230 rushes, 1,546 yards, 14 TD
2010: 196 rushes, 1,331 yards, 17 TD
Last: 26 rushes, 121 yards, 3 TD

Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State
2009: 89 rushes, 382 yards, 1 TD
2010: 203 rushes, 1,240 yards, 14 TD
Last: 14 rushes, 66 yards, 2 TD

Denard Robinson, Michigan
2009: 14-31 (45.4%), 188 yards, 2 TD, 4 Int
2010: 118-186 (63.4%), 1,814 yards, 13 TD, 7 Int / 183 rushes, 1,349 yards, 12 TD
Last: 10-20 (50.0%), 305 yards, 3 TD, 2 Int / 19 rushes, 62 yards

Kellen Moore, Boise State
2009: 277-431 (64.3%), 3,536 yards, 39 TD, 3 INT
2010: 155-216 (71.8%), 2,372 yards, 21 TD, 4 Int.
Last: 30-37 (81.1%), 507 yards, 3 TD, 2 Int.

Cameron Newton, Auburn
2009: Junior College
2010: 123-183 (67.2%), 1,890 yards, 19 TD, 5 Int / 176 rushes, 1,146 yards, 15 TD
Last: 15-21 (71.4%), 317 yards, 4 TD, 0 Int / 8 rush, 24 yards, 1 TD

ON THE RADAR: Ricky Stanzi, Iowa; Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State; Robert Griffin III, Baylor, Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State, Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State, Andy Dalton, TCU.

Other recent posts on COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAVEN:
Monday Musings: Air Force Wins the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy
Poll Results: Will Michgian win 6 games to be bowl eligible?
College Football Haven Top 25, Week 10, 2010
Game of the Week: TCU Horned Frogs at Utah Utes
Game Predictions, Week 10, 2010
Weekly Trivia: Georgia Bulldogs Starting 4-5

HEISMAN HOPEFULS, WEEK 3

No one was eliminated from the list after week 3, however, Jevan Snead may be cut next week if he doesn't put up better numbers. Jimmy Clausen solidified himself as number 2 in my mind, while Jahvid Best pulled further in front of everyone else with his 5 touchdowns. The overall quarterback play is down this year, which gives Case Keenum a better chance to be added to the list in a few more weeks. He did not play this week, so his status did not change. Tate Forcier looked more like a freshman and will need some pretty impressive games to ever be added to the list, but Jacory Harris, Miami (FL), has gotten off to a good start and could be on the list next month. One final note for clarification, on quarterbacks the first TD number is the touchdown passes and the second in parentheses is rushing touchdowns in addition to the passing touchdowns, so 2 TD (2 rush TD) means the quarterback accounted for 4 touchdowns.

Tim Tebow, Florida, 14 completions 19 attempts, 115 yards, 1 INT (1 rush TD),(39-58, 540, 5 TD, 1 INT, 3 rush TD)

Colt McCoy, Texas, 24-34, 205, 1 TD, 2 INT (75-110, 859, 6 TD, 4 INT, 1 rush TD)

Max Hall, BYU, 20-31, 306, 2 TD, 3 INT, (70-101, 944, 6 TD, 6 INT)

Jevan Snead, Ole Miss, 16-28, 209, 3 TD (28-50, 384, 5 TD, 2 INT)

Jahvid Best, Cal, 26-131, 5 TD (53-412, 8 TD, 1 TD catch)

Daryl Clark, Penn State, 16-26, 167, 2 TD, 1 INT (65-97, 760, 8 TD, 3 INT)

Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State, 20-73, 1 TD (62-342, 5 TD)

Kellen Moore, Boise State, 18-26, 181, 3 TD, (53-81, 685, 8 TD, 1 INT)

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame, 22-31, 300, 2 TD (62-91, 951, 9 TD)

Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State, 9 receptions 161 yards, 2 TD (17-323, 4 TD, 1 punt TD)

HEISMAN HOPEFULS, WEEK 2

Week 2 helped clear the Heisman picture. Jimmy Clausen played very well, but his team lost, so that moves him down a notch or two. Jahvid Best is my new number one--over 10 yards per carry and almost 300 yards in two games. Max Hall did what he needed to do against Tulane, but a few more TD passes without that interception would have helped. Colt McCoy does not look like his 2008 self, and what was that 13-10 score to Wyoming at halftime? Dropping from the list this week will be Eric Berry (he has not done anything yet this year), Terrell Pryor (he has great talent, but still very raw), Zac Robinson and Kendall Hunter for Oklahoma State (Robinson is a hybrid QB who is slighly above average in a high powered offense, and Hunter isn't even the leading rusher on his team, so far). As for adding new candidates, Case Keenum, Houston, and Tate Forcier, Michigan, are close, but I am more about trimming the list than making it grow. If they continue to impress and consistently outperform the rest on this list, they will be added. One final note for clarification, on quarterbacks the first TD number is the touchdown passes and the second in parentheses is rushing touchdowns in addition to the passing touchdowns, so 2TD (2 rush TD) means the quarterback accounted for 4 touchdowns.

Tim Tebow, Florida, 15 completions 24 attempts, 237 yards, 4 TD (1 rush TD),(25-39, 425, 5 TD, 2 rush TD)

Colt McCoy, Texas, 30-47, 337, 3 TD, 1 INT (1 rush TD), (51-76, 654, 5 TD, 2 INT, 1 rush TD)

Max Hall, BYU, 24-32, 309, 2 TD, 1 INT, (50-70, 638, 4 TD, 3 INT)

Jevan Snead, Ole Miss, DID NOT PLAY, (12-22, 175, 2 TD, 2 INT)

Jahvid Best, Cal, 17-144, 1 TD (1 TD catch), (27-281, 3 TD, 1 TD catch)

Terrell Pryor, Ohio State, 11-25, 177, 1 INT (25/46, 351, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2 rush TD) will not continue to track

Daryl Clark, Penn State, 20-31, 240, 3 TD, 1 INT (49-71, 593, 6 TD, 2 INT)

Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State, 26-166, 1 TD (42-269, 4 TD)

Kellen Moore, Boise State, 16-26, 307, 4 TD, 1 INT (35-55, 504, 5 TD, 1 INT)

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame, 25-42, 336, 3 TD (40-60, 651, 7 TD)

Eric Barry, Tennessee, will not continue to track

Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State, 5 receptions 85 yards, 1 punt TD (8-162, 2 TD, 1 punt TD)

HEISMAN HOPEFULS 2009

No season can start without setting our sights on Heisman Trophy candidates. I know that it is essentially a three man race, barring an unexpected meltdown or unexpected phenomenal record shattering performance by someone else. But what is fun about a three man race in August? This list looks beyond the big three and will track each players' performance until they are reasonably eliminated from the race throughout the season.

Tim Tebow, Florida

Colt McCoy, Texas

Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

Max Hall, BYU

Jevan Snead, Ole Miss

Javhid Best, Cal

Terrell Pryor, Ohio State

Daryl Clark, Penn State

Jaquizz Rodgers, Oregon State

Kellen Moore, Boise State

Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech

Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame

Eric Barry, Tennessee

One of the Oklahoma State trio (Zac Robinson, Kendall Hunter, Dez Bryant)

PRE-SEASON PREDICTION: Of the big three, Colt McCoy is the only one not to win yet, which should play to his advantage. The recent trend has been to spread the wealth with awards. However, something about McCoy does not scream Heisman Trophy winner to me. His accuracy is out of this world, but unless he goes over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns I don't feel comfortable predicting him as the winner. Besides, there seems to be a growing movement among voters that they want to be part of history by awarding Tim Tebow with a second trophy. Tebow has a 70% chance of making history as the second two-time winner. If he guides the Gators to the National Championship game and he throws for over 3,000 yards the trophy is his. Sam Bradford will suffer from stats that don't match his campaign last year, just as Tebow suffered last year. Matching his stat line from last year will be virtually impossible with a new offensive line. He will be in the discussion all year, but he is almost certain to continue the trend of 1st to 3rd place finish (Ty Detmer, 1990 and 1991, Jason White, 2003 and 2004, Matt Leinart, 2004 and 2005, and Tim Tebow, 2007 and 2008). I cannot imagine this Florida Gators squad, under Tebow's leadership, stumbling along the way to the National Championship game, so I predict Tebow will be crowned the 2009 Most Outstanding College Football Player.