Chase Daniel has a commanding lead on top of the SportsRatings Heisman Top 25 this week, but slipping into #2 behind him is Big 12 brethren Sam Bradford. And that's not all; working his way up to #8 is none other than Texas' Colt McCoy, and rounding out the top 10 is a fourth Big Twelve quarterback, Texas Tech's Graham Harrell. So it's no surprise that as the Big 12 race heats up, so do the consequences for the top Heisman candidates.
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The Missouri Tigers crushed Nebraska in Lincoln and Chase Daniel led the way. He now has a spectacular 15-to-1 TD-to-INT ratio and a proven ability to run the ball if needed. Helping his cause is the fact that Missouri probably has the easiest path of any of the top Big 12 teams. In short, there's nothing stopping Daniel at this moment from his clear path to the Heisman.
Sam Bradford remains a far distant second; as a sophomore, he loses any "tiebreaker" with Daniel. Bradford also has to overcome the notion that Daniel is responsible for Missouri's new-found success while Bradford, while valuable, is another in a Bob Stoops tradition (Heupel, Hybl, White) of productive QBs. The two teams won't meet unless it's in the conference championship game.
Colt McCoy didn't have his best game against Colorado but he's the hot item right now, and he powers up from #12 to #8. His great play of the first several weeks is finally getting noticed, and the fact that he's the team's leading rusher is becoming common knowledge. This weekend is Big Opportunity #1—the game against Oklahoma—and the following week is Big Opportunity #2, a matchup against Daniel's Tigers. These opportunities come with risks. Texas has the toughest schedule of any of the top teams in the conference, and any losses hurt the quarterback's chances quite a bit. Only if Texas wins most of the big games does McCoy continue to advance this rapidly.
#10 Graham Harrell was on the verge of dropping out of the top ten when he responded with his best game of the season: seven touchdowns (six passing, one rushing) and 454 yards on 75% completions against the Red Raiders' toughest competition so far. After many had written Harrell off since he didn't have any explosive games against the Raiders' weakest foes, he's now back on the radar and he needs to strike while the iron is hot. Tech's stronger defense and improved—but still not great—running game will help Harrell because the more the team wins, the greater his chances. He's still dogged by the "system quarterback" rap though.
- (1) Chase Daniel, Missouri
26-45 58% 359yd 3TD 1int; 9rsh 46yd 5.1av 0TD 0fmb (=ILL 52-42)
16-17 94% 245yd 3TD 0int; 0rsh 0yd 0.0av 0TD 0fmb (SEMoSt 52-3)
23-28 82% 405yd 4TD 0int; 1rsh 12yd 12 av 0TD 0fmb (Nev 69-17)
36-43 84% 439yd 2TD 0int; 4rsh 16yd 4.0av 0TD 0fmb (Buff. 42-21)
18-23 78% 253yd 3TD 0int; 1rsh 0yd 0.0av 0TD 0fmb (@Neb 52-17)
119-156 76% 1739yd 15TD 1int;15rsh 74yd 4.9av 0TD 0fmb - (3) Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
17-22 77% 183yd 2TD 0int; 0rsh 0yd 0av 0TD 0fmb (Chatt 57-2)
29-38 76% 395yd 5TD 2int; 3rsh 3yd 1av 0TD 0fmb (Cincy 52-26)
18-21 86% 304yd 5TD 0int; 1rsh 1yd 1av 1TD 0fmb (@Wash 55-14)
19-34 56% 411yd 4TD 0int; 4rsh -31yd -8av 0TD 0fmb (TCU 35-10)
23-31 74% 372yd 2TD 1int; 2rsh 4yd 2av 1TD 0fmb (@Baylor49-17)
106-146 73% 1665yd 18TD 3int;10rsh -23yd -2av 2TD 0fmb - (2) Tim Tebow, Florida
9-14 64% 137yd 1TD 0int; 9rsh 37yd 4.1av 0TD 0fmb (Hawaii 56-10)
21-35 60% 256yd 2TD 0int; 13rsh 55yd 4.2av 0TD 0fmb (Miami 26-3)
8-15 53% 96yd 2TD 0int; 12rsh 26yd 2.2av 0TD 0fmb (@Tenn 30-6)
24-38 63% 319yd 1TD 0int; 15rsh 7yd 0.5av 2TD 1fmb (L Miss31-30)
17-26 65% 217yd 2TD 1int; 12rsh 32yd 2.7av 0TD 0fmb (@Ark 38-7)
79-128 62% 1025yd 8TD 1int; 61rsh 157yd 2.6av 2TD 1fmb
- (5) Mark Sanchez, USC
26-35 74% 338yd 3TD 1int; 1rsh 6yd 6.0av 0TD 0fmb (@VA 52-7)
17-28 61% 172yd 4TD 1int; 2rsh -10yd -10av 0TD 0fmb (OSU 35-3)
18-29 62% 227yd 3TD 1int; 4rsh 7yd 1.8av 0TD 0fmb (L@OreSt27-21)
19-28 68% 332yd 3TD 0int; 4rsh -4yd -1av 0TD 1fmb (Ore 44-10)
80-120 67% 1069yd 13TD 3int;11rsh -1yd -.1av 0TD 1fmb - (4) Knowshon Moreno, Georgia - idle this week
8rsh 59yd 7.4av 3TD 0fmb; 2rec 53yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (Ga.S 45-21)
18rsh 168yd 9.3av 3TD 0fmb; 3rec 30yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (C Mich 56-17)
20rsh 79yd 4.0av 1TD 0fmb; 2rec 13yd 0TD;32 rtYd (@SCaro 14-7)
23rsh 149yd 6.5av 2TD 0fmb; 0rec 0yd 0TD;-2 rtYd (@ASU 27-10)
9rsh 34yd 3.8av 1TD 0fmb; 3rec 14yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (L Ala41-30)
78rsh 489yd 6.3av 10TD 0fmb;10rec 110yd 0TD;30 rtYd - (9) Max Hall, BYU
34-41 83% 486yd 2TD 0int; 3rsh 4yd 0.8av 1TD 2fmb (UNI 41-17)
30-41 73% 338yd 3TD 1int; 0rsh 0yd 0.0av 0TD 0fmb (@Wash 28-27)
27-35 77% 271yd 7TD 1int; 3rsh 12yd 4.0av 0TD 0fmb (UCLA 59-0)
16-27 59% 189yd 3TD 0int; 0rsh 0yd 0.0av 0TD 0fmb (Wy 44-0)
23-37 62% 303yd 2TD 2int; 4rsh 1yd 0.3av 0TD 0fmb (@UtahSt34-14)
130-181 72% 1587yd 17TD 4int;10rsh 17yd 1.7av 1TD 2fmb - (6) Chris Wells, Ohio State: 22rsh 168yd 7.6av 1TD 0fmb; 1rec 0yd 0TD (@Wisc 20-17)
season: 49rsh 395yd 7.9av 2TD 2fmb; 4rec 10yd 0TD - (12) Colt McCoy, Texas: 23-30 77% 262yd 2TD 2int;11 rsh 39yd 3.5av 0TD (@Colo 38-14)
season: 103-130 79% 1280yd 16TD 3int; 45rsh 317yd 7.0av 4TD 0fmb - (7) Pat White, WVA: 12-17 71% 137yd 2TD 0int; 11rsh 59yd 5.4av 0TD 0fmb (Marsh 27-3)
season: 75-103 73% 590yd 9TD 1int; 70rsh 428yd 6.1av 2TD 1fmb - (10) G. Harrell, T. Tech: 38-51 75% 454yd 6TD 0int; 1rsh 1yd 1.0av 1TD 0fmb (@KSt58-28)
season: 158-237 67% 2027yd 18TD 3int; 9rsh -5yd -.6av 2TD 0fmb - (11) Javon Ringer, MichSt: 212rsh 988yd 4.7av 12TD 2fmb; 7rec 60yd 0TD;224 rtYd
- (8) Jeremy Maclin, MO: 5 rec 89yd 1TD; 3rsh 15yd 5.0av 0TD 0fmb; 56rtYd 0TD (@Neb52-17)
season: 31rec 480yd 5TD 1fmb; 11rsh 58yd 5.3av 1TD; 396rtYd 1TD - (13) Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech: 38rec 564yd 8TD; 1rsh 3yd 3.0av 0TD 0fmb
- (14) Charles Scott, LSU: 71rsh 535yd 7.5av 6TD 0fmb; 4rec 37yd 0TD
- (23) Donald Brown, UConn: 179rsh 1067yd 6.0av 12TD 1fmb; 9rec 50yd 0TD
- (16) Juice Williams, Illinois: 81-142 57% 1215yd 11TD 6int; 83rsh 404yd 4.9ave 4TD 1fmb
- (15) P.J. Hill, Wisconsin: 108rsh 512yds 4.7av 5TD 1fmb; 3rec 38yd 0TD
- (19) Daryll Clark, Penn St: 80-124 65% 1116yd 9TD 1int;32rsh 133yd 4.2av 4TD 1fmb
- (17) Matt Stafford, Georgia: 86-144 60% 1193yd 7TD 1int; 22rsh 33yd 1.5av 0TD 0fmb
- (18) Jahvid Best, Cal: 59rsh 421yd 7.1av 4TD 1fmb; 14rec 157yd 0TD; 284 rtYd
- (25) David Johnson, Tulsa: 100-143 70% 1682yd 23TD 5int;24rsh 43yd 1.8av 1TD 0fmb
- (22) James Laurinaitis, Ohio State: 57 tackles (24 solo, 1 for loss); 1 INT
- (21) Rey Maualuga, USC: 19 tackles (9 solo); 1 INT 1 TD
- (24) Louie Sakoda, Utah: 13 of 15 FGs; 22 of 23 PATs; 20 punts, 44.9av; 1-1 pass 9yd
- (20) Percy Harvin, Florida: 27rsh 177yd 6.6av 2TD 1fmb; 19rec 284yd 3TD
Others: Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State; Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State; MiQuale Lewis, Ball State; Nate Davis, Ball State; Glen Coffee, Alabama.
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The rest of the top ten is treading water or losing ground. #3 Tim Tebow slips a spot, as it's becoming clear that he's not having the same kind of year as he did last season, and that Florida's offense isn't the same either. He's still Superman, and this week's game at LSU is one of several chances to turn his fortunes around, but he'd better start soon. #4 Mark Sanchez had a great game in USC's blowout of Oregon, and there should be much more winning to come in the piss-poor Pac-10, but he advances a spot mainly because Knowshon Moreno is fading in people's minds after his poor performance against Alabama. Moreno was idle this week and needs to turn it up or have no chance to finish in the top five.
BYU's Max Hall kept his team undefeated but his last two games have been less than stellar. He leaps from #9 to #6, which looks like a power move but is mostly the result of players ahead of him falling by the wayside. Players such as #7 Beanie Wells, #9 Pat White, and #12 Jeremy Maclin. Though Wells thinks he still has a shot at the Heisman and had his best game of the year, rushing for 168 yards against Wisconsin, he could do that the rest of the season and would not finish in the top five. With six games left he'd need to average 200 yards/game to get an invite to New York, and even more than that to have any shot at winning. White led his team to another uninspiring win, but his stats aren't huge and the two losses still hurt him; the Big East's decline has left him with few opportunities to get back in even if he were having big games. Maclin suffers from the worst problem of all: his teammate is as far out in front of the race as Secretariat. He falls from 8th to 12th.
Juggernaut Javon Ringer was stopped by Iowa last week; instead of 200 yards, he failed to get to 100, stalling him at #11. #13 Michael Crabtree didn't have nearly as amazing of a game as his QB did last week. #14 Charles Scott was idle and holds at that spot, while Donald Brown of Connecticut leaps to #15 despite his team being unceremoniously knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten. Losing doesn't hurt running backs nearly as much as quarterbacks, especially when you're the nation's leading rusher, but if UConn had been 6-0 Brown would be passing Scott for sure. As it is he'll need to maintain his national lead, while Scott's chances are more linked to LSU winning.
Three more Big Ten stars follow. Juice Williams' stats aren't all that great, but he had a fantastic game against Michigan both running and passing so he doesn't drop from #16; Wisconsin's P.J. Hill does fall 2 spots to #17 after having a 2nd poor game in a row, in another loss. Penn State's Daryll Clark inches up a spot to #18; if Penn State runs the table he'll big in the top ten at least.
Matt Stafford was idle and Cal's Jahvid Best missed a game due to injury, causing both of their meager hopes to slide that much more. David Johnson moves up #21 as the undefeated Tulsa QB remained #1 in passing efficiency. Ohio State's James Laurinaitis is back as the top defensive player on the list, while Rey Maualuga's injury kept him out of the Oregon game. Laurinaitis has 57 tackles to Maualuga's 19. Louie Sakoda kicked the winning last-second field goal for Utah last week.
#25 Percy Harvin's time in the top 25 is coming to an end soon, no doubt. Some of the players that might replace him include QB Zac Robinson or receiver Dez Bryant of undefeated Oklahoma State; QB Nate Davis or running back MiQuale Lewis of undefeated Ball State; or maybe Glen Coffee of Alabama, yet another undefeated team lacking a representative in the rankings.
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