Though Texas prevailed 28-24 and Colt McCoy played a nearly flawless game for three quarters, in the immediate aftermath of the Longhorns' win over Oklahoma State, there was some who questioned whether McCoy's late interception and fumble could have cost them the game, and if that would leave the Heisman door open for someone else. The answer is pretty much no. Looking at his stats and Texas' wins, he hasn't even left it open a crack. Perhaps there is any area not sealed by duct tape, but barring an unlikely late-season collapse, McCoy's hold on the trophy is secure. Even a loss to Graham Harrell's Texas Tech wouldn't unseat him as the most likely to win the award, as the Red Raiders are just getting into the tough part of their season as Texas leaves theirs.
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What a Tech win would do is give new, but slim, hope to the guys behind Harrell. #2 Sam Bradford's Oklahoma Sooners would have renewed hope of making the Big 12 title game, and by beating Texas Tech could put him in contention, but the "tie" would still go to McCoy. Bradford by the way quietly had his worst game of the season Saturday; all you heard about was Oklahoma's offensive surge in the 2nd quarter. #3 Chase Daniel had a monster game against Colorado, showing that he shouldn't have been counted out; remember, Missouri will likely play the best team from the Big 12 South in December. Tim Tebow, counted out over a month ago by some, has like I predicted, worked his way back into consideration just by being Tim Tebow. He'll probably finish fourth; if Harrell passes him, one of the others will drop below. And speaking of Graham Harrell, the Kansas game really woke a lot of people up. It also put his stats at Heisman level. Of course this coming weekend will make or break his chances for the trophy, but for now he's filled the fifth New York slot.
Should Harrell falter, Knowshon Moreno, another player dismissed long ago off the sportswriters' lists, is making a resurgence and could advance his agenda if he demolishes Florida this weekend like he did last year. It's likely that New York will be an all-quarterback party, and Moreno might have to make the top four to get an invite, as his raw stats aren't that superlative. Meanwhile Mark Sanchez will not be going to New York. He had an outside chance until last week's dud of a game against Arizona. #8 Javon Ringer is the only back other than Moreno situated to make the top five, and like he's done all year, he only makes Heisman progress when he has over 190 yards in a game. Three more of those (a win over Penn State would help) and he'll be the party-crashing running back instead of Moreno.- (1) Colt McCoy, Texas
24-29 83% 222yd 3TD 0int;12rsh 103yd 8.6av 1TD 0fmb (FLAtl 52-10)
20-29 69% 282yd 4TD 1int; 5rsh 8yd 1.6av 0TD 0fmb (@UTEP 42-13)
19-23 83% 329yd 4TD 0int; 8rsh 83yd 10av 1TD 0fmb (Rice 52-10)
17-19 90% 185yd 3TD 0int; 9rsh 84yd 9.3av 2TD 0fmb (Ark 52-10)
23-30 77% 262yd 2TD 2int;11rsh 39yd 3.5av 0TD 0fmb (@Colo 38-14)
28-35 80% 277yd 1TD 0int;14rsh 31yd 2.2av 0TD 0fmb (=OK 45-35)
29-32 91% 337yd 2TD 0int;11rsh 23yd 2.0av 2TD 0fmb (Mizzou56-31)
38-45 84% 391yd 2TD 1int;10rsh 41yd 4.1av 1TD 1fmb (OKst28-24)
198-242 82% 2285yd 21TD 4int;80rsh 412yd 5.2av 7TD 1fmb - (2) 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 (@Bayl 49-17)
28-39 72% 387yd 5TD 2int; 8rsh -5yd -.6av 0TD 0fmb (L=Tex 45-35)
36-53 68% 468yd 3TD 0int; 4tsh 14yd 3.5av 0TD 0fmb (wKU 45-31)
13-32 41% 255yd 3TD 0int; 1rsh 1yd 1.0av 1TD 0fmb (wKSt 58-35)
183-270 68% 2775yd 29TD 5int;23rsh -13yd -.5av 3TD 0fmb - (3) 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)
39-52 75% 390yd 1TD 3int; 7rsh 46yd 6.6av 0TD 0fmb (L OKst28-23)
31-41 76% 318yd 2TD 1int; 4rsh -8yd -2av 1TD 0fmb (L Tex 56-31)
31-37 84% 302yd 5TD 1int; 5rsh 34yd 6.8av 0TD 0fmb (Colo 58-0)
220-286 77% 2675yd 23TD 6int;31rsh 146yd 4.7av 1TD 0fmb - (4) Tim Tebow, Florida
9-14 64% 137yd 1TD 0int; 9rsh 37yd 4.1av 0TD 0fmb (Haw 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)
14-21 67% 210yd 2TD 0int;12rsh 22yd 1.8av 1TD 1fmb (LSU 51-21)
11-15 73% 180yd 2TD 1int; 9rsh 48yd 5.3av 2TD 0fmb (KY 63-5)
104-164 63% 1415yd 12TD 2int;82rsh 227yd 2.8av 5TD 2fmb
- (8) Graham Harrell, T. Tech
43-58 74% 536yd 2TD 1int; 2rsh 2yd 0.8av 1TD 0fmb (EWash49-24)
19-46 41% 297yd 1TD 2int; 2rsh -2yd -1av 0TD 0fmb (@Nev 35-19)
31-48 65% 418yd 5TD 0int; 3rsh -7yd -2av 0TD 0fmb (SMU 43-7)
27-34 79% 322yd 4TD 0int; 1rsh 1yd 1.0av 0TD 0fmb (Mass 56-14)
38-51 75% 454yd 6TD 0int; 1rsh 1yd 1.0av 1TD 0fmb (@KSt 58-28)
20-25 80% 284yd 2TD 0int; 1rsh 1yd 1.0av 1TD 0fmb (Neb 37-31ot)
44-56 79% 450yd 3TD 2int; 3rsh 4yd 1.3av 2TD 0fmb (@TexAM43-25)
34-42 81% 386yd 5TD 0int; 7rsh 14yd 2.0av 1TD 0fmb (@KU 63-21)
256-360 71% 3147yd 28TD 5int;20rsh 14yd 0.7av 6TD 0fmb - (6) Knowshon Moreno, Georgia
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)
27rsh 101yd 3.7av 0TD 0fmb; 1rec 14yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (Tenn 26-14)
23rsh 172yd 7.5av 1TD 0fmb; 1rec 10yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (Vandy 24-14)
21rsh 163yd 7.8av 1TD 0fmb; 2rec 9yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (@LSU52-38)
149rsh 961yd 6.4av 12TD 0fmb;14rec 143yd 0TD;30 rtYd - (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)
13-26 50% 179yd 1TD 3int; 5rsh -4yd -.8av 1TD 1fmb (@ASU 28-0)
15-20 75% 253yd 5TD 0int; 1rsh 3yd 3.0av 0TD 0fmb (@WashSt 69-0)
21-36 58% 216yd 1TD 1int; 7rsh 3yd 2.3av 0TD 1fmb (@Ariz 17-10)
129-202 64% 1717yd 20TD 7int;24rsh -7yd -.3av 1TD 3fmb - (9) Javon Ringer, Michigan State
27rsh 81yd 3.0av 2TD 0fmb; 1rec 17yd 0TD;102 rtYd (L@Cal 38-31)
34rsh 135yd 4.0av 5TD 1fmb; 1rec 8yd 0TD; 62 rtYd (EMich 42-10)
43rsh 282yd 6.6av 2TD 0fmb; 1rec 12yd 0TD; 14 rtYd (FLAtl 17-0)
39rsh 201yd 5.2av 2TD 1fmb; 1rec 0yd 0TD; 22 rtYd (ND 23-7)
44rsh 198yd 4.5av 1TD 0fmb; 2rec 20yd 0TD; 24 rtYd (@Ind 42-29)
25rsh 91yd 3.6av 0TD 0fmb; 1rec 3yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (Iowa 16-13)
35rsh 124yd 3.5av 2TD 0fmb; 2rec 16yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (@NWes 37-20)
16rsh 67yd 4.2av 0TD 0fmb; 6rec 19yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (L OSU 45-7)
37rsh 194yd 5.2av 2TD 0fmb; 2rec 25yd 0TD; 0 rtYd (@Mich 35-21)
300rsh 1373yd 4.6av 16TD 2fmb;17rec 120yd 0TD;224 rtYd - (7) 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 (@UTst 34-14)
22-34 65% 258yd 3TD 0int; 4rsh 14yd 5.0av 0TD 0fmb (NNex 21-3)
22-42 52% 274yd 0TD 2int;10rsh-24yd -2av 1TD 2fmb (L@TCU 32-7)
24-31 77% 245yd 4TD 0int; 3rsh 29yd 9.7av 0TD 0fmb (UNLV 42-35)
198-288 69% 2364yd 24TD 6int;26rsh 37yd 1.4av 2TD 4fmb - (12) Daryll Clark, Penn St: 12-20 60% 121yd 0TD 0int; 8rsh 39yd 4.9av 0TD (@OSU 13-6)
season: 126-200 63% 1799yd 11TD 2int;55rsh 229yd 4.2av 8TD 2fmb - (13) M. Crabtree, T. Tech: 60rec 794yd 14TD 0fmb; 1rsh 3yd 3.0av 0TD; 50 rtYD
- (11) Pat White, WVA: 88-124 71% 764yd 12TD 3int; 81rsh 436yd 5.4av 2TD 1fmb
- (14) Jeremy Maclin, MO: 58rec 800yd 7TD 1fmb; 18rsh 80yd 4.4av 1TD; 666rtYd 1TD
- (15) Donald Brown, UConn: 235rsh 1324yd 5.6av 14TD 1fmb; 18rec 112yd 0TD
- (10) Chris Wells, Ohio State: 124rsh 674yd 5.4av 4TD 2fmb; 7rec 26yd 0TD
- (16) Dez Bryant, OkSt: 51rec 883yd 11TD 1fmb; 372rtYd 2TD
- (20) David Johnson, Tulsa: 155-227 68% 2661yd 32TD 9int;45rsh 98yd 2.4av 3TD 0fmb
- (18) Charles Scott, LSU: 120rsh 775yd 6.5av 10TD 1fmb; 6rec 51yd 0TD
- (19) Zac Robinson, OkSt: 111-160 69% 1687yd 15TD 4int;86rsh 275yd 3.2 ave 5TD 3fmb
- (21) Shonn Greene, Iowa: 177rsh 1154yd 6.5av 10TD 2fmb; 6rec 20yd 0TD
- (new) Kendall Hunter, OkSt: 169rsh 1116yd 6.6av 10TD 2fmb; 8rec 103yd 0TD
- (17) Juice Williams, Ill: 140-237 59% 2169yd 18TD 10int;117rsh 479yd 4.1ave 5TD 2fmb
- (23) Jahvid Best, Cal: 92rsh 643yd 7.0av 6TD 1fmb; 19rec 194yd 0TD; 284 rtYd
- (24) Percy Harvin, Florida: 31rsh 212yd 6.8av 3TD 1fmb; 26rec 429yd 6TD
- (25) James Laurinaitis, Ohio State: 90 tackles (35 solo), 4 for loss (3 sacks); 1 INT
out: (22) P.J. Hill, Wisconsin: 134rsh 613yds 4.6av 5TD 1fmb; 3rec 38yd 0TD
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Falling to #9 despite having his best game in a month, Max Hall is actually solidly in the top ten, given his opportunity game against undefeated Utah. Win that and he gets some votes. But he's out of luck for the top five spot that looked promising just a few weeks ago.
The big question is who will fill the final 10th spot next week of the featured ten candidates. Normally at this point there are ten players who have some conceivable shot at winning the trophy; last year it was more like 15. This year, it may be down to the current top five, and a few of those need all sorts of help.
Right now it looks like Daryll Clark, who watched from the bench with a head injury in the 4th quarter as his team beat Ohio State. Not exactly a Heisman moment. Or #11 Michael Crabtree could finally have the huge game against Texas that puts him in the vote-garnering range. Even #12 Pat White could reverse his fortune. Or some of the others lower on the list could have a big game that legitimizes them as a player that, at least for the next week, has a chance of winning the trophy.
While Pat White has played well since falling from among the pre-season favorites, Ohio State's Beanie Wells hasn't quite gotten on track. He almost had, until the Penn State game where he was stuffed for just 55 yards and may not reach 1,000 this season. That pretty much guarantees that no one will be pencilling him in anywhere on their ballots. Jeremy Maclin and Donald Brown move up a spot as Wells slides.
#16 Dez Bryant had a dud of a game against Texas, stopping his momentum, while teammate Zac Robinson fought valiantly but couldn't secure the win. Charles Scott had a good game against Georgia but LSU got rocked. Amidst all this, David Johnson of Tulsa kept his team winning and moves up three spots to #17.
A third Oklahoma State candidate, Kendall Hunter, debuts at #21 after netting 161 yards against the Longhorns, making him the Heisman flavor of the week. Last week's flavor, #20 Shonn Greene of Iowa, was idle and the buzz about him faded considerably. The two have remarkably similar stats; while Hunter's team is doing better this year, Greene is carrying his team's offense on his shoulders alone.
The last four candidates are just hanging on, especially Juice Williams who falls five spots after the Illini lost their fourth game. Though Wisconsin beat them, P.J. Hill falls off the list after gaining just nine yards Saturday, and losing his starting job. Jahvid Best and Percy Harvin both are playing well enough to look good, but not well enough to advance, and defensive token James Laurinaitis has decent enough stats.
Next week will be the last Top 25; after that it will be just a Top 20, so the lower players had better step it up!
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