It was a big day for multiple candidates on Saturday and one that might have separated the top five challengers from the rest of the pack. The list doesn't show much movement from last week, but that is only because so many of the frontrunners all played well.
Let's get into it.
(Previous Heisman Polls can be found here:
First Edition
Second Edition)
1. Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State (last week's rank: 1). Smith is looking like a man of steel right now when it comes to the Heisman race. On Saturday he went 15-for-23 with 217 passing yards and four first-half touchdowns. I'm not sure what else to say. After all, the only threat to Smith is either an apocalyptic disaster of a game (say, against Michigan), or the next guy on the list. So we might as well scurry along.
2. Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame (2). As predicted here, the UCLA defense proved tougher than expected in South Bend on Saturday. Difficult enough, in fact, that the Irish were seconds away from losing and knocking Quinn right out of the race. However, just as he did in the Michigan State game, the Notre Dame star turned what looked like sure defeat and total Heisman disaster and spun it into a miracle victory and even more trophy momentum. College football is so dictated by wins and losses that the outcomes of these games are shaping this race. Lose to the Spartans or Bruins and Quinn is finished. However, because he narrowly avoided losses with winning drives, he actually flies up the list. Kind of strange. Quinn took way too many sacks and threw some hideous passes against UCLA, but in the end, got his yards (315) and touchdowns (2), avoided interceptions, and got all the pub for the comeback win. If the Irish keep finding a way to win up to and through the USC game, Quinn could cruise past Smith and into the poll position.
3. Mike Hart, RB, Michigan (3). I haven't seen any other Heisman lists with Hart this high, which makes no sense at all. He's the heart and soul of a Wolverines team that is now number two in the country and headed toward the game of the year with Ohio State. In a dangerous trap game against Iowa, Hart once again carried a huge load by running the ball 31 times for 124 yards and two scores. Slaton had more pre-season buzz and Ray Rice had the bigger game this weekend, but Hart has been the best running back in the country game-in and game-out.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
MIDWEST BIAS!
Yeah, I didn't get a chance to read this until today. Which is silly because another week has gone by.
Oh, and the Garrett Wolfe bandwagon has broke down, caught on fire and was sold for scrap.
2 - Donnie Marler
Good article. I enjoyed it even though I consider the Heisman to be the most over-rated sports trophy not named the Ryder Cup.
It used to mean something, now it's whoever has the best PR team.
3 - President Obama
I suck as president ,McCain is better, To bad im a ist so watch out wall mart I am going to run in and blow it up and shoot everyone with my nerf gun!! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh