Going into this weekend, ESPN ranked the Heisman contenders like this:

1. Troy Smith (QB-Ohio State)
2. Adrian Peterson (RB-Oklahoma)
3. Garrett Wolfe (RB-Northern Illinois)
4. Steve Slaton (RB-West Virginia)
5. Calvin Johnson (WR-Georgia Tech)
6. Brady Quinn (QB-Notre Dame)

After yesterday, two of these guys are completely out of contention, and a third is getting pretty close. Peterson broke his collarbone and is out until AT LEAST a bowl game, if not the NFL altogether. Wolfe put up a whopping 25 yards on 18 carries against feared national powerhouse WESTERN MICHIGAN, so his charming little novelty campaign has ended. Steve Slaton got outrushed by his own QB by 57 yards on 7 FEWER carries. He's not finished, but getting upstaged by a teammate who isn't even a Heisman contender doesn't bode well for his chances moving forward.

In reality, that leaves three legitimate Heisman candidates:

1. Troy Smith (QB-Ohio State)
2. Calvin Johnson (WR-Georgia Tech)
3. Brady Quinn (QB-Notre Dame)

If he doesn't have a bad game between now and the end of the season, the award is Smith's to lose. But if Michigan's defense continues to dominate, they could really put the hurt on Smith and the Buckeyes. Johnson doesn't have too many tough challenges remaining on the schedule, as not even Clemson or UGA really scare anyone at this point. So, he should be there right up to the finish.

Which leaves my man, Quinn. The only remaining game on ND's schedule they have even a remote chance of losing is USC, and after watching USC barely squeak by significantly inferior opposition for three weeks straight, they really don't scare anyone too terribly, either. This should be one helluva three-horse race down the stretch. Here are their current stats:

Smith: 116-170, 1,495 yds., 68.2% comp., 17 TD, 2 INT, 172.75 rating
Johnson: 35 rec., 559 yds., 16.0 ypc, 8 TD
Quinn: 148-233, 1,634 yds., 63.5% comp., 16 TD, 4 INT, 141.66 rating

Ray Rice

Even though I'm still miffed he picked Tech over UGA, I'm still pulling for Calvin (he is from Tyrone, GA after all)

Maybe this is the year a defensive player wins it.

Already happened. Charles Woodson, '97, no?

Now, maybe, this year, a lower-division player, or a down-lineman (off or def), will win it.

Correct. I forgot about him. He did get snaps as an WR & return punts in all fairness

HE BAAAAAAAAAAADDD!!!

And we are going to lose that game. And all other games this year. As Derris said "They cancelled Christmas."

He'll have to run for 250 in a win over WVU for that to have even the slightest chance of happening. And though I will definitely be rooting for the Scarlet Knights in that matchup versus the Inbred Hillbillies...



..."I tell ya, I don't see it happenin'."

how about tyler palko? three of the panthers' last five games are against rutgers, louisville, and west virginia. (and they're #26 in both polls now.) if he can hold up through them, i could see him being a candidate.

palko has the #1 QB rating, most yards per attempt, third-best completion percentage, and third-most touchdowns right now. they've also played a lot of softballs so far this season. i don't see him mowing down those three ranked teams, but stranger things have happened.

Have Palko run the table against RU, UL and WVU...THEN we'll talk. If a Wannstedt-coached team manages to do that, it will be a greater miracle than a permanent Israeli-Palestinian cease fire.

In other words...



"Good LUCK with ALL THAT!"

Zac Taylor Neb 7 170.2rating 164attempts 107completions 65.2 percentage 1547yards 221.0ppg 9.4avg 14td 2INT

Those numbers are better than alot of Quinn's stats, fewer INT's better rating and percentage.

Yeah, but no Nebraska quarterback will ever win the...

Oh. Never mind.

Especially not one of those annoying kids from Home Improvement.