Heisman Watch (Week 9)

1.  Collin Klein QB Kansas State
Last Week: 233 yards passing 2 TDs, 83 yards rushing 2 TDs vs Texas Tech (55-24)  Next Week: vs Oklahoma State
Comments:  After turning in a dominant performance against West Virginia, Optimis Klein continued the momentum and helped the Wildcats dominate top 20 Texas Tech.  Klein was his old self 316 total yards and 4 TDs.  Their win also propels the Wildcats up the rankings are in the thick of the National Title picture.  This also ehances Klein's Heisman bid.  Things should get easier for Klein and KState as they face off against an Oklahoma State team that is in all sorts of disarray.

2.  Braxton Miller QB Ohio State
Last Week:  143 yards passing 1 TD 1 INT, 134 yards rushing 2 TDs at Penn State (35-23)  Next Week: vs Illinois
Comments:  Would Braxton Miller's season be bigger news if Ohio State wasn't on propation.  If they weren't ineligible for post season?  But it's hard to ignore the season that he is having.  Against a Penn State team that was playing at a high level, Miller was just as good.  He had a combined 277 yards and 3 TDs.  Miller showed no ill affects from his injury he suffered against Purdue.  Miller continues to be the only offensive threat for the Buckeyes and continues to lead them to an undefeated record and if they were eligible they'd more than likely be top 10 in the BCS rankings.

3.  Manti Te'o LB Notre Dame

Last Week:  11 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT vs Oklahoma (30-13)  Next Week:  vs Pittsburgh 

Comments:  It seems like there is a defensive player every year that is in the final Heisman voting.  Ndamukong Suh finished 4th in 2009 while Tyrann Mathieu finished 5th last year.  This year it is Manti Te'o who is making a huge impact.  With Notre Dame having their best season in decades, it's Te'o who has been the leader on one of the best defenses in the nation.  This was evident against Oklahoma where Te'o was all over the field with 11 tackles a sack and even had an interception.  With Notre Dame continuing to be undefeated, it's clear that Te'o is their best player.

4.  AJ McCarron QB Alabama
Last Week:   16/23 208 yards 2 TDs vs Mississippi State (38-7)  Next Week:  at LSU

Comments:  Because Alabama has such a good defense and a stable of running backs that would make an NFL team jealous.  AJ McCarron has this misconception that he is just a game manager.  Any why not.  The Crimson Tide run the ball a lot and all the previous Tide QBs under Nick Saban have been game managers.  But McCarron isn't.  McCarron used last year's National Title Game as his coming out part and it's continued into this year.  McCarron averages 210 yards passing and it could more if Alabama opened up the offense.  McCarron has also thrown for 18 TDs while having 0 INTs.  McCarron probably won't win the Heisman, but he'll likely be a finalist.

5.  Geno Smith QB West Virginia

Last Week:  Bye  Next Week:  vs TCU
Comments:  West Virginia's bye week couldn't have come at a better time.  After cruising through their first 5 games, Geno Smith and the Mountaineers were rolling.  But after two blowout losses to Texas Tech and Kansas State, they now looking for answers.  Smith isn't out of the race quite yet.  But two bad weeks and a bye aren't helping him out either.  We do have to remember that RG3 won the award last year and the Bears had 3 losses.  So Smith just needs to take this weekend to get things back in the right direction and back to his old ways.

Others to Watch

7.  Kenjon Barner RB Oregon
8.  De'Anthony Thomas WR/RB Oregon

Heisman Watch (Week 7)

1.  Geno Smith QB West Virginia

Last Week:  29/55 275 yards 1 TD at Texas Tech (14-49)  Next Week:  vs Kansas State
Comments:  You had to wonder if there was a game out there like this waiting for Smith and the Mountaineers.  After dazzling us with near perfect performances through the first six weeks, we get a clunker here.  In the week before their big showdown with KState, Smith and the Mountaineers stumble in Lubbock.  Smith did throw for 275 yards which isn't bad, but he only completed 53% of his passes.  That's a far cry from the 81% he has had the rest of the season.  The loss will hurt West Virginia in the standings, but it should kill Smith here in the Heisman Race.  He'll hold onto the top spot for now, but this performance surely closes the gap between him and the rest of the contenders.

2.  Collin Klein QB Kansas State
Last Week: 16/24 187 yards passing, 105 yards rushing 3 TDs at Iowa State (27-21)  Next Week: at West Virginia
Comments:  Unlike Geno Smith, Collin Klein and the KState Wildcats took care of their business before next's week big time match up.  Against a tough Iowa State team, Klein accounted for 292 yards and 3 scores.  He did this while helping the offense control the ball for over 40 minutes.  Collin Klein is never going to put up Geno Smith or even Braxton Miller numbers, but it's clear that his success might be more needed to his team than anybody in college football.  The gap is closing right now between Geno Smith and the rest of the competition, and if Klein and the Wildcats can beat West Virginia next week we could see a new leader atop the race.

3.  Braxton Miller QB Ohio State
Last Week:  13/24 211 yards passing 2 TDs 1 INT, 149 yards rushing 1 TD at Indiana (52-49)  Next Week: vs Purdue
Comments:  In what should have been a blowout win, Braxton Miller did his job.  Against a inferior Hoosier defense, he rushed for 149 yards and threw for another 211.  He had a 67 yard rushing TD and threw TDs from 60 and 46.  Ohio State doesn't have a lot of weapons, but Miller is so dynamic is Urban Meyer's spread and he makes up for other differences on offense.  If it wasn't for Miller Ohio State could have a couple of losses, especially against Indiana who pulled within 3 points at the end of the game.  Miller's next game is against Purdue who has some talent on defense.  It should be fun to see how Miller will do against Purdue's DT Kawann Short.


4.  De'Anthony Thomas WR/RB Oregon
Last Week:  Bye  Next Week:  at Arizona State
Comments:  Not a whole lot to discuss with Thomas here since the Ducks are on a bye week.  But this is a great opportunity to highlight the season that Thomas is having.  So far the dynamic offensive threat has rushed for 377 yards and has 205 yards receiving.  He is the 2nd leading rusher on the team and the leading receiver.  He has a combined 9 TDs.  Those aren't very big numbers, but the Ducks really look to limit Thomas touches and save him more for big games.  With the Ducks still playing Stanford, Oregon State, and USC we haven't seen the best from Thomas.  With him returning punts and kicks, don't be surprised to see him score from there too.

5.  Matt Barkley QB USC

Last Week:   10/20 167 yards 1 TD 1 INT at Washington (24-14)  Next Week:  vs Colorado
Comments:  Under normal circumstances Matt Barkley would be out of the Heisman Watch.  Barkley has struggled through most of the season with duds for games and the Trojans are relying on their running game more and more.  But there really isn't anybody waiting in the wings to rise up the boards, Barkley is still relatively in the hunt.  Against Washington Barkley was sub par.  He completed only 50% of his passes for a measly 167 yards.  He did have a TD pass, but also had a pick.  Next week USC hosts Colorado which should be an easy win and a chance for Barkley to put up some numbers, because if they want to get back to the National Title picture they'll need Barkley at his best.

Others to Watch

6.  Manti Te'o LB Notre Dame
7.  EJ Manuel QB Florida State

Heisman Watch (Week 6)

1.  Geno Smith QB West Virginia

Last Week:  25/35 268 yards 4 TDs at Texas (48-45)  Next Week:  at Texas Tech
Comments:  In his first true test of the year, Geno Smith rose to the occasion and carried the Mountaineers to a 48-45 victory over Texas.  Smith didn't have his huge 400 yard performance, but he did have 4 TDs and most importantly got the win.  Smith was the clear cut favorite going into this week and after this win and his play, he further distances himself from the rest of the field.  Geno looks to continue the momentum into next weekend as they travel to Texas Tech.  That should be a great opportunity for Smith to put up huge numbers again since Oklahoma put 41 on them this weekend.

2.  Collin Klein QB Kansas State
Last Week: 7/14 129 yards passing 2 TDs, 10 carries 116 yards rushing 2 TDs vs Kansas (56-16)  Next Week: at Iowa State
Comments:  Geno Smith may be the best player in college football through 6 weeks, but Klein might be the most valuable to his team.  Klein didn't have astronomical numbers, he had a combined 245 yards, but did have 4 combined TDs.  He did this all on 7 completions and 10 carries.  That's pretty good considering it's only 17 plays.  But a big part of that was the Wildcats used RB John Hubert quite a bit that it took away some of the touches from Klein.  But that's not that big of a deal because against Kansas wasn't much of a threat and KState wanted to rest Klein a bit.  It's a very wise move, but it's not going to get many voters to pick Klein to be their winner.

3.  Braxton Miller QB Ohio State
Last Week:  7/14 127 yards passing 1 TD, 16 carries 185 yards rushing 1 TD vs Nebraska (63-38)  Next Week: at Indiana
Comments: A lot of people haven't been talking about Braxton Miller this season, but after his performance against Nebraska it's going to be hard to ignore him.  Ohio State looked sluggish for most of the early season, but it was this blow out of Nebraska that now has everybody's attention.  Miller had 312 combined yards and mainly could do whatever he wanted to against Nebraska.  Miller is a great fit in Urban Meyer's spread offense and as the season continues to move forward he'll only get better.  The only thing that hurts him is that he tends to get dinged up.  But Ohio State's schedule isn't too daunting, which should only help him out.


4.  De'Anthony Thomas WR/RB Oregon
Last Week:  10 carries 75 yards rushing 1 TD, 1 reception 12 yards vs Washington (52-21)  Next Week:  at Arizona State
Comments:  De'Anthony Thomas didn't have a huge breakout game against Washington, but he's the most dangerous weapon in college football and one of the biggest reasons the Ducks offense is arguably the best.  Thomas can do it all.  He plays in the slot, but is a hybrid WR/RB.  The Ducks will line him up all over the field and try to get him the ball in space.  He's got 9 combined TDs and is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.  Thomas is at his best in big games and he'll have his shot to make his mark coming up with games against Stanford, USC, and Oregon State all left.  And it a year where only Geno Smith has emerged as a candidate, Thomas has an opportunity to step up if Smith falls.

5.  Matt Barkley QB USC

Last Week:  23/30 303 yards 3 TDs vs Utah (38-28)  Next Week:  at Washington
Comments:  It's games like this that remind us how good Matt Barkley truly is.  Trailing Utah 21-10 in the 3rd quarter, Barkley rallied the Trojans to 28 straight points and a come from behind victory.  Barkley's 303 yards and 3 TDs was just the game he needed to need keep him in the hunt for the Heisman Trophy.  A loss and a clunker game here would have ruined any shot he had to winning the award.  But instead the Trojans have some good momentum going into next weeks game against a very underrated Washington team.

Others to Watch

6.  Manti Te'o LB Notre Dame
7.  EJ Manuel QB Florida State
8.  Stedman Bailey WR West Virginia

Heisman Watch Week 5

1.  Geno Smith QB West Virginia

Last Week:  45/51 656 yards 8 TDs vs Baylor (70-63)  Next Week:  at Texas
Comments:  In what might have been the craziest game of the weekend, Geno Smith fully cemented himself as the leader in the Heisman Race.  We all knew that Smith was going to put up huge numbers against a sub par Baylor defense, but what amazed me is how good Smith was knowing that to win this game Smith was going to have to score on every drive.  And that was true seeing they won 70-63.  Smith had huge numbers, throwing for 656 and 8 TDs, but what was the most telling of how good he was the completion percentage.  88% when you throw 51 times is flat out awesome.  But I'll be very interested to see how Smith will do against Texas this next week.  They'll pose a lot more of a challenge than Baylor did.

2.  Collin Klein QB Kansas State
Last Week: Bye  Next Week: vs Kansas
Comments:  Bye weeks can go one of two ways.  The big thing is that you don't play and if guys ahead of you stumble you are in a great spot.  But you could also encounter a situation like this weekend where the guy ahead of you just flat out goes off and you don't have anything to show for it.  Collin Klein is coming off a big win against Oklahoma, but with the game that Geno Smith had without Klein playing really puts some distance between the two.  However Klein will get back into the mix next week against in state rival Kansas. Plus Klein still has an opportunity to go head to head with Smith.  That could be a fun one to watch.

3.  EJ Manuel QB Florida State
Last Week:  19/26 242 yards 1 TD at South Florida (30-17)  Next Week:  at North Carolina State
Comments:  It wasn't anything spectacular  but Florida State survived a scare in their first road game of the season and pulled out the win.  Manuel threw for 242 yards but he didn't make many mistakes and most importantly got the win.  I'm not seeing Manuel having much of a chance to win the Heisman Trophy, but as long as he keeps the Seminoles winning and puts up some good numbers he'll be a finalist.



4.  Aaron Murray QB Georgia
Last Week:  19/25 278 yards 2 TDs 1 INT vs Tennessee (51-44)  Next Week: at South Carolina
Comments:  If it wasn't for the play of Aaron Murray we could be talking about how Tennessee is still a contender for the SEC West Title.  But we aren't because Murray was huge for the Bulldogs in their win.  Murray threw for 278 yards which isn't Geno Smith esq, but it was what Georgia needed to stay perfect on the season.  Georgia has some talent with two true freshman RBs, but they don't have anymore AJ Green type WRs anymore.  That doesn't matter to Murray who distributes the ball to a lot of different receivers.  This is crucial for their success.  Right now Murray is just one of several players that are in the race, but not quite.  If Murray wants to move up into the top of this group he'll need a big game against the Gamecocks.  But a bad game and a loss could really hurt his chances.

5.  Matt Barkley QB USC

Last Week:  Bye  Next Week:  at Utah
Comments:  It's safe to say that Matt Barkley hasn't lived up to the high expectations he had going into this season.  Barkley hasn't been awful, but many people thought he'd have an Andrew Luck type of year.  Instead Barkley has been meh.  Against Stanford he really made some big mistakes towards the end of the game, while against inferior competition he was just average.  What has Barkley still in this race is the fact that other than Geno Smith and Collin Kelin there really hasn't been anybody that has put themselves into the discussion.  Add that and the fact that USC still has big games against Oregon, Notre Dame, and UCLA that with big games could really shoot his stock in the right direction.

Others to Watch

6. Braxton Miller QB Ohio State
7.  De'Anthony Thomas RB/WR Oregon
8.  Manti Te'o LB Notre Dame

Heisman Watch (Week 4)

1.  Geno Smith QB West Virginia

Last Week:  30/43 338 3 TDs vs Maryland (31-21)  Next Week:  vs Baylor
Comments: It wasn't the video game numbers that Geno Smith has been putting up lately, but Smith was still spectacular in West Virginia's win over Maryland.  His 338 yards helped shred the Terrapin defense and help the Mountaineers improve their record to 3-0.  Smith continues to play at a high level and is clearly the front runner to win the award.  Right now there really isn't a close #2.  But it won't get any easier for West Virginia.  Big 12 conference play starts this weekend and Smith won't have to face any elite defenses, but they are still a lot better than anything he has seen so far.  But if he keeps up this pace he'll be fine.

2.  Collin Klein QB Kansas State
Last Week: 13/21 149 0 TDs, 79 yards rushing 1 TD vs O (24-19)  Next Week: vs Kansas
Comments:  In typical Collin Klein fashion, it wasn't pretty but the Wildcats and Klein got the job done.  Klein's stats where not amazing, but he did have a combined 228 yards, but the big thing was getting the victory over top 10 rated Oklahoma.  The win vaults KState up the rankings and showcases Klein to the national stage.  The win also avenges the Wildcats 41 point loss to the Sooners last year.  Things do get easier for Klein and the Wildcats this week as they face off against in state rival Kansas.  The Jayhawks are awful this year and should allow Klein to put up some gaudy numbers.

3.  Le'Veon Bell RB Michigan State
Last Week:  36 carries 253 yards 1 TD vs Eastern Michigan (23-7) Next Week:  vs Ohio State

Comments:  The Spartans struggled against lowly MAC Eastern Michigan, but it wasn't at any fault to Le'Veon Bell.  Despite an inability to put Eastern Michigan out of the game early, Bell was at his best rushing for 253 yards and a touchdown.  This performance is just what Bell needed to stay in the hunt for the Heisman.  He has a long ways to go to get back to being one of the favorites, but their game against Ohio State this week could give him that national boost that he needs.  And the way Ohio State's defense has been playing, Bell has as good of a chance as anybody.



4.  EJ Manuel QB Florida State
Last Week:  27/35 380 2 TDs vs Clemson (49-37)  Next Week:  at South Florida
Comments:   With Florida State needing to seize the opportunity against Clemson, the senior QB stepped up.  Manuel threw for 380 yards and rushed for 102.  The Seminoles needed every bit of those yards to out score the Tigers high flying offense.  Not only did Manuel throw for a bunch of yards, but he was just as lethal with his feet.  Manuel was a dark horse candidate to win the award, but after the Seminoles big victory over Clemson and Manuel's performance, he is now thrust into contention.  Especially with the race so wide open.  Florida State has an easy schedule ahead of them with only Virginia Tech and Florida being possible ranked teams.  If the Seminoles can get through the season unscathed, Manuel has a great opportunity to make some noise in the Heisman Race.

5.  Matt Barkley QB USC

Last Week:  22/34 192 2 TDs 2 INTs, 102 yards rushing vs California (27-9)  Next Week:  at Utah
Comments:  Looking to bounce back from their big loss to Stanford, Barkley was able to lead the Trojans to victory, but he didn't look good doing so.  With the emphasis put on the run game it came at the cost of Matt Barkley.  Not only did Barkley throw for less than 200 yards, but he threw 2 picks also.  Those aren't terrible numbers, but it's not like he was very efficient.  Barkley still has an outside shot at winning the Heisman Trophy, but his national perception isn't the greatest.  He'll have to clean his game up and elevate his passing numbers.

Others to Watch

6.  Jonathan Franklin RB UCLA
7.  De'Anthony Thomas RB/WR Oregon
8.  Braxton Miller QB Ohio State

Heisman Watch (Week 3)

1.  Geno Smith QB West Virginia

Last Week:  34/39 411 yards 5 TDs vs James Madison (42-12) Next Week:  vs Maryland
Comments: We were beginnnig to see a trend in Heisman Winners.  The trophy was going to the top player on one of the teams in the National Title game.  Last year that trend was broken by RG3 mainly because he had such a great season compared to everybody else.  Could we see that this year with Geno Smith?  I don't see West Virvinia making it to the Nationa Championship, but it's going to be hard to think of anybody else playing as good as Smith.  Against James Madison Smith was flawless.  He completed 87% of his passes (88% on the season) and threw for 411 yards and 5 TDs.  That is just flat remarkable.  I don't see an end in sight.  Next week they play Maryland who is bad, and then the Big 12 isn't known for lock down defeneses.  With all the turmoil in college football, could we see Smith running away with this?

2.  Matt Barkley QB USC

Last Week:  20/41 254 yards O TDs 2 INTs vs Stanford (14-21)  Next Week:  vs California
Comments:  It was a bad day for Barkley and the Trojans.  In their first real test of the season they failed to get enough offense to get the victory.  Even though he had 254 yards Barkley struggled and made some poor decisons that cost them the victory.  Mainly him taking 2 sacks on the final drive and throwing the final pass out of bounds.  Add in his 2 INTs and it's not a grea day for the Heisman favorite.  Now Barkley's chances of winning the award are not gone.  But he'll have to have a steller rest of the season including a couple of big wins against Oregon, Arizona, and Notre Dame.  Otherwise it's going to be tough sailing.

3.  Colin Klein QB Kansas State
Last Week: 15/20 230 2 TDs 1 INT, 85 yards rushing 1 TD vs North Texas (35-21)  Next Week: @ Oklahoma
Comments:  The rest of the KState team may have looked sloppy against North Texas, but Colin Klein just keeps rolling.  Klein had a combined 315 yards and 3 TDs and was a clutch when the Wildcats needed him the most.  However if Klein wants a realistic shot of winning the Heisman, he's going to need a huge game this next week against top 10 ranked Oklahoma.  A big game here and a win could thrust Klein right up there with Geno Smith as the new favorites.  A dud for a game could end his chances.

4.  Le'Veon Bell RB Michigan State
Last Week:  19 carries for 77 yards, 20 yards receiving vs Notre Dame (3-20) Next Week:  vs Eastern Michigan

Comments:  The stage was set for Bell to really get his Heisman chances rolling.  However being blown out by Notre Dame has put a damper on his momentum.  However it's not really all his fault.  Without any semblance of a passing attack, Notre Dame was able to load up the box and put their focus onto Bell.  Le'Veon did get 77 yards, but wasn't able to find the endzone.  But the bright side is that even after the loss, Michigan State is still one of the top teams in the Big 10 and he'll have plenty more opprotunities to get some of the voters back on his side.

5.  Dennard Robinson QB Michigan
Last Week:  16/24 291 yards passing 3 TDs 1 INT, 106 yards rushing 1 TD vs UMass (63-13)  Next Week:  @ Notre Dame
Comments:  Robinson did what was expected of him in this game.  Passed and rushed for a combined 397 yards and 4 TDs against a UMass team in their first year as a FBS program.  Now the attention should focus onto their game at Notre Dame.  If Dennard still has a shot at winning the Heisman he'll need a huge game and win over the Irish.  Doing that will go a long ways in helping people forget about his week 1 disaster against Alabama.  But if he has a similar game against Notre Dame, it's bye bye to any Heisman talk.

Others to Watch

.
6.  Jonathan Franklin RB UCLA
7.  De'Anthony Thomas RB/WR Oregon
8.  Everett Golson QB Notre Dame

Heisman Watch (Week 1)

1.  Matt Barkley QB USC

Last Week:  23/38 372 yards 4 TDs vs Hawaii (49-10)  Next Week:  at Syracuse
Comments:  If the first play from scrimmage was any indication of how the season is going to go, then we might as well just give the award to Barkley.  On the first play Barkley hit WR Marqise Lee for a 75 yard TD pass.  He didn't stop there, throwing for 372 yards and 4 TDs.  It was a pretty easy day for the Trojan signal caller who racked up the yards with ease.  Things should continue to roll, next week the Trojans travel to Syracuse who just gave up 42 points to Northwestern.  So expect Barkley to have another huge game.

2.  Le'Veon Bell RB Michigan State

Last Week:  210 rushing yards 2 TDs, 55 yards receiving vs Boise State (17-13)  Next Week:  at Central Michigan

Comments:  A lot can be said about making a big impression the 1st Friday Night of the season.  Last year RG3 did it and it helped propel him to winning the Heisman Trophy.  Bell made his mark in Michigan State's victory over Boise.  Bell was dominant rushing for 210 yards and both Michigan State TDs.  And from the looks of it, the Spartans will need Bell to be a big part of their offense this year with all the struggles that QB Andrew Maxwell had.  Bell has all the momentum going, if he can sustain it, his chances of getting invited to New York are good.

3.  Geno Smith QB West Virginia

Last Week:  32/36 323 yards 4 TDs vs Marshall (69-34) Next Week:  vs James Madison
Comments:  Geno Smith had so much fun racking up the yards and points against Clemson last year in the Orange Bowl, that he decided to come out and do it against Marshall.  Smith was practically flawless.  Throwing for 323 yards and 4 TDs while completing 88% of his passes.  That's pretty remarkable.  Smith guided the offense to 69 points which set a West Virginia opening game record for most points scored.  Look for more records to fall in Morgantown where Smith has a coach in Dana Holgerson isn't afraid to throw the ball and isn't afraid to keep putting points on the board.  It could be special season for Smith.

4.  Taylor Martinez QB NebraskaLast Week:  26/34 354 5 TDs vs Southern Miss (49-20)  Next Week: at UCLA 

Comments:  The talk all off-season has been about the improved throwing mechanics of Taylor Martinez.  In their season opener against defending Conference USA champions Southern Miss Martinez showed everybody that he is a completely different passer.  His throws where a lot more accurate and he had a lot more zip on the ball.  That showed in him completing 76% of his passes and his 354 yards were a career high.  But what was the most impressive is how Martinez looked the healthiest he's looked since the beginning of his freshman year.  If he can continue this momentum the Huskers should be one of the favorites for the Big 10 Title and Martinez will be a Heisman Finalist.

5.  Tyler Wilson QB Arkansas
Last Week:  19/27 367 yards 3 TDs vs Jacksonville State (49-10)  Next Week:   vs Louisiana-Monroe
Comments:  Wilson picked up right where he left off last year.  Even without former head coach Bobby Petrino, the experienced Wilson was able to fling the ball all over the field and rack up yards against the FCS foe.  So much that his 367 yards set a record for most yards in a opening game.  Not too shabby for the senior.  If Wilson can keep up this pace the Razorbacks will be in the hunt for the SEC West crown and Wilson will be in the fore front of the Heisman talk.

Others to Watch

6.  Dennard Robinson QB Michigan
After all the pre-season hype, Robinson and the Wolverines failed to take advantage of the national stage.  Robinson had only 227 total yards and 1 TD in a disappointing game.  But what's worse is that Michigan was dominated and every body's lasting image is of Robinson throwing a ugly pick and hurting himself trying to make the tackle.  But the bright side is that the season is still very young and Robinson can still rehab his image.

7.  De'Anthony Thomas RB/WR Oregon
It wasn't a spectacular game for Thomas, but that's not to say it wasn't a productive one.  Thomas had a combined 119 yards and 3 TDs in their 57-34 win over Arkansas State.  It looks like Oregon is going to continue to use Thomas at both WR and RB which should only increase the amount of touches he gets.  Which should only give him more shots to make a big splash on the season.

8.  Logan Thomas QB Virginia Tech
It took overtime, but Logan Thomas and the Hokies were able get out of their game with Georgia Tech with a win.  Thomas finished with 230 yards passing 2 TDs and 40 yards rushing.  Those were super impressive numbers, but Thomas came up big when the team needed him to be.  It should get a lot easier for Thomas next week when they face off against FCS Austin Peay.

9.  Aaron Murray QB Georgia
Murray was solid by not over impressive in the Bulldogs in their 45-23 victory over Buffalo.  Murray threw for 3 TDs but only for 258 yards.  What makes it worse is that Georgia only threw it 26 times.  Things could change, but with a conservative offense it looks like Murray's big chance at winning the award will have to come from his team have a great season. 

10.  Monte Ball RB Wisconsin
Not the start Ball thought he would have.  Against FCS Northern Iowa the Heisman finalist got 120 yards and 1 TD, but it took 32 carries to do so.  Hopefully it's just first game jitters for this offense, because they'll be facing tougher defenses all season long.

Heisman Watch (Final)

The regular season is over and bowl games have been announced. This means the Heisman Trophy Presentation is a couple of days away. Earlier this week I put out what my ballot would look like, but here I will give my final prediction on who will bring home the hardware. This is my third year projecting the award. So far I've successfully predicted the top 3 each year. Will the streak continue? Let's find out!

1. Robert Griffin QB Baylor
Season Stats: 3998 yards Passing 36 TDs 644 yards rushing 9 TDs
Robert Griffin's Heisman Stock has been like a roller coaster. After a dominant performance against TCU in the opening game, RG3 was the hot name and an early season favorite. But after losses to Kansas State and Texas A&M he fell out of contention, even though he was still putting up eye popping stats. Griffin rose back up the boards with dominating games against Oklahoma and Texas. RG3 accounted for over 4,500 yards and 45 TDs. But what is more remarkable is that Griffin has lead long time doormat Baylor to 9 wins and a 2nd consecutive Bowl Game. And that bowl game was almost a BCS game. Bet you never thought Baylor would ever contender for a BCS game. Not only has Griffin been the most exciting player this season, but he has done so carrying a team without many weapons. RG3 has been the best player this year and deserves the Heisman Trophy.

2. Andrew Luck QB Stanford
Season Stats: 3170 yards passing 35 TDs

Going into this season it was no surprise that Andrew Luck was the favorite. And why not? He has helped transform Stanford into a Pac 12 contender and was coming off of a dominating Orange Bowl Victory. Luck also has a squeaky clean image and is a lock to be the #1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. What isn't to like? This season has not been a disappointment. Despite the fact that Stanford's offense is a run based offense, Luck has still put up over 3,000 yards and 35 TDs in helping the Cardinal to a 1 loss season and 2nd straight BCS Bowl appearance. The problem is that Luck really hasn't wowed anybody. He is good, but everybody knows that. And even though they are 11-1 they didn't win their conference and lost against their best opponent. But if Griffin didn't have a huge game against Oklahoma I could be talking about Luck winning.

3. Trent Richardson RB Alabama
Season Stats: 1583 yards rushing 20 TDs 327 yards receiving 3 TDs

In a crowded Heisman Race every opportunity matters. If Alabama made it the SEC Championship Game, it could have given Trent Richardson one last opportunity to state his case for the Heisman. Instead he had to sit back and watch Robert Griffin dominate Texas and stake claim to the Trophy. But Richardson did all he could with the games he was able to play. He rushed for over 1,500 yards and accounted for 23 TDs. Richardson was basically the only offense for the Crimson Tide and his play this year has allowed Alabama to find themselves back in the National Title game for a rematch against LSU. But we could have our first Title Game without the Heisman Trophy winner playing in it.

4. Monte Ball RB Wisconsin
Season Stats: 1759 yards rushing 32 TDs

When you rush for over 1,700 yards and have 38 total TDs that you would be a favorite for the Heisman Trophy. However that isn't the case for Monte Ball. Ball has had a monster season for Wisconsin, but really isn't getting much love. Sure he is a finalist. But he doesn't realistically have a shot at winning. You would have to assume that voters feel that his production this year is a by product of the Wisconsin system and their mammoth elite run blocking line. And much like spread QBs getting the "system QB" label, the Wisconsin RBs get the same treatment. That's too bad because with all the 2 RB systems and spread passing offenses, we might not see another season like this.

5. Tyrann Mathieu CB/PR LSU

Season Stats: 70 tackles, 1.5 Sacks, 2 INTs, 6 FF 5 recovered (2 for TDs), and 2 Punt Returns for TD

Tyrann Mathieu here reminds me of Ndamukong Suh two years ago. Mathieu wasn't as dominant as Suh was in 2009, but because of his play this year he deserves every bit of attention he has gotten. Mathieu is a big game player. In all of their top games, Mathieu has made his mark. Against Oregon he returned fumbles for TDs. Against Arkansas and Georgia he returned punts for TDs. He was LSU's best player and LSU is the best team in college football right now. Without him they might have a loss or two. Mathieu has been the best defensive player and the most impactfull.

Heisman Watch (My Ballot)

Over the course of the season I've used the Heisman Watch to predict who the voters will pick to be the winner of the Heisman Trophy. Now I'll still put out my last edition of the Heisman Watch later this week. But I felt this would be a great time to share my opinion. On this version of the Heisman Watch I'll provide my ballot if I had an actual vote (maybe someday).

1. Robert Griffin QB Baylor
Season Stats: 3998 yards Passing 36 TDs 644 yards rushing 9 TDs
Going into this season not a whole lot of people knew about Griffin. And those who did know about Griffin knew him as a tremendous athlete who could run all around defenses. But this year we've seen Griffin transform himself into a complete QB. RG3 threw for nealy 4,000 yards and 36 TDs while still rushing for 644 yards and another 9 TDs. Griffin has just been flat out amazing. Griffin has carried the Baylor Bears to an unbelievable 9 win season and their second straight bowl game appearance. Even in their three losses, Griffin had played very well. Griffin has been the best player in the nation and has had to do it with not even close to the best talent around him.

2. Tyrann Mathieu CB/PR LSU

Season Stats: 70 tackles, 1.5 Sacks, 2 INTs, 6 FF 5 recovered (2 for TDs), and 2 Punt Returns for TD
It's safe to say that many people didn't know about the "Honey Badger" before the season, but it didn't take long for everybody to get familiar with him. Against Oregon in the opening game, Mathieu was all over the place and had a huge fumble recover for TD. That became a stable for Mathieu. Whenever LSU needed a big play he made one. Against Arkansas when they were down 14-0 Mathieu returned a punt for TD to get the momentum going. He did the same thing against Georgia in the SEC Title Game. Mathieu didn't play any snaps on offense, but he was LSU's biggest weapon and was clearly the best defensive player this season.

3. Trent Richardson RB Alabama
Season Stats: 1583 yards rushing 20 TDs 327 yards receiving 3 TDs

Richardson was a contender at the beginning of the season do to the fact that he was the a dynamic running back on an Alabama team that was going to challenge for a National Championship. It also helped that Richardson was no longer a part of a RB rotation and was the only reliable threat for the Crimson Tide. Richardson didn't disappoint. With teams focusing solely on him Richardson was able to still rush for over 1,500 yards and score 20 times. Even against LSU, Richardson accounted for 160 yards. He has clearly been the best RB in the nation and one of the best offensive players in the nation.

4. Andrew Luck QB Stanford
Season Stats: 3170 yards passing 35 TDs

Luck was a heavy favorite going into the season and he hasn't disappointed. Luck is considered to the best player in the nation and a likely #1 overall pick in the next NFL Draft. Stanford doesn't have the same talent that most top 10 programs. However without a dynamic receiver Luck has had to rely on a collection of TEs to throw the ball to. He's done very well. Stanford has only lost 1 game this year and that was to a very good Oregon team. But Luck hasn't put the stats and impact that others have had. Luck is still a great player, but he hasn't been the best this year.

5. Monte Ball RB Wisconsin
Season Stats: 1759 yards rushing 32 TDs

Russell Wilson has gotten a lot of the hype, but Monte Ball has been the real star for the Badgers. His nearly 2,000 yards and 32 TDs are flat out good. Behind their powerful offensive line, Ball has been hard to contain and provided a consistent offensive threat that has allowed Wisconsin to make it to a second straight Rose Bowl appearance. But what hurts Ball is that even me could get 1,000 yards behind that offensive line. It was a great season for Ball, but I can't put him ahead of Trent Richardson who has done it against better defenses. And Richardson is only 3rd on my ballot.

Heisman Watch (Week 13)

1. Andrew Luck QB Stanford
Last Week: 20/30 233 4 TDs 1 INT vs Notre Dame (28-14) Next Week: vs TBA

Comments: Andrew Luck's 4 TD passes helped him surpass John Elway's record for the most career TDs passes in Stanford's History. It wasn't the end that Luck wanted, but he sure did his best to try and impress voters. Luck has thrown for 3,170 yards this year and 35 TDs. Not too bad of a season considering that Luck doesn't have any elite weapons on offense and having a run based attack. Luck is clearly the best QB in the Nation and might be the best player this year overall. What helps Luck is that nobody else has really stood out on a consistent basis. And they may feel that Luck is the best and vote him the winner. He just has to hope that Griffin, Keenum, or Ball don't have great games next week.

2. Trent Richardson RB Alabama
Last Week: 27 carries 203 yards 1 receiving TD vs Auburn (42-14) Next Week: vs TBA
Comments: Without the luxury of having the SEC Title Game to enhance his stock, Richardson had to do his best here in the Iron Bowl. Richardson sure did that. He rushed for 203 yards and added a receiving touchdown to boot. Richardson has enjoyed a very good season. It was memorable, but will it last in voters memory two full weeks? It's hard to say. But he has rushed for 1583 yards and 20 TDs and been the only consistent offense on one of the best teams in the Nation. Add in that Alabama will probably be playing in the National Title Game, that could only enhance his chances.

3. Robert Griffin QB Baylor

Last Week: 7/11 106 yards 1 TD 14 carries 62 yards 2 TDs vs Texas Tech (66-42) Next Week: vs Texas
Comments: After a great performance in their come from behind upset win over Oklahoma, Griffin was looking to continue his Heisman momentum into their game against Texas Tech. However Griffin didn't even make it to halftime. He took a huge hit and suffered an apparent concussion. RG3 wanted to go out and finish the game, but the doctors wouldn't let him. That ended his day, but at least it didn't' end his season. But he still does have one more game against a Texas team that has name recognition. But if RG3 wants to win this award. He needs to have a monster game and some memorable moments.

4. Case Keenum QB Houston
Last Week: 33/46 457 yards 5 TDs vs Tulsa (48-16) Next Week: vs Southern Miss
Comments: In their final regular season game before the Conference USA Championship the Cougars were in prime contention for a let down game. However Keenum had none of that. Against a good Tulsa team, Keenum threw for 457 yards and 5 TDs. Those stats only strengthen Keenem's chances at winning the award. But some will question the level of competition Keenum has played against. But one thing that Keenum has that Luck or Richardson doesn't have is a conference championship game. If Keenum can blow out a good Southern Miss team, he could sway a few voters. But it's a long shot at this point.

5. Monte Ball RB Wisconsin
Last Week: 25 carries 156 yards 4 TDs vs Penn State (45-7) Next Week: vs Michigan State
Comments: In a battle to see who goes to the Big 10 Title Game, it was Monte Ball and Wisconsin that manhandled the Nittany Lions and punched their ticket to the inaugural Big 10 Title Game. Ball was way too much for Penn State to handle. His 156 yards and 4 TDs adds to his total of 1622 yards and 29 TDs. But for some reason, he isn't getting any Heisman hype. But that could change if he dominates Michigan State in the Title game and gives the voters a lasting impression.