Heisman Watch (Week 2)

Week 2 is in the books, and there isn't much change from last week. All the top players either had a week off or continued their typical good performances. However next week there could be some changes. Oklahoma travels to Florida State which could shake up the standings.

1. Landry Jones QB Oklahoma

Last Week: Bye Next Week: @Florida State

Comments: Landry Jones didn't play this week, but next week could be his biggest game of the young season. Florida State is getting a lot of hype around the nation and if Jones can replicate what he did last year against them (380 yards 4 TDs) then he can entrench himself in the #1 spot for a while.

2. Andrew Luck QB Stanford

Last Week: 20/28 290 yards 4 TDs Next Week: @Arizona

Comments: After a slow start Andrew Luck and Stanford ended up rolling Duke in route to throwing for 4 TDs which ties his career high. Its was another strong performance by Luck whose sole INT came when the ball deflected off his receivers hands to a defender. Next week Luck travels to Arizona and faces off against the Wildcats in their first Pac 12 game of the year. Arizona struggled against Oklahoma State's passing attack, so Luck shouldn't have any issues putting up some impressive numbers.

3. Justin Blackmon WR Oklahoma State

Last Week: 128 yards 2 TDs Next Week: vs Tulsa

Comments: In a game that was never really close, Blackmon continued to show that he is contender for the Heisman Trophy. Against Arizona's over matched defense, Blackmon made up for no TDs last week and came away with 2 to go along with his 128 yards. Next week the Cowboys face off against in state Tulsa who struggled against Oklahoma in week 1. Look for Blackmon to go off against the Golden Hurricanes and keep him in the trophy hunt.

4. Kellen Moore QB Boise State

Last Week: Bye Next Week: @Toledo

Comments: The didn't play this week after their big win against Georgia. However the nation is still talking about Boise State and that is only a good thing for Moore in his quest to lead the Broncos to the National Title game and a shot at the Heisman Trophy. Next week Moore faces off against Toledo who gave Ohio State fits this past weekend. However Boise State and Moore thrives on weekday games and shouldn't have any problems. Look for Moore to complete a high percentage of his passes and put up around 250 yards in a route of the MAC foe. Just the usual.

5. Trent Richardson RB Alabama

Last Week: 111 yards 2 TDs Next Week: vs North Texas

Comments: After a previous week of only rushing for 37 yards, Richardson was back to his old ways and eclipsed the 100 yard mark in a win over top 25 ranked Penn State. With a young QB in AJ McCarron running the show, the Crimson Tide are going to be relying on Richardson to carry the load for them. If Richardson continues what he has done so far the Tide should be back in the National Title hunt for another year. Next week Richardson faces off against Sun Belt opponent North Texas which should be a game where he can pad his stats.

Keep an Eye on

Robert Griffen III QB Baylor

After their impressive win opening week against TCU, the Bears had a much needed week off to get their heads ready for the rest of the season. The next three games for the Bears should be cakewalks which will allow RG3 to load up the stats to gain the attention of the Heisman votes so they don't forget about the TCU game.

LeMichael James RB Oregon

James had a great day on Saturday. He had 181 total yards with 3 touchdowns. However he is starting to get overshadowed by two of his teammates, QB Daniel Thomas and RB DeAnthony Thomas. But his poor performance against LSU will always stick with him.

Daniel Thomas QB Oregon

In his second year as the starter Thomas has been nothing short of spectacular. He was good against LSU, and against Nevada he was even better throwing for 295 and 6 TDs. Right now he is best player on that team and could get the Heisman hype.

David Wilson RB Virginia Tech

Wilson had another solid game in a win against East Carolina. He rushed for 138 yards. His strong play and an easy schedule for the Hokies will give him a shot to be a Heisman finalist.

EJ Manuel QB Florida State

I'm not as high on FSU as a lot of other people are, but its hard not to give credit for how EJ Manuel has been playing. In their win he threw for 329 and 4 TDs. But next week will be their season. If the Seminoles can edge out Oklahoma and Manuel has a good game he can get vaulted into the top of the rankings. But that is easier said then done.

NCAA Top 25 (Week 1)

1. Oklahoma Sooners (1-0)

Oklahoma came into the game against Tulsa having to worry about their wide open offense. However the Bob Stoops defense held the high powered Golden Hurricanes to 14 points in a route. Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles showed why they are the best QB/WR tandem in college football. However the Sooners next game will be against #12 Florida State in Tallahassee. Should be a good one.

2. Alabama Crimson Tide (1-0)

Despite starting a new quarterback, the Crimson Tide rolled on. As long as AJ McCarron/Phillip Sims doesn't start turning the ball over left and right, the Tide will be fine. Their defense and running game will carry them throughout this season.

3. LSU Tigers (1-0)

Nobody was surprised that LSU beat Oregon, but the margin of victory has to be a little surprise. LSU's defense was opportunistic which gave them the edge. If CB Tyrann Mathieu keeps making plays like he did, Tiger fans might just be saying, Patrick Peterson who?

4. Boise State Broncos (1-0)

It continues to amaze me how many people look past Boise State in big games. A lot of so called experts predicted that Boise State couldn't hang with an SEC opponent. However they didn't realize that Georgia isn't that great. If it wasn't for Andrew Luck, Kellen Moore would be the best QB in college football. They are a tough team that has a lot of speed. Look for the Broncos to be knocking on the door of a National Title game all year long.

5. Stanford Cardinal (1-0)

Although Andrew Luck didn't put up astronomical numbers in a win against San Jose State, they looked to be in mid season form. They'll continue to roll through their schedule until they get to Oregon which their defense will have to step up.

6. Wisconsin Badgers (1-0)

UNLV had one of the worst rushing defenses in all of college football last year, so to no surprises the Badgers huge offensive line ran roughshod over them. What was even scarier for Wisconsin's opponents is that Russell Wilson looked pretty good running the offense. However I still have some questions about their defense. Their lack of speed could hurt them come conference play.

7. South Carolina Gamecocks (1-0)

I know that Steve Spurrier didn't start Stephen Garcia because all of his off the field problems, but them struggling without him really showed how much he is needed. When he came in it was a totally different team. Next week's showdown with Georgia should be an interesting game.

8. Oregon Ducks (0-1)

Turnovers really cost the Ducks in their opening game loss to LSU. However injuries to Kenjan Balmer and LeMichael James were a big part of their offenses struggles too. But Oregon won't play a team as good as LSU the rest of the season. They'll bounce back, and lets remember that its better to lose early then late.

9. Arkansas Razorbacks (1-0)

It shouldn't be a shocker that a Bobby Petrino led team put up over 50 points in a game. But as the season continues I'll be concerned how the Razorbacks defense looks. This team has a chance to be good, but if they can't stop the offenses at Alabama, LSU, or Mississippi State then they could find themselves back in the middle of the SEC again.

10. Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-0)

With a new offense in Lincoln we saw a look back at the Husker teams of the 90's running the option. However for the Huskers to be good they need their young offensive line to step up and for Taylor Martinez to make better decisions in big games.

11. Oklahoma State Cowboys (1-0)

I was curious of how Oklahoma State would fare without Dana Holgerson. Now it was Louisiana-Lafayette, but they looked like they haven't lost a step. But the Cowboys will get a better defense to go against next Thursday night in Arizona. This could be a coming out party for ultra talented WR Justin Blackmon and QB Brandon Weeden.

12. Florida State Seminoles (1-0)

EJ Manuel and the Seminoles looked good in their opening game win against Louisiana-Monroe, but I'm still not as high on them as most other people. They are still very young and we'll know more after they play Oklahoma in a couple of weeks.

13. Texas A&M Aggies (1-0)

I don't think SMU ever had a chance against Texas A&M in this one. Ryan Tannehill showed once again he should have been a starting QB a long time ago. But it was Cyrus Gray that stole the show rushing for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns.

14. Virginia Tech Hokies (1-0)

The Hokies didn't suffer the same fate as Michigan did against Appalachian State beating the Mountaineers 66-13. Logan Thomas looked good replacing Tyrod Taylor, but David Wilson is making his mark on college football. The speedster rushed for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns. VaTech's easy schedule could have them sitting undefeated at the end of the season.

15. Mississippi State Bulldogs (1-0)

A true testament of how good of a coach Dan Mullen is. Miss State was a regular at the bottom of the SEC under Sylvester Croom. Now Mullen has the Bulldogs playing great and Chris Relf's improved passing game gives Mullen the ability to use his entire playbook and we are seeing a lot of the same offense that Tebow ran at Florida.

16. Michigan State Spartans (1-0)

After a season filled of breaks the Spartans were still considered a contender for the Big 10 champions. But even though Youngstown State is a good FCS team, you would think that Sparty would be able to win more convincingly. Next week Michigan State faces off against FAU who Florida handled pretty easily.

17. West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0)

I'll be keeping an eye on how West Virginia does this season with first time HC Dana Holgerson leading a team that should win the Big East. How he does in big time games will be crucial. But he has the Mountaineers offense humming and Geno Smith looked very good in his first game. If the game wouldn't have been canceled early Smith could have put up even bigger numbers.

18. Missouri Tigers (1-0)

The Missouri Tigers offense the past few years has been one of the best in all of college football. We saw Blaine Gabbert and Chase Daniel run the offense to the T. It was only one game, but James Franklin really struggled. It reminds me of Missouri with Brad Smith. They were always dangerous, but the coaching staff had no idea how to utilize Smith's running ability and they lost games they could have won. If Gary Pinkel and David Yost can't figure it out they could struggle this year.

19. Central Florida Knights (1-0)

62-0. That was the final score of their victory over Charleston Southern. A pretty impressive win. Especially when some teams struggled this weekend against similar type of teams. The Knights have an easy schedule ahead of them, especially without Houston on it. But their potential showdown in the Conference USA Title Game could/should be a must watch.

20. Florida Gators (1-0)

John Brantley has always been a talented QB, but he was lost in Florida's spread offense under Urban Meyer, Now with Charlie Weis in Gainesville Brantley is able to show off his skill set. In their win against FAU Brantley distributed the ball well and Weis was able to highlight speedy running back Chris Rainey is many different ways. If Will Muschamp can get the Gators to have a more workman like mentality we should see Florida back in the top 10 before we know it.

21. Ohio State Buckeyes (1-0)

Even though the Buckeyes are without some key players due to NCAA suspensions, they looked like the same team that we've seen the past decade. Joe Bauserman played very well and the defense looked like they haven't lost a step. If the Buckeyes can get to their game against Nebraska (when they get back their key offensive players) with one lose or less then we could see the Buckeyes challenging for a spot in the first ever Big 10 Championship Game.

22. Texas Longhorns (1-0)

Last years Texas team was thought to be a potential Big 12 Champion and make another run at a BCS game. However a lack of identity on offense really hurt their offense and Garrett Gilbert struggled. However the off season hire of Bryan Harsin was a good move. Gilbert looked more comfortable and the offense has the potential to really take off.

23. Arizona State Sun Devils (1-0)

Brock Osweiler threw for 262 yards and a touchdown in a victory over UC Davis. However he had to leave the game early due to leg cramps. However we saw that quite a bit throughout the first weekend, so don't be worried. The Sun Devil offense looked pretty good and is a big change since Rudy Carpenter was the QB.

24. Baylor Bears (1-0)

Big 12 fans have known about how good Robert Griffin is for the past four years. However the nation got to witness how good he was in a big time victory against nationally ranked TCU. RG3 has quickly jumped up many people's Heisman boards, but if he wants to continue his ascension the Bears are going to have to keep winning. They'll do that, but on October 15th they travel to College Station and have a huge match up against Texas A&M.

25. South Florida Bulls (1-0)

Notre Dame might have doubled the Bulls on total offense, but their 5 turnovers they forced were the key to the game. If South Florida and Skip Holtz can continue this momentum they can give West Virginia and Pittsburgh a challenge to the Big East crown.

Dropped Out: Notre Dame, TCU Horned Frogs

Heisman Watch (Week 1)

1. Landry Jones QB Oklahoma
Last Week: 375 yards 1 TD Next Week: Bye
Comments: It was easy pickens for Jones this past weekend. He had no trouble picking apart the Tulsa defense in route to 375 yards through the air. He only threw for one touchdown, but he'll have plenty more chances over the course of the season to improve on that mark. Next week the Sooners will be off, but they'll be getting ready for Florida State in week 3. That showdown will be a great opportunity for Jones to make an big impression on Heisman voters.

2. Andrew Luck QB Stanford
Last Week: 171 yards passing 2 TDs, 1 rushing TD Next Week: @Duke
Comments: It wasn't a great statistical day for Luck, but when your blowing out a WAC school your not really going to play too deep into the 2nd half. Luck got the job done. He was very efficient throwing 17-26 for 171 yards and two TD throws. He also ran another one in for good measures. Next week Luck and the Cardinal will travel to Duke where he should have another opportunity to put up some numbers in a blow out win. It will be week 3 where he gets his first tough match up against Arizona. But the season will all come down to their match up against conference rival Oregon.

3. Justin Blackmon WR Oklahoma State
Last Week: 144 yards 0 TD Next Week: vs Arizona
Comments: Last season Blackmon scored a touchdown in every game that he played in. In his first game this season he went TDless. Hold off on sounding the alarms, he'll be fine. He'll get plenty of opportunities to find the endzone throughout the season.Blackmon is such a dominant receiver that no matter how many defenders focus their attention to him, he'll produce. Next week the Cowboys face off against Arizona on Thursday night. That will be a great opportunity for Heisman voters to see him on a national stage where he can grab their attention.

4. Kellen Moore QB Boise State

Last Week: 261 yards 3 TDs 1 INT Next Week: @Toledo
Comments: I'll say the same thing that I said last year. For Kellen Moore to win the Heisman Trophy he is going to need to lead the Broncos to a undefeated record and be in contention for a National Title game. Boise State's win against Georgia is a great first step towards this process. He threw for 261 yards and 3 touchdowns in the 14 point victory. The win and performance by Moore has the nation talking. However Boise's schedule is pretty weak with only TCU being the toughest game left. And after their loss to Baylor everybody knows that they aren't the team they have been.

5. Trent Richardson RB Alabama
Last Week: 37 yards 3 TDs Next Week: @Penn State
Comments: Richardson is a lot of people's preseason Heisman favorite and he did score 3 touchdowns, but only rushed for 37 yards on 13 carries. Not the stats you would assume he'd get in a route of Kent State, but when the defense loads up the box to stop the run and make a new QB beat them its understandable. Richardson will have next week's match up at Penn State to show a national audience what he is really made of. Look for Richardson to bounce back from this low yardage to torch the Nittny Lions in a Alabama win.

6. LeMichael James RB Oregon
Last Week: 54 yards 1 TD Next Week: vs Nevada
Comments: Not a great first game for the 2011 Heisman finalist. He did rush for 54 yards and an early touchdown. But an injury really limited his effectiveness and forced the Ducks to play a true freshman at RB. I wouldn't panic if I were James or Ducks fans. LeMichael James and the Ducks will bounce back from this loss and have a great shot to run the table. Stanford and USC are the only two teams that they could run into trouble with. Next week James should be able to put up huge numbers against a Nevada team that could struggle this year.

Keep an eye on

Daniel Thomas QB Oregon
In the loss against LSU Thomas threw for 240 yards with a TD and an INT. If the Ducks can bounce back from this loss and run the table, Thomas should be right back in the hunt for the Heisman Trophy.

Robert Griffen QB Baylor
RG3 was well known by the Big 12 schools, but an impressive showing in an upset win againstTCU really showed the national how good he is. I'm not ready to go all in on him yet, but 359 yards and 5 touchdowns is a pretty good way to start of the season.

David Wilson RB Virginia Tech
Wilson isn't well known by many, but you'll get to know him this year. The speedster isbenefiting from Darren Evans and Ryan Williams leaving for the NFL and now that he is the man he showed on Saturday. He rushed for 162 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead the Hokies in a win against Appalachian State. The Hokies have a very easy schedule and have a great shot at running the table. If they do that, Wilson could get a ton of exposure.

Robert Woods WR USC
The Trojans didn't have an impressive win, but Woods really got a lot of attention in the game. Woods set the USC record for catches in a game with 17 and added 177 yards and 3 touchdowns. Woods is extremely talented and should get plenty of opportunities to show off his talents this year.

Geno Smith QB West Virginia

Despite playing in a shortend game, Geno Smith was able to put up big numbers in a route of rival Marshall. Smith threw for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns. Smith looked very comfortable playing in Dana Holgerson's spread offense and he'll get plenty of opportunities to put up big numbers throughout the season. If the Mountaineers can win the conference and get some big wins throughout the season he could have a shot at making an appearance in New York City.