Don't miss your chance for football betting at BetUS.com. As America's #1 sportsbook, BetUS offers the most up-to-date betting lines & odds for all your betting needs.
Tracking The Heisman Trophy Race (Mid-October Edition)
If you remove the illusions of name, reputation, media market, etc., what do you get when looking at the 2008 NFL season? With the Field Impact Counter and the Reina Value it is possible.
Jeff Risdon brings you his analysis for all of the bowl games after New Year's, including why one more quarterback is more trustworthy than the other in the BCS Title Game.
Tom Brady has watched his Patriots fight their way to a 5-3 record through the first half of the season, and in actuality, he's pretty darn happy with where he currently stands.
While everyone focuses on the marquee players that will be drafted on day one this Saturday, the key to building a winning team is by acquiring 5-7 impact makers. It was Marques Colston last year, who will it be this year?
RealGM Search
By Christopher Reina
The 2007 college football season has been riddled with upsets, surprises, twists and turns and it will be no different with the Heisman Trophy race. Surprising names like Michael Crabtree, Matt Grothe and Dennis Dixon are receiving consideration, but it should still comedown to the big names like Michigan's Michael Hart, Florida's Tim Tebow and Boston College's Matt Ryan.
10. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech
The freshman Crabtree has exploded onto the Big 12 scene. He has already caught 78 balls for 1,244 yards and 17 touchdowns.
The Red Raiders’ season gets decidedly tougher over the next five weeks, with battles against Missouri, Colorado, Texas and Oklahoma.
Crabtree has overshadowed other freshman receivers such as Illinois’ Arrelious Benn and LSU’s Terrence Toliver.
9. Matt Grothe, QB, South Florida
South Florida is the second ranked team in the nation and if they can run the table in the Big East, Grothe will get more play for the award. He has rushed for over 100 yards in each of the past two games.
He may need to bulk up his passing numbers to become a serious candidate.
As much as any other candidate, Grothe’s odds increase and decrease with USF’s record.
8. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
Bradford’s stock has tumbled since the Sooners’ loss at Colorado, but he has bounced back with very good performances in wins at Texas and at home versus Missouri. He threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns against the Longhorns and 266 yards and touch touchdowns against the Tigers.
The freshman has a 181.14 quarterback rating for the season.
7. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
The Heisman is supposed to be awarded to the most outstanding ‘player’ in college football, but it is very rare for a defensive player to receive it. Cornerback Charles Woodson won in 1997, but he was also a return specialist. Leon Hart and Larry Kelley both won at defensive end, but that was pre-1950. Pittsburgh’s Hugh Green (1980) was the last defensive lineman to even be a runner-up.
With no clear frontrunner and Dorsey very clearly being the best player in the country, the LSU senior deserves a trip to New York.
6. Dennis Dixon, QB, Oregon
If not for his two interceptions against Cal, Dixon would probably be the Heisman Trophy leader and the Ducks would be the top ranked team in the country.
Dixon regrouped following that Call loss with a bye week and then led Oregon to a 53-7 victory over Washington State. He threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
Dixon has a 173.57 rating for the season.
5. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
McFadden was held to just 43 rushing yards by Auburn on Saturday, by far his lowest total of the season (he has rushed for at least 122 yards in each of his five other games). The blame for this should fall on the Razorbacks’ offensive line as much as it is with McFadden.
He still is on pace for as many yards and touchdowns as he logged last season as a sophomore, but at 3-3, Arkansas is far less relevant than they were then.
4. Andre’ Woodson, QB, Kentucky
Woodson is fresh off a 43-37 triple-overtime win against the number-one ranked Tigers of LSU. In that game, Woodson threw for three touchdowns, 250 yards, but also threw for two interceptions.
He has a 149.93 quarterback rating for the season, down from his 154.55 as a junior.
With the Wildcats hosting Florida this week, Woodson must put in another victory against a top program in order to seriously make a run at the Heisman.
3. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
After losing two in a row (Auburn on September 29th and LSU on October 6th), Tim Tebow and the Gators had a bye.
Tebow shook off death threats (and the vaunted LSU defense) to throw for 158 yards and two touchdowns at Death Valley and he also ran for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Tebow has rushed for nine touchdowns through his first six games (at least one in each) and has a passer rating of 173.1.
2. Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
Ryan is at the helm of the undefeated Eagles, currently ranked third in the nation, the school’s highest ranking ever.
Ryan was ordinary at South Bend, though he did throw for 291 yards and two touchdowns.
He has a 137.02 rating for the season.
1. Michael Hart, RB, Michigan
In an impressive 48-21 win against Purdue, Hart rushed 21 times for 102 yards and two touchdown scores. He already has 1,078 yards and 12 touchdowns on the season and has been a consistent threat for the banged up Wolverines. After their two losses to open the season, the team is suddenly 5-2 and a return trip to the Rose Bowl is a very distinct possibility.
He was recently Jeff Risdon’s choice for the Trophy and he’s mine as well.
