Week 1 Preview

The college football season is so close. And it's not a moment too soon. If I have to watch another replay on CBS Sports or ESPNU or ESPN Classic or any other channel that has been running college football replays for the past 2 months, I might just go crazy. I can close my eyes and give you the play by play of the Air Force v. Wyoming game from last season. That's never a good thing.

Here's a little preview of week 1 to satisfy your college football craving until Thursday.

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5 Games to Watch

Here are 5 games that everyone must see this week. I don't care if you have to order these on pay per view or head to your local watering hole. Just make sure you're either in front of the TV or in the stands at one of these games.

1. Georgia @ Oklahoma St. - The two power conferences will be represented in this game. Georgia returns a ton of players from last year's 10 win squad. Unfortunately for the Dawgs, none of those players are named Knowshon Moreno or Matthew Stafford. This game will go a long way in telling how much Oklahoma St. has improved defensively. We all know they can play offense in Stillwater. Zac Robinson, Dez Bryant and Kendall Hunter get to show their deadly trio for the first time this season.

2. Alabama @ Virginia Tech - For the second straight season, Bama opens up it's season against a top ten ACC team. Hopefully, for the Hokies, the outcome will be a little bit different. Last year the Crimson Tide routed Clemson en route to an almost perfect season. The loss sent Clemson on a downward spiral that would them their head coach. Va Tech comes into the game without tailback Darren Evans. Speedster Ryan Williams should fill in just fine, but he was face a tough test against Bama's stout defense. The Tide will be breaking in Greg McElroy at QB. It would be a good sign for their offense if he starts off fast against a very good Hokie secondary.

3. Oregon @ Boise St. - Last season's win at Oregon propelled Boise St. to another tremendously overlooked great season. This year, the Broncos get Oregon at home. Both teams look better now than they did last season. For my money, this may be the most entertaining game of week 1. Kellen Moore of Boise St. will look to solidify his spot among the game's top quarterbacks. On the other side, LaGarrette Blount will be looking to add his name to the ranks of top running backs in the country.

4. BYU @ Oklahoma - Another big time BCS v. Non-BCS match-up in week 1. Oklahoma semi-struggled vs. TCU last season. The Horned Frog's D may be a bit better than BYU's. However, BYU's offense is leap year's better than TCU's. That's not good news for OU's defense. This is the premiere QB match-up of week 1 as the defending Heisman winner, Sam Bradford will face off against the savvy Max Hall of BYU.

5. Miami(FL) @ Florida St. - I don't care how far these teams have fallen in recent years. There's nothing like Miami v. FSU to start the season. Both teams will be sporting improved defenses and re-vamped offenses, so it's hard to know what to expect from this game.

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5 Players to Watch

Fantasy football is starting to catch on pretty heavily in college football. The fact that you can actually play with real player names makes the game a little bit better. Here are five players that I would play this week if they were on your roster.


1. Andre Anderson Tulane RB - Anderson quietly became one of the nation's top running backs last season. The Green Wave face Tulsa this week.

2. Evan Royster Penn St. RB - The Nittany Lions face Akron this week. The Zips are bad enough to give up a ton of yards to Royster, but they're decent enough to keep the game quasi close. That would keep Royster in the game long enough to rack up some stats.

3. Damien Williams USC WR - Williams was already going to have a big season for the Trojans this season. Richard Johnson's recent injury has made Williams' role all the more important. The only question is how well will Matt Barkley play in his first game as SC's starting QB.

4. Juice Williams Illinois QB - Just look up Williams' stats against Mizzou last season. You'll see why he should be started this week.

5. Colt McCoy Texas QB - McCoy will have the best opportunity to put up dual threat numbers this week. The Longhorns take on Louisiana-Monroe in week 1.

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Heisman Watch

I will no longer feature an entire post to the Heisman watch this season. That became a bit too tedious. Instead, I will put my two cents into the Heisman discussion into my weekly previews. Here's the first edition.

1. Tim Tebow Florida QB
2. Colt McCoy Texas QB
3. Sam Bradford Oklahoma QB
4. Dez Bryant Oklahoma St. WR
5. Jahvid Best California RB

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My TV Schedule

I hope yours is similar....

Thursday

7:00 pm ESPN South Carolina @ North Carolina St.

7:30 pm ESPNU North Texas @ Ball St.

8:00 pm CBS Sports Central Washington @ Minnesota-Duluth

10:00 pm ESPN Oregon @ Boise St.

Friday

8:00 pm ESPN Tulsa @ Tulane

Saturday

12:00 pm WTTA Western Kentucky @ Tennessee

12:00 pm ESPN Navy @ Ohio St.

12:00 pm ESPN2 Minnesota @ Syracuse

12:00 pm BHSN Liberty @ West Virginia

12:00 pm ESPNU Kentucky @ Miami(OH)

3:30 pm NBC Nevada @ Notre Dame

3:30 pm ABC Georgia @ Oklahoma St.

3:30 pm ESPN Missouri @ Illinois

3:30 pm ESPN2 Western Michigan @ Michigan

3:30 pm SUN San Jose St. @ USC

3:30 pm ESPNU Jackson St. @ Mississippi St.

7:00 pm ESPN BYU vs. Oklahoma

7:00 pm SUN Charleston Southern @ Florida

7:00 pm BHSN Wofford @ South Florida

7:00 pm ESPNU Louisiana Tech @ Auburn

8:00 pm ABC Alabama vs. Virginia Tech

9:00 pm CBS Sports Buffalo @ UTEP

10:00 pm ESPN2 Maryland @ California

10:30 pm ESPN LSU @ Washington

10:30 pm ESPNU Texas Southern @ Prairie View A&M

Sunday

3:30 pm ESPN Ole Miss @ Memphis

7:00 pm FSN Colorado St. @ Colorado

Monday

4:00 pm ESPN Cincinnati @ Rutgers

8:00 pm ESPN Miami(FL) @ Florida St.

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Ultimate Fantasy League Week 1

With the coming of the new college football season comes the all important first ever week of CFB 365's ultimate fantasy league. I've already outlined the details of this league in a previous post. Here is week 1's schedule.

Florida v. Auburn
Georgia @ West Virginia
Tennessee @ Alabama
South Carolina @ Washington St.
Clemson @ Wake Forest
Georgia Tech v. Ole Miss
Mississippi St. v. Kentucky
LSU @ Texas
Colorado v. Colorado St.
Kansas @ TCU
Kansas St. @ Wisconsin
Nebraska v. Arkansas
Missouri v. Illinois
Oklahoma @ California
Oklahoma St. @ Oregon
Texas A&M v. Texas Tech
Washington @ BYU
Oregon St. @ Arizona St.
Stanford v. Duke
Boise St. v. UCLA
USC v. San Diego St.
Arizona @ Virginia
Ohio St. v. Michigan St.
Northwestern @ Minnesota
Purdue v. Notre Dame
Iowa @ Iowa St.
Michigan v. Indiana
Maryland v. NC State
South Florida @ UCF
East Carolina @ Virginia Tech
Miami @ Florida St.
North Carolina v. Louisville
Connecticut v. Houston
Syracuse @ Penn St.
Rutgers @ Pitt
Boston College v. Vanderbilt
Army v. Cincinnati
Navy @ Troy
Air Force v. Wyoming
Southern Miss @ UNLV
Baylor v. Louisiana Tech
Utah v. Tulsa

Tebow's legacy is already secure

In case you don't know, the Heisman Memorial Trophy will be giving out this weekend. The three finalists of course are: Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, Colt McCoy of Texas and Tim Tebow of Florida.

Of course, I would like to see Tebow take this thing home. In all honesty, I would not be heartbroken if he didn't win the trophy. In my opinion, Colt McCoy may actually be the most deserving of the three finalists. He has better numbers than Tebow and has beaten Sam Bradford head to head. However, it's not all about the numbers when it comes to this award.

The Heisman winner is usually defined by a few select Heisman defining moments. Do you think Desmond Howard would have won the award if he didn't strike the pose after scoring a touchdown? He might have, but it would have been harder. How about Reggie Bush? Would he have beat out teammate Matt Leinart if he didn't perform that sick behind the back maneuver while on his way to the house? Probably. But it would have been tougher.

While Tebow may lack the stats that Bradford and McCoy have put up in the pass happy Big XII. He has had his share of Heisman defining moments. Here are a few:

1. The Promise

This season will always be remembered as the year of the promise. After the Gators suffered a heart breaking loss to Ole Miss, a misty-eyed Tebow promised a room full of reporters and the entire Gator nation that from that moment on, the Gators were not going to let us down. Timmy T promised that no one in the nation would work harder than himself or push his team harder than he would. I have to say, so far he's kept up his end of the promise. It's amazing how a loss can be turned into such a great team for a football team.

2. War Paint in Tallahassee

If the promise is the most memorable soundbite of the season. The picture of Tebow leaving the field after his first half touchdown run against the Seminoles may be the image of the year. Tebow was angered by the local fans cheering as Florida wide out Percy Harvin rolled around on the ground in pain. Reportedly, Timmy walked up to head coach Urban Meyer and said something to the effect of, "Give me the damn ball! I wanna hit somebody!" Meyer did, and Tebow did. He dragged the entire pile almost five yards to score the touchdown. I don't care if the Gators were on their own 1 yard line, Mr. Tebow would have drug the pile 99 yards to score. There was just simply no stopping him. After the play, Timmy rose to his feet and took the sidelines. He could be seen pumping up the crown with the Seminoles end zone paint covering his entire face and body. Classic!

3. Come From Behind in the 'Chip

Most great quarterbacks are defined by what they do in crunch time. What happens when their team is down in the fourth quarter and they need a score. This same situation presented itself to Tebow in the SEC championship game against a very stout Alabama defense. Not only did Tebow lead his team back to victory, he made it look easy. The Crimson Tide had never looked so lost on the defensive side of the ball. The video of Tebow sprinting down the sideline and crashing into his teammates to inspire the kick-off team was more vintage Tebow.

The stats for Tebow are somewhat down this year. 564 rushing yards for 12 touchdowns. 2,515 passing yards for 28 touchdowns. However, these numbers do become a little more impressive when you take into account that Tebow has only turned the ball over twice. That's 40 touchdowns with only 2 turnovers!

A few more factors that might work into Tebow's favor on Saturday:

1. The Best Ever?

There has been increasing debate that Tim tebow may very well be the best college football player ever. This topic has hit several national sports talk outlets as well as countless local media outlets. I've heard more than a few Heisman voters say that they believe Tebow IS the best college football player ever. Not saying it's right, but I'm sure a few voters will feel like Tebow deserves another Heisman to solidify that title. Also, how many voters will see fit to vote for Tim in order to see an historic run a third Heisman award?

2. Bronko Nagurski at QB

We can thank Bobby Bowden for this one. After Tebow almost single-handedly thrashed his Seminoles for the second straight year, Bowden made the now famous comparison. This idea has caught on like wildfire. It's kind of cool to think of your QB as a Bronko Nagurski type. And that's exactly what he is.

I don't know if number 15 will win the Heisman on Saturday. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't. However,there is no denying the fact that Tim Tebow is the best college football player in America. Quite possibly ever.

Heisman Watch

We're getting down to the very end of the season. Most Heisman balloters have their lists all in order. In fact, there are some people who already know who they're going to vote for, no matter what happens the rest of the season.

With only a few more weeks to go, this may be my second to last Heisman Watch.

1. Colt McCoy - Texas QB

Season Totals

Passing

291-375 3,445 yards 32 tds 7 ints

Rushing

128 576 yards 10 tds

McCoy is the favorite to take home the Heisman in most circles. He put in another solid performance against the Aggies last night. McCoy scored four touchdowns, 2 passing and 2 rushing in the route of the Longhorns' in-state rival. McCoy shouldn't feel too comfortable. The incumbent is right on his heels.

2. Tim Tebow - Florida QB

Season Totals

Passing

148-225 2,114 yards 22 tds 2 ints

Rushing

121 427 yards 11 tds

Timmy T and the Gators are rolling right now. No team or player is hotter at this moment. He probably still won't have the numbers to take home the hardware this season, but Tebow has done enough to get an invite to NYC at the end of the year. If he has another game against FSU like he did last season, he could get some second place votes.

3. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Season Totals

238-349 3,710 yards 42 tds 6 ints

Bradford continues his prolific play for yet another week. His domination of Texas Tech last week was just another notch on his Heisman resume. Bradford's 42 touchdowns leads the nation in that category. We'll see if he can continue his Heisman campaign in Bedlam this week. If Bradford can put together another 4 touchdown performance, he may leap some people on this list.

4. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB

Season Totals

365-518 4,438 yards 39 tds 6 ints

Harrell slipped a bit thanks to his loss to Oklahoma last week. I've said all along that I don' think a Texas Tech player will win this award if they don't go undefeated. It's not that they don't deserve it, it's just that the Red Raiders haven't built up the reputation yet to have a Heisman winner on a non-national championship contending team.

5. Chase Clement - Rice QB

Season Totals

Passing

268-405 3, 431 yards 36 tds 7 ints

Rushing

129 563 yards 10 tds

Clement has put up practically the same numbers that McCoy has at Texas. Granted Clement is not playing the same level of comp as McCoy, but he is also doing it with far less talent (outside of Jarrett Dillard) than McCoy has at his disposal. It would be interesting to see what kind of numbers Clement could put up with a NFL-Caliber line blocking for him.

The Next Five:

1. Dez Bryant Oklahoma St. WR
2. Nate Davis Ball St. QB
3. Javon Ringer Michigan St. RB
4. Michael Crabtree Texas Tech WR
5. Percy Harvin Florida WR

Heisman Watch

The race is coming down to the wire now. There are players that are making stronger and stronger cases for themselves. On the flip side, there are a few former Heisman wannabes that are nowhere near the discussion anymore.

I'm working on this post while I'm watching the Georgia Tech v. Miami game. I'm thinking Josh Nesbitt wants to be on this here list. The guy is gutsy. Reminds me of Byron Leftwich at Marshall a few years back.



1. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB

Season Totals
332-463 4,077 yards 36 tds 5 ints


Harrell and the Red Raiders took last week off. Having a bye week is pretty much the only way this guy can be slowed down. Harrell should put up some pretty big numbers against a porous Sooner D this weekend. However, it all comes down to the W for Harrell on Saturday. I don't see him winning the Heisman with a loss.





2. Colt McCoy - Texas QB

Season Totals
Passing
268-347 3,134 yards 30 tds 7 ints
Rushing
117 527 yards 8 tds

McCoy had a decent day against Kansas last week. Once again, Colt was extremely on point, going 24 for 34 with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. TAMU always plays Texas tough, but McCoy should have a field day both rushing and passing on Saturday.




3. Tim Tebow - Florida QB

Season Totals
Passing
139-214 1,913 yards 19 tds 2 ints
Rushing
119 393 yards 11 tds


Tebow has his Gators playing better than any team in the nation right now. The fact that Timmy has 30 total touchdowns with only 2 interceptions cannot be ignored. Tebow knows how to take care of the football. As I've said before, being the reigning Heisman winner will probably buy Tebow a few extra votes.




4. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Season Totals
224-330 3,406 yards 38 tds 6 ints

Much like Harrell, Bradford enjoyed his bye week, as he gets prepared for the monumental showdown this Saturday. Also, much like Harrell, I believe that Bradford will be knocked out of the Heisman race with a loss. Bradford did give one hell of an interview during College Gameday, so extra bonus points for him.




5. Javon Ringer - Michigan St. RB

Season Totals
353 1,548 yards 20 tds

Ringer continues to carry the Spartans on his back. Javon's two touchdowns were the difference in Sparty's victory over Purdue. Unfortunately for Ringer, the rest of his team will need to play a thousand times better this week if they want to pull off the upset against Penn St. Michigan St. is still in Big Eleven title contention. If they can miraculously pull this one out, Ringer is basically a shoe-in for a NYC invite.





The Next Five:

1. Dez Bryant Oklahoma St. WR
2. Nate Davis Ball St. QB
3. Michael Crabtree Texas Tech WR
4. Chase Clement Rice QB
5. Percy Harvin Florida WR
   

Heisman Watch

Alright, I've been doing a shitty job lately of keeping up with my Heisman list. For that I apologize. You guys just don't understand how much it pains me that I have been depriving you of the genius that is me. Don't worry, I'm back and ready to sway the voters.


1. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB

Season Stats
332-463 4,077 yards 36 tds 5 ints

Harrell maintains the top spot on this week's list. If you subscribe to the theory that the QB from the best team should win this award, then this is the guy for you. Coincidentally, Harrell is also climbing the ranks of my ultimate douchebag list. I hope he gets invited to New York only to lose, so he can pout and complain just like he does whenever a defensive linemen brushes against him right after he throws the ball. What a Bitch.....





2. Colt McCoy - Texas QB

Season Stats
Passing
244-313 2,879 yards 28 tds 7 ints
Rushing
101 449 yards 7 tds

McCoy continues to remain near the top of my list because he continues to play like Tebow did last year. Since McCoy lost the head-to-head match up with Harrell, he probably has to hope for Harrell to completely shit himself so that he can win this award. It's amazing what McCoy has done with almost no running game whatsoever to support him.





3. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Season Stats
224-330 3,406 yards 38 tds 6 ints

Bradford is still playing at an extremely superior level compared to most other quarterbacks. The guy is a machine behind center. Fortunately for him, he still has a game against Texas Tech to prove what he's got. If Bradford goes off against the Red Raiders, look for him to vault back to the top spot of this most prestigious list.





4. Tim Tebow- Florida QB

Season Stats

Passing
126-194 1,740 yards 17 tds 2 ints
Rushing
105 354 yards 10 tds


Timmy is slowly climbing his way back up this list. Mainly due to the fact that Tebow is playing a lot like Colt McCoy lately. Getting to double-digit rushing touchdowns helps Tebow's cause as well. If he can come close to his 7 touchdown performance of last year against the 'Cocks, Timmy should be right in line for an invite to NYC.





5. Javon Ringer- Michigan St. RB

Season Stats
353 1,548 yards 20 tds

Ringer is the perennial Big Eleven tailback that always seems to be in the Heisman discussions every year. Ringer put in a stellar performance in an otherwise painfully boring game against Purdue last week. I thought I was watching a replay of Michigan St./Purdue from 1972 on the Big Eleven Network. Ringer isn't getting nearly the amount of pub he deserves right now. A Big Eleven title might change that......





The Next Five:

1. Dez Bryant Oklahoma St. WR
2. Michael Crabtree Texas Tech WR
3. Chase Clement Rice QB
4. Jarett Dillard Rice WR
5. Nate Davis Ball St. QB
   

Heisman Watch

I took a week off from my Heisman watch to focus strictly on the WLOCP. Now I'm back and better than ever! The Big XII is still dominating this list. Non-BCS players are stepping their up however. Who's to say a Nate Davis or Chase Clement can't win.

I'm a little high on cough syrup right now, so here's an abbreviated edition of my Heisman Watch.

1. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB

Season Stats

292-413 3,621 yards 30 tds 5 ints

2. Colt McCoy- Texas QB

Season Stats

Passing

218-276 2,579 yards 23 tds 5 ints

Rushing

93 428 yards 7 tds

3. Dez Bryant - Oklahoma St. WR

Season Stats

60 recs 1,054 yards 15 tds

4. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Season Stats

202-297 3,086 yards 34 tds 6 ints

5. Tim Tebow- Florida QB

Season Stats

Passing

114-177 1,569 yards 14 tds 2 ints

Rushing

94 266 yards 8 tds

The Next Five:

1. Javon Ringer Michigan St. RB
2. Michael Crabtree Texas Tech WR
3. Chase Clement Rice QB
4. Jarett Dillard Rice WR
5. Nate Davis Ball St. QB
   

Heisman Watch

Finally there's a few more fresh faces on my Heisman watch list. We'll see if these guys can last a while. There seems to be a good mix of position players. It's not ALL about the quarterbacks....

Here's this week's Heisman watch.


1. Colt McCoy - Texas QB

Last Week vs. Missouri
Passing
29-32 337 yards 2 tds
Rushing
11 23 yards 2 tds

Season Totals
Passing
160-197 1894 yards 19 tds 3 ints
Rushing
70 371 yards 6 tds

This is one constant on my list. Colt McCoy provided another example as to why even Timmy Tebow thinks he is the front runner for the Heisman. Granted, Missouri players probably don't even know how to spell defense, let alone play it. There's still no way a QB should go 29 for 32 against them! The road just keeps getting tougher for McCoy as he gets prepared to take on the Oklahoma St. Cowboys this weekend.



2. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Last Week vs. Kansas
36-53 468 yards 3 tds

Season Totals
170-238 2520 yards 26 tds 5 ints

Bradford set all kinds of records against the Kansas Jayhawks' "defense" on Saturday. Sammy probably still has to hope for McCoy to lose for him to become the front runner once again. The way things are looking, I'm not so sure that will happen. At least Bradford will still get an invite to the NYC.



3. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB

Last Week vs. Texas A&M
44-56 450 yards 3 tds 2 ints

Season Totals
222-318 2761 yards 23 tds 5 ints

Harrell slipped a bit from last week mostly in part to his two interceptions. It's hard to maintain your spot on the Heisman watch when guys behind you are having near perfect games. The fact that the picks came against a not so good Aggie team also hurt him. Harrell will have a big shot to prove himself in a few weeks when Tech takes on the Longhorns.



4. Jarrett Dillard - Rice WR

Last Week vs. Southern Miss
7 141 yards 3 tds

Season Totals
53 815 yards 14 tds

Dillard is the second Rice player to grace this least so far this season. He joins QB Chase Clement as the two Owls to make this extremely prestigious list. The NCAA career receiving touchdown leader is at it again this season. Clement to Dillard is among the elite duos in the country. It's a shame more people don't get to witness this tandem.




5. Dez Bryant - Oklahoma St. WR

Last Week vs. Baylor
11 212 yards 2 tds

Season Totals
45 809 yards 11 tds

Dez Bryant completely leapfrogged a bunch of nobodies to make his first appearance on this list. Bryant is quickly proving that Jeremy Maclin is no longer the most dangerous receiver in the Big XII. If it weren't for the WWL completely ignoring OK St. for whatever reason, this guy would be a household name by now. We'll see if the pressure of making CFB 365's Heisman watch will be too great for him to handle this week.



The Next Five:

1. Percy Harvin Florida WR
2. Donald Brown Connecticut RB
3. Javon Ringer Michigan St. RB
4. Chase Daniel Missouri QB
5. Matt Grothe South Florida QB
   

Heisman Watch

Just a few days after I stopped a little short of handing the Heisman over Chase Daniel, the Mizzou quarterback went out and threw a clunker. Daniel's resume prior to his poor outing against Oklahoma St. on Saturday was good enough to keep him on the next five list.

For now, however, there's a new number one in my Heisman watch. No surprise that he's the QB for my new number one team.



1. Colt McCoy - Texas QB

Last Week vs. Oklahoma
Passing
28-35 277 yards 1 td
Rushing
14 31 yards

Season Totals
Passing
131-165 1557 yards 17 tds 3 ints
Rushing
59 348 yards 4 tds

McCoy powered his Longhorn offense past the top ranked Oklahoma Sooners din Dallas on Saturday. I've said it plenty of times this season, Colt McCoy is playing a lot like Tim Tebow did last year for the Gators. It seems that the Longhorns have found a running game outside of McCoy, so that should alleviate some pressure off the young QB. There are still plenty of tests for Colt. He's passed them all up to this point.




2. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB

Last Week vs. Nebraska
20-25 284 yards 2 tds

Season Totals
178-262 2311 yards 20 tds 3 ints

Believe it or not, the numbers Harrell put up against Nebraska were his worst all year. The Red Raiders struggled against the Cornhuskers in Lincoln. However, Tech pulled off the win and Graham Harrell can now claim that he is the quarterback of a top 5 football team. Is there any doubt that the best quarterbacking going on right now is in Texas? I didn't think so.



3. Javon Ringer - Michigan St. RB

Last Week vs. Northwestern
35 124 yards 2 tds

Season Totals
247 1112 yards 14 tds

Ringer climbed back in to my top 5 after a solid performance in a surprisingly huge Big Eleven game. The Spartans once again rode the back of Ringer to a victory. Mark Dantonio's bunch is proving to be a serious threat in the conference. As long as they get the ball in Ringer's hands, they should continue to be successful. We all know Heisman voters have a history of falling in love with Big Eleven tailbacks.



4. Donald Brown - Connecticut RB

Last Week Bye

Season Totals
177 1127 yards 12 tds

Donald Brown and Javon Ringer are in a serious battle for the top running back spot this season. Brown benefited from having the week off. He simply watched the guys in front of him fall flat on their faces as he remained in the Heisman hunt. We'll see if he can continue to keep pace with Ringer and the others.




5. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Last Week vs. Texas
28-39 387 yards 5 tds 2 ints

Season Totals
134-185 2052 yards 23 tds 5 ints

Despite the loss, Bradford's numbers are good enough to keep him in the thick of the Heisman race. Even though Sammy was picked off twice by the Longhorns' D, he had another great game. Bradford will have to avoid losing again if he wants to stay in the hunt.



The Next Five:

1. Derrick Williams Penn St. WR
2. Jarrett Dillard Rice WR
3. Chase Daniel Missouri QB
4. Max Hall BYU QB
5. Percy Harvin Florida WR
   

Heisman Watch

I'm on the verge of changing the title of this blog to the Best QB in the Big XII. Four of my top five Heisman favorites this week are from the Big XII. With the Red River Shootout at the center of the college football universe this week, there's no reason to think that trend will change any time soon.

Here are my guys:



1. Chase Daniel - Missouri QB

Week 6 vs. Nebraska
18-23 253 yards 3 tds

Season Totals
119- 166 692 yards 15 tds 1 int

Daniel had yet another huge game last week. Chase lead his Tigers in a romp over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. I feel vindicated for keeping Daniel in my top spot after a bye week. Not only is Daniel the front runner for the Heisman now, he may actually be pulling away.




2. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Week 6 vs. Baylor
23-31 372 yards 2 tds 1 int

Season Totals
106- 146 1665 yards 18 tds 3 ints

Daniel may be the clear favorite for the Heisman right now, but Bradford has a great opportunity to impress some people this week. Bradford will lead his Sooners to Dallas, as they look to knock off the Texas Longhorns. If Sammy and his Sooners win convincingly, Bradford will be catapulted to the top of this list.



3. Graham Harrell - Texas Tech QB

Week 6 vs. Kansas St.
38-51 454 yards 6 tds

Season Totals
158-237 2027 yards 18 tds 3 int

Graham Harrell is a new edition to my top 5 this week. He's been lingering in my next five list for a while, however. Harrell turned in another great game last week in a blowout game against the Kansas St. Wildcats. The competition will get tougher for Harrell and the Red Raiders. Tech may have to run the table for Harrell to pass up Bradford and Daniel on this list.



4. Donald Brown - Connecticut RB

Week 6 vs. North Carolina
33 161 yards 1 td

Season Totals
177 1127 yards 12 tds

Alright, we needed a break from Big XII QB's. Despite his team's loss to the Tar Heels, Donal Brown moves up a spot on my list. He is quietly becoming the best back in the nation. It will be between Brown and Javon Ringer for that title this year. Unfortunately for Donald, Ringer has more opportunities to garner some recognition.



5. Colt McCoy - Texas QB

Week 6 vs. Colorado
Passing
23-30 262 yards 2 tds 2 ints
Rushing
11 39 yards

Season Totals
Passing
103- 130 1280 yards 16 tds 3 ints
Rushing
45 317 yards 4 tds

Now back to Big XII quarterbacks. Colt McCoy is playing a lot like Tim Tebow did last year. And we all know how that turned out. Colt could be on the fast track to the Heisman if his Horns can pull off the win in Dallas this week. That's a BIG IF!


The Next Five:

1. Javon Ringer Michigan St. RB
2. Jarrett Dillard Rice WR
3. Jeremy Maclin Missouri WR
4. Dez Bryant Oklahoma St. WR
5. Derrick Williams Penn St. WR
   

Heisman Watch

This past week's upsets diminished a lot of Heisman hopes for some. It also widened the national spotlight on a few players that are sort of flying under the radar.

Here is my latest edition of my "award-winning" Heisman watch.


1. Chase Daniel - Missouri QB

Week 5 - Bye

Season Totals
101-143 439 yards 12 tds 1 int


Chase Daniel had a bye week this past week. Despite not playing, Daniel still remains in my number 1 spot. He is probably the best QB in the Big XII. Which would also make him the best in the nation. The Tigers will begin their conference slate this week, so we'll see if Daniel can keep this up.




2. Javon Ringer - Michigan St. RB

Week 5 vs. Indiana
44 198 yards 1 td

Season Totals
187 897 yards 12 tds

Ringer remains in my shit spot after another solid performance against the Hoosiers. The rest of the nation is starting to hop on the Ringer bandwagon. Let's hope he can carry them with the already heavy load his has in the Spartan offense.





3. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Week 5 vs. TCU
19-34 411 yards 4 tds


Season Totals
83-115 1293 yards 16 tds 2 ints

Bradford put in another great performance against top 25 TCU. The Sooner offense is looking scary good, and Bradford looks damn near unstoppable. The Sooner schedule is going to be getting a lot tougher than it has been, so we'll see if Sammy can hold out in my top 5.




4. Colt McCoy - Texas QB

Week 5 vs Arkansas
Passing
17-19 185 yards 3 tds
Rushing
9 84 yards 2 tds

Season Totals
Passing
80-100 1018 yards 14 tds 1 int
Rushing
34 278 yards 4 tds

McCoy is trying to play the role of this year's Tim Tebow. He has been a scoring machine on the ground and through the air for the Longhorns. McCoy gives the Big XII three QB's in my extremely prestigious list. Colt has spent the entire season thus far in my "next five" list. We'll see how he handles being one of my 5 "main guys."




5. Donald Brown - Connecticut RB

Week 5 vs. Louisville
33 190 yards 1 td

Season Totals
146 906 yards 11 tds

Donald Brown sneaks his way into my top 5 this week. Thanks to Pat White sucking total ass and LeSean McCoy playing like a used douchebag, Brown is easily the best player in the Big East. Connecticut is proving me wrong by playing some really good football and Donald Brown has been a big part of that. Randy Edsall should be at a bigger school this time next year. (Washington or Tennessee?)


The Next Five:

1. Jarett Dillard Rice WR
2. Graham Harrell Texas Tech QB
3. Jeremy Maclin Missouri WR
4. Percy Harvin Florida WR
5. Charles Scott LSU RB
   

Heisman Watch

With each passing week, more and more Heisman "contenders" are filtered out of the system. The same was true for this past week. Chase Clement is no longer a dark horse candidate after he laid an egg vs. Texas. Rudy Carpenter removed his name from the hat as well.

There is a ton of candidates still out there vying for position on my prestigious Heisman list. Without further ado, here is this week's Heisman watch.


1. Chase Daniel - Missouri QB

Week 4 vs. Buffalo
36-43 439 yds 2 tds

Season Totals
101-143 1412 yds 12 tds 1 int

Daniel put in another quality performance against Buffalo this week. The Missouri offense is clicking rather nicely right now. The Tigers are easily the most impressive offense in this early season. Daniel has not used his feet quite as much as last year, but with his passing numbers, he won't have to.




2. Javon Ringer - Michigan St. RB

Week 4 vs. Notre Dame
39 201 yds 2 tds

Season Totals
143 699 yds 11 tds


Ringer was under considerable pressure this week after he made my Heisman watch for the first time last week. Javon ran right through that pressure like a cowering Notre Dame safety. Ringer once again carried his Spartans to a victory. No other tailback in the nation carries the load of his team more than Ringer does. As a class move, Javon did his postgame interview with his entire offensive line behind him.


3. Knowshon Moreno - Georgia RB

Week 4 vs. Arizona St.
23 149 yds 2 tds

Season Totals
69 455 yds 9 tds


While Ringer is the workhorse type tailback, Moreno is the electrifying, highlight inducing tailback. We all know highlights are what make Heisman winners. Moreno performed another acrobatic leap this week, this time for a score in the Bulldogs win in the desert. If Moreno performs the same against 'Bama, he could jump to the top of this list.


4. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Week 4 - Bye

Season Totals
64-81 882 yds 12 tds 2 ints

Bradford slips a bit this week just because he didn't play. I reward no one for not playing! (Except maybe Tebow) Bradford will face a stiff test against TCU this week. If he's able to pass with flying colors, he should be right back at the top of this list.



5. Tim Tebow - Florida QB

Week 4 vs. Tennessee
Passing
8-15 96 yds 2 tds
Rushing
12 26 yds

Season Totals
Passing
38- 64 489 yds 5 tds
Rushing
34 118 yds

Sure Tebow's numbers aren't going to blow anybody away this season. However, he is playing very good football right now for a dominant Gator football team. Tebow has yet to turn the ball over this season. Also, as the defending Heisman award winner, Tebow will stay on this list until he screws up.


The Next Five

1. Colt McCoy Texas QB
2. Graham Harrell Texas Tech QB
3. Jeremy Maclin Missouri WR
4. Donald Brown Connecticut RB
5. Brandon James Florida RS
   

Heisman Watch

The Heisman race is starting to gain a little more clarity after week 3. That being said, it is still extremely difficult to pick the top performers after only 2 or 3 games.

As you might have noticed, there has been a great degree of variance from week to week in my Heisman watch.

Here is this week's edition.


1. Sam Bradford - Oklahoma QB

Week 3 vs. Washington
18-21 304 yards 5 tds

Season Totals
64-81 882 yards 12 tds 2 ints


Once again, Bradford put in another brilliant performance. This guy is one of the more efficient passers in the nation. I believe he is already better than Jason White and Josh Heupel, 2 of Bob Stoops' most accomplished QB's. The Big XII is a conference of quarterbacks, and Sam Bradford is the best of them.



2. Chase Daniel - Missouri QB

Week 3 vs. Nevada
23-38 405 yards 4 tds

Season Totals
65-100 973 yards 10 tds 1 int


Bradford might be the best QB in the Big XII, but Chase Daniel is very close behind him. Daniel put up some monstrous numbers against a very solid Nevada team. Daniel seems to be a shoe-in to make it back-to-back trips to New York City this season. Daniel to Maclin is fast becoming the most dangerous duo in the nation.



3. Tim Tebow - Florida QB

Week 3 Bye

Season Totals
Passing- 30-49 393 yards 3 tds
Rushing- 22 92 yards

Nothing new for Tebow as his Florida Gators had a bye week. Tennessee is coming up next for Florida. That's really good news for Tebow. He always seems to kick it up a notch for the Vols.




4. Javon Ringer - Michigan St. RB

Week 3 vs. Florida Atlantic
43 282 yards 2 tds

Season Totals
104 498 yards 9 tds


Ringer is a new addition to my top 5. His monster performance earned him Big Eleven offensive player of the week honors. Ringer is the truest definition of a workhorse. Michigan St. will look to ride him to a possible Big Eleven championship.



5. Knowshon Moreno - Georgia RB

Week 3 vs. South Carolina
20 79 yards 1 tds

Season Totals
46 306 yards 7 tds


Moreno didn't put up staggering numbers this week. However, he did score a touchdown against a very tough Gamecock defense. Moreno is still the most exciting back in the country. For that, he remains in my top 5. Imagine the numbers he would be able to put up if Stafford stopped chucking kegs long enough to throw a decent pass.



The Next Five

1. Colt McCoy Texas QB
2. Graham Harrell Texas Tech QB
3. Jeremy Maclin Missouri WR
4. Chase Clement Rice QB
5. Mark Sanchez USC QB