Heisman
arms race
![]()
Rob C. Witzel /Staff photographer
Florida quarterback Tim Tebow gets the
crowd fired up during the second half of the Gators' 31-20 win against Alabama
in the SEC Championship Game on Saturday at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta ,
Georgia .
By Robbie Andreu
Gainesville Sun Staff writer
Published: Wednesday,
December 10, 2008 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, December 11, 2008 at 12:20 a.m.
Sam Bradford
Quarterback,
Oklahoma
Team record: 12-1 overall, 7-1 in the Big
12, defeated Missouri
62-21 in conference championship game.
Total yards: 4,529 (4,464 passing; 65
rushing).
Total touchdowns: 53 (48 passing; five
rushing).
The argument for: He's been the leader and
trigger man of one of the most explosive offenses in the history of college
football, one that has scored 60 or more points in the last five games. His
passing numbers are off the charts and his touchdown production is well ahead of
his Heisman rivals.
The argument against: He lost the
head-to-head matchup with Colt McCoy and Texas ,
which has made some voters take a second look. Those weak defenses he faced
week in and week out in the Big 12 also could cost him some votes.
Summation: For those voting on sheer
numbers, Bradford is the obvious choice. The
question is: will he be able to hold off the late-charging TimTebow.
Colt McCoy
Quarterback, Texas
Team record: 11-1 overall, 7-1 in the Big
12.
Total yards: 4,021 (3,445 passing, 576
rushing).
Total touchdowns: 42 (32 passing, 10
rushing).
The argument for: He beat Bradford
head-to-head and he's a much more versatile quarterback than his Big 12 rival.
If the Longhorns had not dropped an easy interception or given up a miraculous
TD reception to TexasTech's Michael Crabtree with only seconds to go, McCoy
probably would have the Heisman sewn up.
The argument against: While Bradford and
Tim Tebow have been playing on the national stage the last few weeks, McCoy has
slipped almost completely off the radar. The Big 12 tiebreaker that sentOU to
the conference title game instead of Texas
really hurts his chances.
Summation: OU gets to play for the national
championship, but many voters will remember McCoy beat Bradford
in their head-to-head matchup. He definitely has Heisman numbers - and that big
win over OU on his resume.
Tim Tebow
Quarterback, Florida
Team record: 12-1 overall, 7-1 in the SEC,
defeated Alabama
31-20 in the SEC title game.
Total yards: 3,079 (2,515 passing; 564
rushing).
Total touchdowns: 40 (28 passing, 12
rushing).
The argument for: He lived up to the
emotional promise he made after the loss to Ole Miss, sparking the Gators'
nine-game winning streak with his strong play and leadership. In the biggest
game of the year, withUF trailing, Tebow's flawless fourth quarter carried the
Gators to a victory over Alabama
in the SEC title game. His versatility may be unmatched in college football.
The argument against: The numbers aren't
there like they were a year ago, and they are well behind the overall
statistics piled up by the front-runner, Bradford.
Summation: Tebow fell off the Heisman radar
after the early loss to Ole Miss, but his play down the stretch (especially in Atlanta
last week) has has put him in position to possibly repeat last year's Heisman
victory. UF coach Urban Meyer has said Tebow is one of the greatest college
football players of this era, and many of the voters look at him the same way.
