After last weekend’s scrum in Tuscaloosa, Ala., LSU’s path to a national title, or at least to the BCS title game, is clear. But that defensive showing isn’t likely to be enough to propel any member of the Tigers into contention for this year’s Heisman Trophy. And that means that for the third time in the last eight years, the award could go to someone whose team isn’t ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll when the trophy is awarded.
Cam Newton (Auburn, 2010) and Mark Ingram (Alabama, 2009) each celebrated at the Downtown Athletic Club in Manhattan as a member of the No. 1 team in the country, similar to Troy Smith (Ohio State, 2006), Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart (USC, 2005 and 2004 respectively).
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But in 2008, Oklahoma was ranked No.?2 when Sam Bradford was handed the trophy. The year before, Tim Tebow took college football’s highest honor when Florida was ranked ninth.
After Charles Woodson won the Heisman during Michigan’s undefeated season in 1997, the next six winners didn’t enjoy that No. 1 feeling, though Jason White (Oklahoma, 2003), Eric Crouch (Nebraska, 2001) and Chris Weinke (Florida State, 2000) each competed (and lost) in the national title game.
Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck has the best chance this year to win both a national title and a Heisman, with Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore also angling for a chance. Should either prevail, it would make three years in a row that both the Heisman and the BCS crystal football ended up in the same hands.
– Craig Stouffer
