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Quarterbacks abound as Heisman hopefuls
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith passes against Northern Illinois' defense during the Buckeyes game Sept. 2. Smith moved above Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn as a Heisman Trophy front-runner.
1. Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State - Up
After completing 17 of 26 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns against Texas, Smith has jumped above Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn in the Heisman race. While Quinn fared well against Penn State, Smith's ability to dominate one of the best defenses in the country, regardless of the loss of Tarell Brown, has pushed him to the front of the pack. Many critics have favored Quinn even before the start of the season, but Smith proved on Saturday how deserving he really is.
2. Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame - Up
In Week 2, Quinn and company returned to form with a 41-17 victory over No. 19 Penn State. Quinn, who was 12 of 16 passing for 150 yards and one touchdown in the second quarter alone, finished the game with 287 passing yards and three touchdowns. Despite his performance, Smith gets the nod this week for stepping into a tough environment and beating a better defense while Quinn roughed up on a weak secondary and overrated Nittany Lions squad.
3. Chris Leak, QB, Florida - Up
Leak proved in Saturday's game against Central Florida that he is ready for this weekend's Southeastern conference match up against No. 11 Tennessee. Leak threw for a career-high 352 yards and four touchdowns proving to the country that he is adapting well to Urban Meyer's offensive scheme in his second year under Meyer. Leak is finally showcasing the talent that earned him the starting job four years ago.
4. Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma - Even
The No. 15 Sooners won their second game of the season in an ugly fashion, but Adrian Peterson still looked as smooth as ever. Peterson paced the Sooners past the Huskies, rushing for 165 yards and two touchdowns in his team's 37-20 win over Washington. Peterson, who is likely headed to the NFL after this season, is the main reason why the Sooners are still ranked in the top 20. Without him, Oklahoma could be sitting with an 0-2 record heading into this weekend's game against No. 18 Oregon.
5. Steven Slaton, RB, W. Virginia - Even
Slaton racked 105 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries - in the first quarter in West Virginia's 52-3 win over Eastern Washington on Saturday. Slaton then called it a day , allowing other younger running backs to get reps against the Division I-AA team. The Mountaineers have the easiest road to the national championship than the other teams in the Top 10, but that doesn't hurt Slaton's chance of claiming the Heisman Trophy this season. Remember Alex Smith? His Utah team didn't play anyone either and he was still invited to the 2004 Heisman Trophy ceremony.
On the bubble: Ohio State wide receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. and LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
Quarterbacks abound as Heisman hopefuls
Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith passes against Northern Illinois' defense during the Buckeyes game Sept. 2. Smith moved above Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn as a Heisman Trophy front-runner.
1. Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State - Up
After completing 17 of 26 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns against Texas, Smith has jumped above Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn in the Heisman race. While Quinn fared well against Penn State, Smith's ability to dominate one of the best defenses in the country, regardless of the loss of Tarell Brown, has pushed him to the front of the pack. Many critics have favored Quinn even before the start of the season, but Smith proved on Saturday how deserving he really is.
2. Brady Quinn, QB, Notre Dame - Up
In Week 2, Quinn and company returned to form with a 41-17 victory over No. 19 Penn State. Quinn, who was 12 of 16 passing for 150 yards and one touchdown in the second quarter alone, finished the game with 287 passing yards and three touchdowns. Despite his performance, Smith gets the nod this week for stepping into a tough environment and beating a better defense while Quinn roughed up on a weak secondary and overrated Nittany Lions squad.
3. Chris Leak, QB, Florida - Up
Leak proved in Saturday's game against Central Florida that he is ready for this weekend's Southeastern conference match up against No. 11 Tennessee. Leak threw for a career-high 352 yards and four touchdowns proving to the country that he is adapting well to Urban Meyer's offensive scheme in his second year under Meyer. Leak is finally showcasing the talent that earned him the starting job four years ago.
4. Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma - Even
The No. 15 Sooners won their second game of the season in an ugly fashion, but Adrian Peterson still looked as smooth as ever. Peterson paced the Sooners past the Huskies, rushing for 165 yards and two touchdowns in his team's 37-20 win over Washington. Peterson, who is likely headed to the NFL after this season, is the main reason why the Sooners are still ranked in the top 20. Without him, Oklahoma could be sitting with an 0-2 record heading into this weekend's game against No. 18 Oregon.
5. Steven Slaton, RB, W. Virginia - Even
Slaton racked 105 yards and two touchdowns on eight carries - in the first quarter in West Virginia's 52-3 win over Eastern Washington on Saturday. Slaton then called it a day , allowing other younger running backs to get reps against the Division I-AA team. The Mountaineers have the easiest road to the national championship than the other teams in the Top 10, but that doesn't hurt Slaton's chance of claiming the Heisman Trophy this season. Remember Alex Smith? His Utah team didn't play anyone either and he was still invited to the 2004 Heisman Trophy ceremony.
On the bubble: Ohio State wide receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. and LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell.
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