Heisman Trophy Watch (Week Nine): Well, Someone Has to Be No. 1, Right?

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1. Kellen Moore , QB, Boise State

Moore leads the nation in passing efficiency and touchdown passes, is 10th in completion percentage, threw for five touchdowns in his last game, and has five games of three touchdown passes or more. And hey, his team’s undefeated and in the top five.

I’m no Boise State bandwagon rider, but when no one from one of the BCS schools is separating themselves from the pack, his chances are (or should be) as good as anyone else’s.

Last Week (54-9 W at Hawaii): 18-for-30, 222 yards, 5 TD
Season Stats: 132-for-195, 1,627 yards, 21 TD, 2 INT

2. Mark Ingram , RB, Alabama

Thanks to a certain field-goal blocking man mountain, Alabama’s SEC and national title hopes are alive and well. But am I going to dock Ingram a few points for his late fumble that let Tennessee back in a game that was on the verge of being done and dusted? Yes.

Take out the fumble, and he did have a solid day even without a touchdown, coming just short of a 100-yard day against a tough Tennessee defense.

Just for his sake though, Greg McElroy needs to start playing a little more like he did before he came face-to-face against some grown-man defenses.

Last Week (12-10 W vs. Tennessee): 18 carries, 99 yards
Season Stats: 153 carries, 1,004 yards, 8 TD; 19 catches, 186 yards, 3 TD

3. Jimmy Clausen , QB, Notre Dame

Is he up this high because he plays for Notre Dame or because he’s earned it? For me, it’s the latter. If not for Clausen stepping up time and again in the late stages, it’s fair to say that the Irish could well be 2-5 instead of 5-2.

Last Week (20-16 W vs. Boston College): 26-for-39, 246 yards, 2 TD
Season Stats: 150-for-230, 2,050 yards, 16 TD, 2 INT; rush TD

4. Case Keenum , QB, Houston

Keenum didn’t have a prolific outing against SMU, but as long as the Cougars keep winning, Keenum’s chances to be high in the Heisman voting look good.

Last Week (38-15 W vs. SMU): 25-36, 233 yards, TD
Season Stats: 241-344, 2,734 yards, 20 TD, 4 INT; 3 rush TD

5. Dan LeFevour , QB, Central Michigan

Central Michigan takes their seven-game win streak to Boston College this weekend. If LeFevour can lead the Chippewas to their second win over a BCS opponent this season, it would not only vault CMU into the Top 25, but it’d also put LeFevour in an excellent position to be a Heisman finalist.

Last Week (24-10 at Bowling Green): 16-for-22, 147 yards, 2 TD passing, 22 carries, 128 yards rushing
Season Stats: 156-for-223, 1,696 yards, 16 TD, 4 INT passing; 112 carries, 522 yards, 9 TD rushing

6. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

Now that’s a little more like the Colt we’re supposed to see. The Longhorns have their most important game of the season on Saturday when they visit Oklahoma State, and not only could it be a make-or-break game for Texas’ national title hopes, but it could also be the same for McCoy’s Heisman hopes.

Last Week (41-7 W at Missouri): 26-31, 269 yards, 3 TD, INT
Season Stats: 182-254, 1,806 yards, 14 TD, 8 INT, rush TD

7. Tim Tebow , QB, Florida

Florida‘s futility in the red zone wasn‘t helping Tebow‘s numbers as it was, but another inept night inside the 20, plus two pick-sixes put Timmy in a must-perform position from here on out. But hey, at least he doesn’t have to worry about facing Johnthan Banks again.

Last Week (29-19 W at Mississippi State): 12-for-22, 127 yards, 2 INT passing; 22 carries, 88 yards rushing
Season Stats: 84-for-132, 1,159 yards, 8 TD, 4 INT; 121 carries, 466 yards, 6 TD rushing

8. Bill Stull , QB, Pittsburgh

Dion Lewis is having a fantastic freshman campaign, but Pittsburgh wouldn’t be 7-1 overall and 4-0 in Big East play if Stull hadn’t made such a big leap from last year to this year.

Last season, his first two-touchdown pass game came in the Panthers’ regular-season finale at Connecticut. This season, he already has six games with multiple touchdown passes.

Last Week (41-14 W vs. South Florida): 18-for-25, 245 yards, 2 TD, INT
Season Stats: 132-for-196, 1,654 yards, 16 TD, 4 INT; rush TD

9. Dion Lewis , RB, Pittsburgh

LeSean who? Lewis has run for 444 yards in his last three games, and with Stull playing as well as he has all season, Pittsburgh’s offense is a force to be reckoned with.

Last Week (41-14 W vs. South Florida): 23 carries, 111 yards, 2 TD; 2 catches, 10 yards
Season Stats: 185 carries, 1,029 yards, 11 TD; 14 catches, 92 yards, TD

10. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson

It’s no secret what Spiller can do at any given moment, and he showed it in Clemson’s road upset of Miami, logging 310 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.

Last Week (40-37 W at Miami): 23 touches, 310 all-purpose yards, 2 TD—14 carries, 81 yards; 6 catches, 104 yards, TD; 90-yard kick return TD (three kick returns, 125 yards)
Season Stats: rushing—108 carries, 547 yards, 3 TD; receiving—18 catches, 267 yards, 2 TD; kick returns—38.3 yards per return, 3 TD; punt returns—36.4 yards per return, TD

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