USC-Notre Dame Will Feature Two Heisman Candidates

It seems like just yesterday when I saw Jimmy Clausen for the first time. It was the U.S. Army All-American game. I knew Clausen would be the future of Notre Dame so I watched the game with more interest than I normally would for a high school All-Star game. Another player in that game was Joe McKnight who was on Clausen's team for the game.

A week from Saturday, Clausen and McKnight will go from teammates to bitter rivals when Notre Dame plays host to USC. Not only will they be rivals for that game, but also for the Heisman trophy. If Notre Dame-USC isn't already big enough, having two Heisman candidates facing off only adds to the drama.

There is no doubt that both Clausen and McKnight have been the heartbeat of their respective teams.  For Notre Dame, Clausen has thrown for 1544 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has only two interceptions and neither were really his fault.

The only issue is that he has faced a WAC team, three middle of the road Big Ten teams, and a Pac-10 team that we are still unsure of. If he can have an effective game against USC, he will definitely make himself a legitimate Heisman candidate.

McKnight has also just been outstanding for USC. He is well on his way to a 1,000 yard rushing season. Through five games McKnight already has 473 yards and six touchdowns. What is most impressive is his average of 7.1 yards per carry. A solid road game in South Bend will add to his case for the Heisman campaign.

There is no doubt that Clausen-McKnight will be a showdown between two of the premier players in college football. Whomever gets the better of this will really become a strong force in the Heisman race. It will also be a setback for the guy who doesn't perform as well.

This game within the game will add to the excitement. It will be good for both sides for them to want to outperform each other. The only issue is that neither Clausen nor McKnight can lose focus of the big picture. For me if my guy wins the Heisman that is a nice bonus, but a Notre Dame victory is the most important thing. I am sure the USC fans feel the same way.

This article is also posted on http://fightingirishgameday.com/