Heisman Talk: Fresno State's Ryan Mathews Deserving of Prestigious Award

Ryan Mathews has been the perennial 'Bulldog' for this Fresno State team in 2009. He's run around, through and past defenders all season long, to the tune of 1,316 total rushing yards on the season.

The closest to him at this point is Temple's Bernard Pierce. But here's a incredible fact about these two running backs. Pierce currently has 1,211 total rushing yards on 204 carries, 25 more carries than Mathews (179).

So while he racks up more and more fans every week, why have the critics continued to tell him he's not good enough to be considered for one of the highest prizes in college football? What kind of numbers does he have to put up to get noticed?

If you look at ESPN's Experts Poll , Alabama's Mark Ingram and Clemson's C.J. Spiller are listed in front of Mathews.

Ingram is currently seventh in total rushing yards (1,004), 300 yards fewer than Mathews (1,316) in just 26 fewer carries. Spiller isn't even in the top 30 in rushing, currently with 574 total rushing yards on 113 carries. How does that warrant being above the nation's leading rusher?

If you want an even more impressive number on Mathews, his current 164.5 yards per game average is 29.9 yards per game better than the aforementioned Pierce and 34.5 yards per game better than Marshall's Darius Marshall (129.0).

Mathews was asked about all the hype from Fresno State fans, and the "21 For Heisman" T-Shirts being sold, by Steve Cameron of the Merced Sun-Star and Mathews told him he'd rather not listen to any of it.

"Oh, man, I'm not gettin' into all that," Mathews told Cameron. "That's my mom's deal. She's all over those T-shirts. "I don't know how many she got or what she's doing with them, but I'm staying away."

Said by a young player who doesn't buy into all the hype surrounding himself. Concentrating rather on the team's remaining games and opponents.

"The season's not over. We have a big game coming up at Idaho (Saturday) and more tough ones after that. Hopefully, there will be a bowl game. "This isn't exactly time for me to be thinking about any awards, or what happens next year. I've got to worry about the next play."

Though Mathews wants to keep his concentration on what's in front of him and the games that lie ahead for him and the Bulldogs, he will admit that it's hard to ignore everything going on around him.

"Every time I walk across campus, there will be people who recognize me. They'll say things about hoping I stay another year, or please don't leave. That kind of thing. So I'd be crazy to say I'm ignoring everything. How could you?"

If Mathews doesn't want to talk about all the hype surrounding him, then leave to it to the Fresno State fans and those that have noticed what he's been able to do.

To those fans, there's no question that Mathews should be getting at least a little notice in the Heisman race.

Instead, all of the critics will tell you that because he plays for Fresno State and they play in a small conference void of a good team outside Boise State, he doesn't deserve that kind of attention.

If he's able to run for at least 2,200 yards this season, which is entirely possible, his name will be mentioned in same breath with two of the top running backs in college football history. 

Oklahoma State's Barry Sanders (2,628) and USC's Marcus Allen (2,342). Not bad company to keep for a running back in a small conference school that sits in the heart of California's Central Valley.

For those fans who use the same old, tired, "he couldn't put up the same numbers in the SEC, Big 10, Big XII or Pac-10," you can save it. The Heisman Trophy Award is given to the best football player in college football for that particular season. Not the best player in the best conference with the best record.

You can argue that all you want, but I'm not going to buy in that "it's the way it is now." It's not what the award was ever meant for, that was until the BCS showed up. Now these "automatic qualifiers" apparently get to tell the other schools that they're not entitled.

Or has college football become so biased that the some computer system, that hasn't watched a single game, decides who wins what award?

Mathews has put up numbers worthy of being in the same conversation as Alabama's Mark Ingram regardless of the fact they play in two different conferences. A player shouldn't be penalized, or awarded, because of the conference they play in.

For now, Mathews will continue to do what he's done all season. He'll put up the numbers, help his team to victory and instead of taking the credit for himself, he'll always tell you that he has the best offensive line in the country.

No offense to you Alabama fans, but I'll take Ryan Mathews on my team any day of the week.