College Football Picks Week 9: Will Top Heisman Contenders Get a Win?
The Heisman candidates are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the field after eight weeks of college football in 2010.
While several of the same candidates from the offseason still find themselves on the Heisman radar, there are some surprising faces that weren't even a blip until midway through the season.
Much like the BCS rankings, Heisman candidates whose teams win often are more likely to receive attention than those candidates whose teams lose. Looking at the bulk of the contending players, at least half of their teams are in the Top 10, and almost all of them are in the Top 25.
As fans are intrigued about the BCS standings coming down the homestretch, the Heisman race may be just as intriguing.
Which Heisman contenders will get a win in their games this week? Here are the picks.
Robert Griffin III
1 of 10
The Baylor quarterback was all the hype going into 2009 before a right knee ended his season late in September.
After rehabbing during the offseason, Griffin has been the catalyst to a Baylor resurgence that finds the Bears bowl-eligible for the first time since 1995 and in first place in the Big 12 South.
Griffin has been efficient all season long, but really threw his hat into the ring with his last two games. At Colorado, Griffin completed 81 percent of his passes for a touchdown and rushed 15 times for 137 yards in a 31-25 victory.
In a shootout 47-42 win over Kansas State last week, Griffin was 26 for 38 for 404 yards and four touchdowns.
This Week: Texas
The Bears travel to Austin this week to play a desperate Longhorn team who after seemingly turning things around with an upset win over Nebraska, lost to Iowa State at home.
Mack Brown ripped his team for showing a lack of passion, but will his team respond to the challenge?
The defense has been keeping Texas in games all season, but the offense is another story. The mistake prone Longhorns have sparked scoring drives for opponents all season due to their untimely miscues.
Baylor's defense is suspect at best, but can score with the best of them if given opportunities.
The Pick: Baylor
Texas is under immense pressure to win after dropping last week's game to Iowa State.
Baylor is a better team than the Cyclones, and with Griffin under center, are a threat to beat anybody. Look for the Bears to capitalize on Longhorn turnovers and hold off a late Texas rally to win their first game in Austin since 1997.
Matt Barkley
2 of 10
Matt Barkley has avoided the sophomore slump in a big way to find himself considered in Heisman conversation.
Despite USC's issues off the field, Barkley has been the diamond in the rough.
Barkley has thrown for 1,869 yards with 20 touchdowns, compared to only four interceptions. The quarterback in his last two games has thrown for nearly 750 yards and eight touchdowns.
This Week: Oregon
The Ducks come into town ranked No. 2 in the BCS, thanks to an unstoppable offense led by fellow Heisman candidate LaMichael James.
Last year, Oregon curb-stomped the Trojans in Eugene 47-20, taking control in the Pac-10 race and ultimately reaching the Rose Bowl. Barkley and USC look for revenge as they now look to play spoiler to Oregon's BCS dreams. (More on this game in a few slides)
The Pick: (Check a couple slides on).
Kirk Cousins
3 of 10
It's hard to ignore what Kirk Cousins has done for this Michigan State Spartan team.
The No. 5-ranked Spartans have the junior quarterback to thank for his productive play and game management. He quietly is also having a solid statistical season, throwing for nearly 2,000 yards and 14 touchdowns with only four interceptions.
Cousins has thrown for a touchdown in every game this season for the Spartans. In last week's game against Northwestern, Cousins had his best game of the season, throwing for 331 yards and three touchdowns while rallying his team from a 17-point deficit to a 35-27 win.
This Week: Iowa
Michigan's State toughest test of the season comes this week, as they travel to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes.
Iowa suffered a heartbreaking loss last week to Wisconsin after giving up a last-minute touchdown and poor clock management when driving for a game-winning field goal. The Hawkeyes still have one of the stingiest front fours in the nation, led by All-American Adrian Clayborn.
They will, no doubt, be looking for redemption.
The Pick: Iowa
The Spartans did defeat Wisconsin at home, but were really tested by Northwestern last week.
This will be the toughest defense they play all season. If they go down 17 points again this time, they shouldn't expect to come back from that deficit.
Expect a hard-fought, typical Big Ten game, but for Iowa to come out on top this week.
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Blaine Gabbert
4 of 10
Out of all the Heisman candidates, Blaine Gabbert might be the most unknown one.
People were skeptical of his undefeated No. 6 Missouri Tiger team until they took on Oklahoma, whom they soundly beat Saturday night in Columbia.
Gabbert has thrown for 1,899 and 11 touchdowns on the season. But he got his notice after throwing for 307 yards and a touchdown while completing 71 percent of his passes against the then No. 1 Sooners.
Part of his success has to be attributed to his completion percentage on the year, where from 2009 he has improved it from 58 to 67 percent.
This Week: Nebraska
The Cornhuskers have been an enigma for the most part, despite only suffering one loss on the season.
At times their offense, led by freshman phenom Taylor Martinez, has looked Oregon-like at points, and other times just inefficient. Nebraska is coming off a 51-41 high-scoring affair against Oklahoma State, and is looking for another statement win to get themselves back on top in the Big 12 North.
The Pick: Nebraska
Missouri defeated a No. 1 Oklahoma team who, while impressive, had shown signs of inconsistency during the season.
Nebraska may be even more inconsistent at times, but they have a more potent offense and better defense than Oklahoma.
Missouri has only played one true road game this season, and will be in front of 80,000 strong in Lincoln. Look for Martinez to have a great game and the Blackshirts to shut down Missouri enough to get the win.
Denard Robinson
5 of 10
The Heisman hype has cooled on Denard Robinson thanks to two good, but not spectacular, games in a losing efforts to Michigan State and Iowa.
The question about Robinson was what would he do against top Big Ten defenses. He did have a drop off, including leaving the Iowa game due to injury.
For the season, Robinson still has put up incredible numbers. His passing numbers are a modest 1,391 yards for nine touchdowns, but his rushing numbers for a quarterback are off the charts.
He has rushed for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns at a jaw-dropping eight yards per carry. With a bye week to heal up, Robinson said he is near 100 percent, which isn't good for future opponents.
This Week: Penn State
The Nittany Lions are at a crossroads this season.
They are 4-3 with no significant wins over any team. They were outclassed by Alabama and Iowa on the road and came out flat against an upstart Illinois team two weeks ago.
There are questions everywhere on this young Penn State team, including at quarterback, as starter Rob Holden reportedly failed his recent concussion test.
They welcome Robinson and the Wolverines to Beaver Stadium at night, which is arguably one of the toughest atmospheres for opponents to play against. The students will be dressed in white and rowdy as always, but will this be enough for the Lions?
The Pick: Michigan
Penn State's defense is good, but it isn't as solid as Iowa's.
The same Iowa defense gave up 28 points to Michigan two weeks ago, and the Lions now have the unfortunate task of slowing down a healthy Robinson.
Michigan's defense is nothing special, but with uncertainty at quarterback and running back Evan Royster's inconsistencies, watch for the Wolverines to win at Penn State under the lights.
Justin Blackmon
6 of 10
Justin Blackmon has been, without a doubt, the best receiver in college football this season.
The Oklahoma State Cowboy has put up stats that are rivaling former receiver Dez Bryant's numbers. On the year, Blackmon has 62 receptions for 1,112 yards and 14 touchdowns.
He is averaging over 17 yards a catch and has 125 yards receiving in all of his games this year. Blackmon's stats in his team's one loss against Nebraska: Five catches, 157 yards and two touchdowns.
Blackmon's consistent production makes him a top five candidate right now, and if he keeps it up could be receiving an invite to New York.
This Week: Kansas State
Kansas State after jumping out to a 4-0 start, is 1-2 in their last three games, including a 48-13 drubbing at home to Nebraska.
Bill Snyder's team may have an opening, this week, though, as Blackmon could be facing suspension from an arrest early Tuesday.
The offense has been very good since their loss to Nebraska, scoring 59 and 42 points. With or without Blackmon, will the Wildcat defense be able to slow down the Cowboys?
The Pick: Oklahoma State
The Cowboys still have a potent offensive attack.
Even if Blackmon is lost for a part or all the game on Saturday, they should still be able to point up points against the Wildcats. Kansas State is much more dangerous on the ground than the pass, where OSU has a more balanced attack.
The Cowboys should still be motivated as they are in contention for the Big 12 South title. Look for an Oklahoma State win in this game.
Andrew Luck
7 of 10
Andrew Luck is much like Kirk Cousins in that he is efficient and doesn't make many mistakes.
Luck on the year has thrown for 1,728 yards and 19 touchdowns to go along with only five interceptions.
Many people were unsure about how Stanford would fare without Toby Gerhart leading the rushing attack. Luck has helped lead the Cardinal to a 6-1 record and Pac-10 contention.
This Week: Washington
This week features a matchup of two of the nation's marquee quarterbacks in Luck and Jake Locker.
Washington may be only 3-4, but has wins over USC and Oregon State this year. Locker is always a threat to contend with, but has been slowed with injury since the Oregon State win.
It showed last week, as he was beat around by Arizona in a 44-14 loss.
The Pick: Stanford
Stanford is by far the more talented team offensively and defensively.
Though the Huskies are known to give top teams a run for their money, their star quarterback is hurting. Look for Luck and the Cardinal to have no problems defeating the Huskies in Washington.
Kellen Moore
8 of 10
Kellen Moore is stuck at No. 3 in most Heisman rankings, much like his Boise State team has been stuck at No. 3 in the BCS.
He has been carving up opponents as the Broncos make their way through their schedule in hopes of playing for the BCS Championship.
Moore leads the nation in passing efficiency and has thrown for 1,865 yards and 18 touchdowns with only two interceptions.
Moore is a big part of the Broncos success, and their BCS hopes live and die with his ability.
This Week: Win over Louisiana Tech
I wanted to give Moore his due as a Heisman candidate, even though they played Tuesday night instead of on Saturday.
Moore threw for 298 yards, two touchdowns and only his second interception on the season in a 49-20 throttling over LT. They are off for the next 12 days until they meet a surprise 6-2 Hawaii team who could be ranked by the time play at Boise.
Boise State seems to have played its easier stretch of the schedule. They will go through a tough stretch that includes Hawaii, Fresno State and a trip to Reno to play No. 24 Nevada, which could determine their BCS hopes, and possibly Kellen Moore's Heisman candidacy.
LaMichael James
9 of 10
LaMichael James is the best running back in college football this season under the spread offense of the Oregon Ducks.
He has already rushed for 971 yards and 11 touchdowns. His play last season in the absence of LeGarrette Blount has proved not to be a fluke, as he has helped carry the Ducks to the top of the polls and a No. 2 BCS ranking.
He has only rushed under 100 yards once this year, and still managed to run for 123 yards and two scores last week after getting shaken up early in the game against UCLA. James is averaging over seven yards a carry and is a home-run threat every time he touches the ball.
This Week: USC
I touched on this game earlier when discussing Matt Barkley.
USC has already lost twice this season, but by a combined three points. While not all of their victories haven't been as dominant as Oregon's, the Trojans have shown resiliency under Lane Kiffin despite all of the sanctions and handcuffs placed on the program.
Oregon travels to USC, where the fans can be loud and vocal when they want to. USC isn't eligible for postseason play, but can play spoiler to Oregon's championship hopes.
USC has been among the elite for nearly a decade, and isn't ready to give that up without a fight.
The Pick: Oregon
Despite the resilient efforts of the Trojans, Oregon is still too dangerous offensively to be contained.
It won't be a blowout victory like many of the Ducks' earlier wins, but James and offense should be able to put enough points and make their claim as the new team of dominance in the Pac-10 with a win at USC.
Cameron Newton
10 of 10Cameron Newton put on a show against the LSU Tigers last Saturday, and is a big reason that Auburn finds itself undefeated and No. 1 in the BCS Standings.
Newton accounted for 303 yards of total offense and three touchdowns against a stingy LSU defense that included a highlight-reel run for a touchdown.
On the year, Newton has somewhat comparable stats to Robinson, but against stiffer competition. He has thrown for 1,364 yards and 13 touchdowns, while on the ground he has ran for 1,077 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Newton, who transferred from Florida after the 2008 season, has seen his draft stock rise this season thanks to his spectacular play.
This Week: Mississippi
Ole Miss is still trying to find itself this season after their stunning loss to FCS school Jacksonville State.
The Rebels have shown flashes this year in wins over Kentucky and Fresno State, but just don't have the talent to hang with the big boys of the SEC, as shown in losses to Alabama and Arkansas.
They welcome in the No. 1 team and will look to spring the offense. Ole Miss handily beat the Kentucky team who took Auburn down to the wire a few weeks ago, so maybe there is some hope in past game tapes for the Rebels.
The Pick: Auburn
Playing on the road is always a daunting task no matter the opponent, but Cameron Newton is a man on a mission at Auburn.
He elevated his game against the Tigers, and will not likely take the foot off the pedal. The string of No. 1's losing ends this week as the Tigers should handle Mississippi with ease.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
