Tim Tebow a Cinch for Second Heisman: McCoy, Bradford Will Split Regional Votes

University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is on track to win his second consecutive Heisman Trophy.

The Heisman Trophy, an award that in this writer's opinion embodies everything that college football is not—individual instead of team—is all about region, and Tebow's two strongest rivals both play in the same region: the Southwest.

Before discussing the regional bias that affects the voting, I must note that the Heisman also falls short because it claims to be representative of the best player in the country, but we all know that happens only some of the time.  I believe the first pick in the NFL draft is usually the best player.

The Heisman Trophy can never produce a true winner because historically it's only given to quarterbacks, runners, and receivers.  Only one time in its history has the Heisman Trophy been awarded to a defensive player.  In 1998 defensive back Charles Woodson from Michigan took home the trophy    

Tim Tebow will win the 2008 Heisman.  Whether or not he is deserving of this award isn't the issue.  It's the voting advantage he falls into this year that will insure him of picking up his second Heisman.

Tebow, the Florida Gators QB, plays in the South, while the two other serious candidates, QB Colt McCoy of Texas and QB Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, both play in the Southwest region.  McCoy and Bradford are going to split too many votes in the Southwest region, and this will insure Tebow of the Heisman.

Last year, when Tebow won his first Heisman, he won five of the six regions.  The Southwest was loyal to Darren McFadden of Arkansas.  The South, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, and Far West all had majorities for Tebow.

In 2004 Matt Leinart won the award.  In the Southwest he only finished third behind Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson and Jason White.  

In 2003, when Jason White won the Heisman, he beat the runner-up, Larry Fitzgerald of Pitt, by a 3/2 margin in the Southwest.  Fitzgerald won in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and in the Midwest.  In 2002, when Carson Palmer won, the only region he didn't win was the Midwest.  That went to Iowa's Brad Barks.

These are just a couple of examples of how this form of local chauvinism has affected the vote.  It goes on every year!

Once again, Tebow will win the Heisman in 2008 because the Southwest votes will probably be split down the middle.  It's not a matter of who deserves to win, and Tebow certainly might be the best player in the country, but rather the area of the country a player represents.