Heisman Trophy Watch: Should Montee Ball Be Invited to New York?

First of all, the answer is yes. Montee Ball absolutely deserves an invitation to the Heisman Trophy presentation in New York City, especially if Alabama running back Trent Richardson receives an invite.

Richardson is a virtual lock to head to New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist. So, why is Ball barely receiving any hype at all?

According to ESPN.com, Ball is No. 6 in terms of Heisman candidacy. He has received 13 total votes, as opposed to Richardson's 64 tallies.

If you compare the statistics, and the competition faced by each, that should not be the case.

Richardson entered the year as the most bally-hooed running back in the nation. His success backing up former Heisman winner Mark Ingram in Tuscaloosa grabbed Richardson the hype before the season even began.

This season, he has lived up to the billing. He has run for 1,583 yards and 20 touchdowns on 263 carries. He has averaged six yards per tote and has also caught three touchdowns.

Ball entered the season expected to shoulder the load for Wisconsin. Duplicating his 18 touchdowns from 2010 would have sufficed. Instead, Ball has blown his 2010 numbers out of the water, with a chance to add to his current totals. 

The Badger back has carried the ball 248 times for 1,622 yards and 29 touchdowns. He averages 6.5 yards per carry and has caught five touchdowns.

Some would argue that Richardson playing in the rugged SEC doesn't allow for gaudy numbers. Ball plays in the overrated Big Ten. However, the competition doesn't show a major discrepancy.

Richardson has played four of the top 50 rushing defenses in the country. Ball has played three. That doesn't make up for the statistical difference between these two great running backs.

Both backs also have great backups. Neither is losing carries and hurting their production. If anything, James White's 133 carries have hurt Ball more than Eddie Lacy's 84 touches have hurt Richardson.

Yes, Wisconsin's offensive line mauls people. Their average weight is larger than the Green Bay Packers' front five, but it's not like Bama's offensive line is a slouch. The system and offensive line are a wash in this specific situation.

So why will Richardson, more than likely, get the nod over Ball?

Program pedigree and preseason hype are the only two reasons.

Alabama is steeped in rich football tradition. Wisconsin has had intermittent success, but not nearly to the degree of the Tide.

Richardson deserved the preseason hype. Outside of Marcus Lattimore, he was the most talented back in the country entering the 2011 season. In terms of talent and potential, he is still the best back in college football.

However, the hype does not mean you throw this season's statistics out the window.

Ball is six touchdowns away from breaking Barry Sanders' single-season touchdown record, and yet he is all but forgotten among Heisman hopefuls.

If anything, both running backs deserve an invitation. Under no circumstance does Richardson deserve the nod over Ball.

This is not a team award. The Heisman Trophy should go to the college football player with the best individual season.

This award has nothing to do with NFL potential. At least it shouldn't. Sure, Richardson oozes potential at the next level. So what? Potential should have nothing to do with Heisman credentials.

An argument could be made for Ball to take the trophy home. His biggest competition should be the other underdog, Robert Griffin III.

In the end, I would be willing to bet Richardson or Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck take home the hardware. That was all but decided before Week 1 kicked off this season.

Sad, but true.