If you thought the National Title race was interesting well after week 10, the race for the Heisman just got even more interesting. Most thought it was Troy Smith’s to lose and lose it he almost did last week against Illinois. He had his worst game all year against the Illini and allowed a few others to close the gap on him. It might all come down (again) to the Notre Dame-USC game and how well Brady Quinn plays in that game, but I am not about to count out Michael Hart if Michigan runs the table impressively.

1. Troy Smith - The grip Mr. Smith had on the Heisman is not as tight as it was the week before. He had his worst game all year throwing for only 108 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. He will need good showings in the next two games, and especially against Michigan if he wants to hold the trophy in December.

2. Brady Quinn - Quinn benefited from a poor showing by Troy Smith and an impressive one on his part. Voters have long forgotten his game against Michigan and now look forward to his game against USC in the Coliseum.

3. Michael Hart - Hart shined even though his team didn’t as he ran for 154 yards and a touchdown. His chances to win the 2006 Heisman might be slim but if he stays he is placing himself as the front-runner in 2007.

4. Steve Slaton - Usually when someone runs for over 150 yards and a touchdown against a top 10 team you are impressed but when that same person fumbles on two consecutive carries you have to step back and re-evaluate his position. Don’t forget Slaton is only a sophomore and that he’s been playing a good part of the season with a bone chip in his wrist. He’ll be back up top next year.

5. Calvin Johnson - Johnson proves once again that if he can get his hands on the ball he can be productive. He had 168 yards receiving to go along with two touchdowns and showed the nation once and for all that he is the best wide receiver in the nation.

6. Colt Brennan - Product of the system or not, this guy opens eyes. With four games to go he has 39 touchdown passes and 3300 yards. He has a legitimate shot at 5000 yards passing and over 50 touchdowns for the season.

7. Colt McCoy - McCoy’s growth from the beginning of the season to now is non-other than amazing. He went from a baby faced true freshman to a true threat at the QB position. Two weeks ago he had an impressive day leading the Longhorns back from behind against Texas Tech and last week threw for 346 yards and 3 touchdowns against Oklahoma State.

8. Ian Johnson - If you could sum up Ian Johnson in one word that word would be “tough”. That is exactly how he runs, dragging defenders yards before they can bring him down. His league leading 20 rushing touchdowns is nothing to brush off either.

9. Darren McFadden - I now believe in McFadden and the Razorbacks. I kept waiting for them to fall flat on their face against South Carolina but McFadden shredded the defense for 219 yards and 2 touchdowns. It looks as if he will get to showcase himself in the SEC Title game.

10. Marshawn Lynch - Lynch is still waiting for the USC game, but against UCLA he should have put up better numbers. It would have really helped his chances since the game was part of the ABC Saturday Night telecast.

Honorable Mention: PJ Hill Jr, Pat White, Ray Rice

The Race for the Heisman seems to be in cruise control right now. No one making any big mistakes or big moves to make any dent in the race. But as we close in on the end of the year and some big conference games and title games, the race can take a twist with a huge national TV performance.

1. Troy Smith - Smith showed he can still make people miss with his legs as well as throw the ball all over the field. He put on an exhibition for the voters as the Gophers were no match for the Buckeyes. This is his race right now to lose.

2. Steve Slaton - Slaton had the week off before the game that will define his Heisman chances for this year as well as next. The Mountaineers travel to Papa John’s Stadium to play Louisville on Thursday night, and if Slaton can have a big game he will be the front runner for the 2007 race.

3. Brady Quinn - Quinn and Notre Dame just doesn’t wow me anymore. I’m not sure if the reason is their coach complaining about where they are ranked in the polls, or the fact that they just are not as good as hyped. Quinn threw all over the Midshipmen, next up are the reeling Tar Heels of North Carolina.

4. Michael Hart - Hart had another good game against Northwestern running for 95 yards. He could have had more but the Wolverines wanted to get his backup some carries and keep Hart healthy for the pre-BCS Title game against the Buckeyes.

5. Marshawn Lynch - Lynch rested this week and was licking his lips when he saw the Oregon State running back run for over 100 yards in the Beavers’ victory against the Trojans.

6. Erik Ainge - Ainge proved he could go into a hostile stadium and win a game for the Vols. He threw for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns, making a strong statement for his campaign starting in 2007.

7. Calvin Johnson - Johnson put his catch-less week behind him and helped the Yellow Jackets take a firm grip on the ACC Coastal Division crown. He had 68 yards and a touchdown but still has to wonder what could have been if he had a competent quarterback.

8. Ray Rice - Rice had a nice night even though he got hurt. The Rutgers running back ran for 79 yards before hurting his ankle, but says he will be back in time to play Louisville in two weeks.

9. Colt Brennan - Brennan put on a clinic against the Vandals throwing for 333 yards and 5 touchdowns. It is a real shame no one gets to see this guy play.

10. Chad Henne - Henne did not have a great day statistically but what quarterback would throwing in winds that gusted up to 50 mph? Henne has a ton of leadership and is a big reason why the Wolverines are in the position to play for the title.

Honorable Mention: Ian Johnson, Colt McCoy, Pat White,

As of right now there are only 46 days left till a winner is crowned and it still looks like a two person race to the finish. The feel good story of the year, Garrett Wolfe dropped completely out of the race by having his second consecutive sub 50 yard game. This time against a winless Temple team. For the most part you will see the same names on the list with only a few minor changes.

1. Troy Smith - Troy had another solid Saturday as he led the Buckeye offense to a season high of 44 points while throwing for 4 touchdowns. Smith should be able to put the car in cruise control until the November 18th meeting against the Wolverines.

2. Brady Quinn - Quinn kept his hopes alive and probably impressed a few voters by leading the Irish on a late 4th quarter drive to beat the Bruins. The Irish were not impressive in the victory but the never say die attitude is a key characteristic of a Heisman Candidate. His 304 yard and 2 touchdown effort is enough to keep him right on Troy’s heels.

3. Steve Slaton - Slaton had the nation’s eyes on him friday night and did not disappoint as he ran for 128 yards and a touchdown against Connecticut. The next game against Louisville will tell the tale for Slaton’s Heisman hopes for this year and the start of the 2007 season.

4. Michael Hart - All this man does is run for 125+ yards a week. This last time it was against a stingy Hawkeye defense. Hart has a few easy weeks coming up where he can pad the stats before the big one in Columbus.

5. Marshawn Lynch - Lynch scored the game winning touchdown in overtime to go along with 150 yards for the game. The only knock on Lynch is that in his two biggest games against Oregon and Tennessee he was held under 75 yards. Against Oregon he left the game early due to injury.

6. Erik Ainge - This guy is making Fulmer look like a genius since he was named the only starting QB at the beginning of the season. Ainge had 300 yards passing against the Tide, but no touchdowns and three interceptions. Watch out for this guy next year.

7. Chad Henne - Henne is the glue that holds the Michigan Offense together and he’s doing it without his best receiver. He is cool and calm in the pocket and has the attitude of a winner. Michigan will go as far as this Junior takes them.

8. Calvin Johnson - In Georgia Tech’s biggest ACC game to date, Johnson did not catch a single pass. I give more credit to the Clemson defense rather than blame on Johnson’s play. Even though Johnson will not win the Heisman, he should be the front runner for the Biletnikoff Award.

9. Ray Rice - Rice wowed the crowd and the ESPN2 audience as he ran for over 225 yards and a touchdown against the Pittsburgh defense. The sophomore is laying a solid foundation for a legitimate Heisman run in 2007.

10. Colt Brennan - An obvious product of the system but you cannot deny that his 2600 yards, 72 percent completion percentage, and 28 touchdowns in seven games aren’t impressive. Too bad no one will see this man play till the bowl season.

Honorable Mentions: Pat White, PJ Hill, Chris Leak

Goodbye, Mr Heisman…I wonder if that was going through Peterson’s head as he decided to celebrate that touchdown? He not only said goodbye to that award, but his teammates also said goodbye to any chance they had to play in the Big 12 title game. That play will probably be the last one that Peterson plays in a Sooner uniform. For all intensive purposes the Heisman becomes a two horse race with no disrespect to Mr. Slaton, but he’ll need one heck of a run to unseat the other two. Garrett Wolfe needed to keep the momentum going but that came to a screeching halt last weekend.

1. Troy Smith - Smith has another solid performance in the Buckeye’s win against the Spartans. He threw for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns, but it is his presence on the field which is most impressive. Troy Smith has the moxie of a Heisman winner and when he is on the field the team knows they can lean on him and he’ll push them to victory.

2. Brady Quinn - Quinn will benefit the most from Petersonless race because at the time he was the third wheel. Notre Dame had a week off to rest and relax for the Bruins. Quinn needs to put up some impressive numbers in the upcoming weeks to overcome the fact that Smith leads the #1 team in the nation. It will most likely all come down to how he performs against Southern California at the end of the season.

3. Steve Slaton - Slaton now becomes the best chance for a running back in this Heisman Race, which isn’t saying too much since he is only a sophomore. He had 178 yards and one touchdown against the Orange but was overshadowed by his teammate Pat White who had over 200 yards rushing. This week is another stat building week before the real test against Louisville comes calling.

4. Calvin Johnson - With a week to rest his legs, Johnson will again be vaulted in the limelight as the Yellow Jackets travel to play Clemson in a primetime game. Surprisingly this could be a preview of the ACC title game. Johnson just has to hope that Reggie Ball shows up to play, and delivers the ball in somewhere in the vicinity of where he is running his route. If he keeps up his play he’ll be a strong candidate since he is the best shot a receiver has at this award.

5. Michael Hart - The problem with Hart is that he is not flashy but by all means he is good. Against a defense that only allowed an average of 70 yards rushing per game, Hart ran for 112 yards and a touchdown. He runs the ball hard and is difficult to bring down but still gets noticed by no one. Michigan’s top three ranking should help him get noticed more, but it could be too little too late.

6. Marshawn Lynch - The Bears’ running back had another huge day running for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns against Washington State. Lynch is going to have a problem moving up because most of his games are played when the East Coasters are in bed. Lynch needs to take advantage of the media frenzy that will occur when Cal plays USC for the Pac 10 championship. If he has a big day there he will open a lot eyes.

7. Garrett Wolfe - Wolfe’s chances all but ended with his 25 yard performance against Western Michigan. I think it is very unlikely that a Heisman winner would come from a team with 3 or more losses and not to mention that he plays in a non-BCS conference too.

8. Erik Ainge - Ainge has had a solid year and leading Tennessee to that impressive comeback against Georgia only helps his chances for next year. His 1657 yards and most importantly 69 percent completion percentage are nothing to be overlooked.

9. Darren McFadden - Another sophomore running back breaking into the list. McFadden seems to have his biggest games against the toughest opponents which is good because we all know the Heisman voters only watch marquee games.

10. P. J. Hill - I know many of you will have no clue who this guy is so let me introduce you to the next great Wisconsin running back. Hill is only a freshman and has rushed for over 100 yards in ever game but one (54 yds vs Michigan). As it stands right now Hill has over 1000 yards, 11 touchdowns, and a 5.8 ypc average.

Honorable Mentions: Patrick White, Chad Henne, Ray Rice, DeSean Jackson, Chris Leak, and Colt Brennan

If last week showed us anything in the race for the Heisman, it showed that none of the front runners had a game that put them above the rest. As you will see my list is pretty much the same as last week except for the second half.

1. Adrian Peterson - If it were up to Peterson, the Sooners would’ve won the Red River Shootout, but he can’t throw the ball too. He had another 100 yard effort against a quality team and is still on pace for a strong 1800 yards this season. If he can get that average up closer to 2000 he will be hard to beat.

2. Brady Quinn - Personally I thought Quinn would have a field day against Stanford but the he and the Irish started out slow. I really think this was his chance to put up another 300 plus yard day and separate himself from the rest of the pack. Good news for Quinn is that he has a few more of those games coming up this year, but for this week he is off.

3. Troy Smith - The numbers might not be impressive (195 yds passing) but the 85 percent completion percentage and the 3 touchdown passes are impressive. In the next two weeks Smith should be able to feast on the poor defenses of Michigan State and Indiana. That will be his chance to make his mark in this race.

4. Steve Slaton - Slaton showed he had fresh legs running for 185 yards and 7.1 ypc against Mississippi State. With the weak schedule that the Mountaineers have he will have to continue this trend and when it comes time for the marquee games he’ll have to have stellar games.

5. Garrett Wolfe - Wolfe had the stage to himself on Sunday night against Miami (OH). He did not disappoint running for 162 yards and two touchdowns. The media has finally caught wind of this guy and he needs to continue to have 150 yard plus rushing games to continue the wave of recognition.

6. Michael Hart - Even an injured ankle couldn’t stop Hart from running for 122 yards against the Spartans. Hart will have the stage to himself on Saturday night in Happy Valley and will impress some voters if he can pull off a 100 yard game against a tough Nittany Lion run defense.

7. Calvin Johnson - Johnson contiunes to be the Georgia Tech offense. Against Maryland he had 133 yards receiving and a touchdown. That 133 yards accounted for almost 83 percent of Tech’s passing output for the day. Can you imagine the stats he would have if he had someone like Quinn or Smith throwing to him?

8. Chris Leak - Although the Gators keep winning, Leak’s Heisman chances are getting Tiebowed as he shares time with the true freshman. The Gators’ next two games are against Auburn and Georgia and Leak will need strong games if they are to win them. Leak did put up some nice numbers against LSU, but his chances are falling by the wayside the more he shares time with Tim Tiebow.

9. John David Booty - USC might be struggling to win against the state of Washington but Booty is doing an impressive job with an injury depleted receiving staff. Anytime you have a QB completing 66 percent of his passes and having a 3.67/1 touchdown to interception ratio, you have to be impressed. His chances will improve once Dwayne Jarrett comes back.

10. Ray Rice - No one made a big enough push for me to drop Rice out of the top 10. These next two weeks are big for Rice as Rutgers plays two teams with a combined two losses.

Honorable Mentions: Dennis Dixon, Mario Manningham, Tony Hunt, Darren McFadden

There were a few contenders on a bye week so unless the player directly behind him had a super game, the bye week player stayed in his spot. That will change later in the season as teams don’t have any more games and others with conference championship games have that one last shot to impress the voters. Keep the comments coming. I appreciate the guys from Burnt Orange Nation, telling me of my oversight of Manningham last week.

1. Adrian Peterson - Peterson had the week off and I hope he rested his back because if the Sooners are going to beat Texas this week in the Red River Shootout Peterson is going to have to carry the team to victory.

2. Brady Quinn - Quinn had another strong week against a quality opponent. The Irish’s schedule gets much weaker now until the USC game at the end of season. Brady needs to take advantage of the weaker teams and build up the heisman excitement for the final game in the Coliseum.

3. Troy Smith - The Buckeyes won again on the road against a tough Hawkeye team but Smith’s numbers were not all that impressive. Like the Irish, the Buckeyes won’t be tested again till their end of the season battle with the Wolverines. This is the time for Smith to shine, especially since the Big Ten does not have a conference championship game.

4. Steve Slaton - Slaton had the week off to rest his legs to run all over Mississippi State. Look for Slaton to have some where around 150 yards rushing when he leaves the game in the third quarter.

5. Garrett Wolfe - Let’s all say it in unison “Garrett Wolfe is for real!” The man broke the Division 1a single game rushing record last week, averages 9.3 ypc, and is on pace to rush for over 3000 yards this year. Those are all mind boggling stats, and he’s done it against better teams than the person in front of him on this list, Mr Slaton.

6. Michael Hart - Hart did well in his first game against a Big Ten defense rushing for 195 yards. The longer Michigan stays undefeated and the further they move up the polls will benefit Hart. He should be able to have a field day against the Spartans this week, just stay away from John L Smith because he might get slapped.

7. Chris Leak - Leak did what he needed to do to get his team a victory but it was not the performance I expected from him against Alabama. The good thing for Leak is that he has 3 consecutive weeks against Top 10 caliber opponents to showcase his talents, or fall off the list.

8. Calvin Johnson - Johnson proved against why he is the best receiver in the land catching everything and anything that Reggie Ball threw his way. In the two marquee games against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame, Johnson has put on his best performances. Now it’s time to lead the Yellow Jackets to an ACC Title.

9. Mario Manningham - Like his teammate Michael Hart, Manningham is not getting noticed by the press much. All he has done is average 127 yards per game in his last three games and catch 6 touchdown passes. He is the main reason that the Wolverines’ passing game has come out of its funk.

10. Ray Rice - Here is another sophomore on the list that is making a name for himself for next year’s Heisman. Rice has 3 games over 190 yards and 11 total touchdowns. It will be interesting to see how those numbers translate when playing teams like West Virginia and Louisville.

Honorable Mention: Jonathan Stewart, Dennis Dixon, Marshawn Lynch, Kenny Irons

Right now there are three players who seem to be way ahead of the pack. The fourth has the numbers to win the Heisman but as we all know the voters don’t like choosing a freshman or sophomore to win the award. There weren’t a lot of marquee games last week but there was some movement on my list. I did get a comment about leaving Will Proctor out of my list last week. My response to that is he has had one game where he threw for over 300 yds, the rest he has been below the 200 yard mark. Unless a QB gets pulled in the first half or is a dual threat QB, he should be able to at least get over 200 yards a week through the air if he wants Heisman consideration.

1. Adrian Peterson - Imagine the numbers he could have put up if he was left in the entire game against Middle Tennessee State. He had 128 yards and 3 touchdowns in just about a half of play. Peterson is on pace to gain 1900 yards and score 21 touchdowns. Those sound like Heisman numbers to me. This week he has a week to rest before the Red River Shootout.

2. Troy Smith - Smith didn’t have a stellar game against Penn State, but he did everything that was needed to lead his team to victory. The game in Iowa this week is an important one as he will go head to head against another good QB in Drew Tate. Smith needs a better showing or he will see himself slipping down the list further.

3. Brady Quinn - I found myself wondering during the first half how far I was going to drop Quinn down my Heisman list but his second half play canceled those thoughts. The second half was a true Heisman performance as he put the team on his back and showed some great leadership. Throwing for 319 yards and 5 touchdowns also helped his cause.

4. Steve Slaton - For the first time all year he was held below 100 yards and without a touchdown as West Virginia had a rough time against East Carolina. For Slaton to win this award he has to do above and beyond the likes of Quinn, Peterson, and Smith because he is only a Sophomore. I agree it is not logical but we are dealing with Heisman voters.

5. Chris Leak - Leak had another strong showing against the Wildcats throwing for 267 yards and 2 touchdowns. Leak is showing a lot of poise that he lacked in his previous years and the Gators will need that because their next 4 (Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Georgia) games are brutal. If they win all four three things will happen: The Gators will be in the top 3; they will be in the SEC Title game; and Leak will stamp his ticket for New York in December.

6. Michael Hart - Hart was held under 100 yards for the first time all year. It will be interesting to see if Hart still can put up impressive numbers against Big Ten quality defenses. The emergence of Chad Henne and Mario Manningham will also help Hart.

7. Dennis Dixon - Dixon stayed the same since he had a bye week. We can’t hurt him by not playing but as Cal showed last week, the Ducks should be able to put up some nice passing numbers against the Sun Devils.

8. Garrett Wolfe - Wolfe had another great week rushing for 198 yards and 4 touchdowns, too bad it was against Division 1aa Indiana State. Wolfe is projected to run for 2400 yards and have 24 touchdowns, but holding him down is the quality of his opponents. I can say this, if he keeps at this pace he will get an invite to New York.

9. Calvin Johnson - If Johnson had a quarterback that could throw the ball with any consistency he would be in the top 5, but Reggie Ball is definitely putting a hamper in Johnson’s Heisman chances. Last week Johnson caught 6 passes for 165 yards and 2 touchdowns, an astounding 71% of Georgia Tech’s passing game.

10. Marshawn Lynch - Lynch reemerges on my list and it should not be a surprise. He quickly fell off everyone’s Heisman list after his lackluster performance against Tennessee but has anyone noticed him since? Marshawn has had 3 games over 100 yards and is averaging 7.2 yards per carry. He should be able to pad those stats against the teams in Washington in the upcoming weeks.

Separation Saturday did more than just separate the good teams from the bad, it separated the Heisman haves from the have nots. Injuries have played a key part in the Heisman race. Two Louisville players, Brian Brohm and Michael Bush, have dropped out of the running because they will miss significant time. Drew Tate has had two good showings but he is a little behind the 8-ball missing the Syracuse game. Kenny Irons had another sub 80 yard rushing day which all but drops him out of the running, but his team is still undefeated which means more. Right Mike Williams? Well here is my Heisman list for this week.

1. Troy Smith - Smith did not have a stellar game against Cincinnati, but he still threw for over 200 yards and 2 TDs. He has another chance to tighten his grip on the top spot with an ABC game against Penn State this weekend. (Last Week 1)

2. Adrian Peterson - Peterson ran through the Duck defense gaining 211 yards on the ground and scoring 1 touchdown. A victory would have made this performance even more impressive but he cannot control the eyes of the replay officials. He is the horse that will dictate how far the Sooners go this year. (Last Week 2)

3. Steve Slaton - Yawn…another 195 yard and two touchdown performance for Mr. Slaton. I am reluctant to rank him any higher because let’s face it, the Mountaineers have not played anyone yet. His Heisman hopes will be based solely on his performance against Louisville. (Last Week 5)

4. Michael Hart - Hart rushed for another 100 plus yard game in arguably the biggest stage, South Bend. He went through the porous Irish defense like a hot knife through butter and established himself as a true Heisman contender. Hart has the luxury of running behind the Big Ten’s best offensive line and should have no problem getting at least 6 or 7 more 100 yard games. (Last Week 8 )

5. Brady Quinn - Quinn’s numbers were not all that bad throwing for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns, but it was his 3 interceptions that proved costly. His first interception gave Michigan an early 7-0 lead. Teams have developed a recipe for ratting Brady, put pressure on him. Expect to see that more as the year goes on. Quinn has an uphill battle to climb if he wants to hoist the trophy in December. (Last Week 3)

6. Chris Leak - When you play in an all out battle between two rival teams, you can understand if the stats aren’t flashy. Leak threw for 199 yards and 3 touchdowns but most importantly he lead the Gators on a late 4th quarter game winning drive. That’s leadership baby! (Last Week 6)

7. Dennis Dixon - Dixon put his Ducks in a row and they followed him to a victory against the Sooners. This is exactly how you want get a name for yourself if you are Dixon. Lead your team to an exciting comeback victory against a Top 15 opponent and have a great day statistics wise. Dixon threw for 341 yards and 2 tds, and he ran another one for a score. This is a guy to keep your eyes on. (Last Week NR)

8. Dwayne Jarrett - I was all ready to write off Jarrett after his lackluster first week, but Pete Carroll must have lit a fire under this young man. On National TV against Nebraska he had 134 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. More importantly he showed that he is the nation’s best wide receiver. (Last Week NR)

9. Garrett Wolfe - Wolfe had another impressive day in the statistical column running for 263 yards on 24 carries. He also scored two times. But what wasn’t impressive was that it was done against Buffalo. (Last Week 10)

10. John David Booty - Booty had another impressive performance against the Huskers on National TV. In two games JD Booty has a 69 percent completion percentage to go with 518 yards, 6 touchdowns, and no interceptions. (Last Week NR)

Honorable Mention: Ted Ginn Jr, Drew Stanton, Drew Tate, Kenny Irons

This is my ballot that will be submitted to the Heisman Pundit for this week’s CSTV Heisman Poll. I have decided to be a little less harsh on players that had a bad week. As the season goes on though, the games become more critical and one bad game could spell their doom. This week should be a great week for Heisman voters as we will see a bunch of them go head to head. My top 3 right now are really close, you can make an arguement for any of those 3 to be #1 right now.

1. Troy Smith - Smith proved that he is multi-dimensional by winning the big game with his arm. Smith threw for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns in Ohio State’s 24-7 win over Texas. He was the star shining bright, deep in the heart of Texas. (Last Week 3)

2. Adrian Peterson - Peterson had another big game rushing for 165 yards and 2 scores. The emergence of Paul Thompson at QB should help him big time as teams won’t be able to put 8 in the box. He goes head to head with another RB, Jonathan Stewart this week and must win that battle. (Last Week 2)

3. Brady Quinn - Quinn quieted all the haters throwing for 287 yards and 3 scores. He completed 69% of his passes and some throws were threaded so perfectly that I don’t think 50% of NFL QB’s could make them. (Last Week 4)

4. Kenny Irons - One subpar week only will hurt Irons a little bit. He can take two positives from that experience, 1) No one saw it and 2) he can erases it all with a great day against LSU. (Last Week 1)

5. Steve Slaton - Slaton only needed 8 carries to eclipse the 100 yard barrier this week and was pulled in the 1 quarter or he would’ve easily surpassed last week’s mark. The Thursday Night game against Maryland is huge since all of the media will be watching. (Last Week 5)

6. Chris Leak - Leak had a career day (352 yds and 4 Tds) and has many Gator fans saying Tim who? He can quiet his critics once and for all with a win in Knoxville this weekend. (Last Week 6)

7. Ted Ginn Jr - When this guy shows up and decides he wants to play he is great. He burned the Texas secondary for 1 touchdown and 97 yards receiving. He could have had another but Smith overthrew him. Ginn needs to have some bigger days on the returning side if he wants to be a serious contender. (Last Week 9)

8. Michael Hart - Hart has been a positive in the Wolverine offense and has picked up the slack due to the struggles of Chad Henne. The Irish’s rushing defense looks ripe for Hart to have a big day on the national stage. (Last Week 7)

9. Erik Ainge - Ainge has quietly had two good games against California and Air Force. Against the Falcons, Ainge completed 83% of his passes for 333 yds and 3 tds. He’ll go head to head with Mr. Leak this week and will have the comfort of 100,000 plus Vol fans behind him. (Last Week NR)

10. Garrett Wolfe - Wolfe had another good game almost reaching the 200 yard mark rushing wise but if he wants to be any kind of contender in this race Northern Illinois cannot lose to teams like Ohio. Frankly they cannot lose more than 1 more game. (Last Week 10)

Honorable Mentions: Brian Brohm, Drew Weatherford, Graham Harrell, and Calvin Johnson

In The Bleachers was asked by the Heisman Pundit to take part in a poll that will vote on the Heisman each week for CSTV.

I have been posting my picks for the first two weeks, you can find this week’s here and my preseason one here. My ballots along with seven others will comprise the CSTV Heisman ballot poll for each week. To check out the article visit the CSTV heisman page.

The other bloggers in this poll are as follows:

Heisman Pundit
The College Football Independent
College Game Balls
College Football Resource
Just College Football
Pitch Right
The Wizard of Odds