Many people like to think that the Heisman Trophy is always presented to the leader of a contending team in the BCS Championship. This was true for Troy Smith of Ohio State in 2006 and Matt Leinart of USC in 2004, but it's not always a trip to the BCS Championship game that will put you in the running for the most famous trophy in all of college sports. Last year, University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, a then sophomore, did not lead his team to the BCS Championship game, a BCS bowl game or even a win in a non-BCS bowl game. But he still flew home from New York with the Heisman trophy in his hands. How did he do it? The answer is simple: stats.
Sometimes stats alone can win you the Heisman. Everyone around Florida football will tell you Tebow is having a better season for the team this year than he did last year when he racked up those gaudy individual statistics, and right now Tebow is not in anyone's Heisman discussion. As much as stats matter, it always helps a given player's case for the Heisman when they are the leader of a BCS Championship team. Add these two factors together, and the trophy is practically yours. Keeping this formula in mind, let's look at the likely candidates this year.
Sam Bradford:
Quarterback Oklahoma
Many people have predicted Sam Bradford to win a Heisman trophy for a long time. In fact, people even predicted it in his first start last year as a redshirt freshman. They had good reasoning to predict it too, considering he managed to break the school record for most passing yards in a half (363 yards) during his first start, a contest against Baylor. Bradford has not let up since that day. Today he holds the second-highest quarterback rating in all of college football at 205. His passing yards are also through the roof for a quarterback that is not in a spread offense, with a total of 1,665 yards. Do not think that Bradford just slings the ball around recklessly to get these gaudy stats. Bradford has a total of 18 touchdown passes compared to a total of only three interceptions. You take Bradford's ridiculous stat line and add that Oklahoma is No. 1 in the country and you have the makings of a Heisman Trophy résumé.
Chase Daniel:
Quarterback, Missouri
Some may look at Sam Bradford's résumé and think that the Heisman has already been won, but they could be wrong. Take a look at Chase Daniel's accomplishments and you will see that they practically mirror Bradford's. In fact, they literally do mirror each other's stats, at least when it comes to passing yards. Both have exactly 1,665 passing yards through the air. You may respond by saying, Oh. Well Sam Bradford has only three interceptions."" Well, Chase Daniel only has one. Chase Daniel also holds the second-highest completion percentage in the country at 76.3 percent, 3.7 percent better than Sam Bradford's. Add the fact that Daniel's Missouri team is undefeated and is ranked second to Bradford's Oklahoma team in the USA Today poll, and you have to be wondering if a possible Big 12 championship game will be the deciding factor of the Heisman Trophy.
Colt McCoy:
Quarterback, Texas
All right, this is starting to get ridiculous, another Big 12 quarterback? Darn right another Big 12 quarterback. It would be foolish to not consider Colt McCoy in the running at this point. The facts are that McCoy is the leader of the undefeated No. 5 Texas Longhorns, he has the fourth highest-quarterback rating in the country, and has the highest completion percentage in the country at 79.2.
Now like I mentioned earlier, stats plus BCS Championship contender equals Heisman. It is no one's fault that three quarterbacks from the same conference are all amazing at their jobs. Luckily for the Heisman voters, these teams are all in the same conference and will most likely all have to play each other at some point. So to say it straight to McCoy, Bradford and Daniels, to the victor goes the spoils. But wait, what if they all screw each other out of the award? I have to give someone outside this conference a chance, and that person is BYU quarterback, Max Hall.
Max Hall:
Quarterback, Brigham Young
Believe me, I know what you're thinking, Max Hall? Yes, Max Hall. Believe it or not, Max Hall is the leader of a BYU team that probably has the best chance in the nation to go undefeated and reach a BCS bowl game. So far this year, Hall has put up some fantastic numbers with 17 touchdowns, 1,587 yards passing and a 71.8 completion percentage. Add the fact that his team has a perfect 5-0 record and a late matchup against conference rivals No.14 Utah and you once again have a great Heisman résumé.
