With each passing week, the field of legitimate Heisman candidates arrives.

more clearly in focus. A high level of consistency becomes increasingly

important when competing at this level. Some of the players we have followed

up to this point in the season are worthy of recognition for their contributions to

the success of their teams, but they may be slowly slipping out of contention for the

Heisman. Still on the list of serious candidates is Ohio State’s Troy Smith,

Adrian Peterson from Oklahoma, Garrett Wolfe from Northern Illinois, West Virginia

Steve Slaton and Brady Quinn of Notre Dame. while there are others who

deserve a mention, they will need great personal performances and a little

luck now to catch those listed above. These players include Mike Hart of

Michigan, Auburn’s Kenny Irons, Rutgers’ Ray Rice and maybe a second

Michigan player we’re all hearing more about these days, Mario Manningham.

If you watched Ohio State play Bowling Green and followed Troy Smith closely

you will have no doubt why he is currently considered the leader in the race for the

2006 Heisman Trophy. Troy possesses the rare ability to fight for yards and

to launch millimeter and precise passes. His poise and maturity are on display every

ball snap. Troy missed a few snaps Saturday with a minor injury, which

reminds us once again how fragile success can be at this level. one move can

it changes a game, a player’s season, their Heisman potential, and in some cases,

his career. Let’s hope each of our Heisman candidates can stay healthy and

keep playing at the level we expect and enjoy.

Oklahoma’s loss to Texas will have an impact on Heisman voter perception

Adrian Peterson. Winning records carry weight with Heisman voters. Despite

Adrián’s game has been remarkable at times, there have been some moments of

questionable game too. Those who watched this week’s game will remember Adrian’s

dropped pass that was ruled a lateral allowing Texas to score a defensive touchdown.

Could a single moment like this take away Adrian’s chances of winning the Heisman?

Probably not, but he’ll need to focus on the upcoming games to raise his game.

and his chances of being our Heisman winner in New York.

There may not be enough superlatives to describe Northern Illinois’ Garrett Wolfe.

It continues to live up to preseason expectations, and maybe then some. garrett’s

The statistics speak for themselves. At the end of this season nothing will surprise us

if in addition to many school records, Garrett enjoys some NCAA Division 1-A records as

all right. For his consistency and high performance, Garrett gets my vote as a clear second

Troy Smith. It’s hard for me not to like Garrett’s performances on the field and to be shooting

for him to score a Heisman upset.

Steve Slaton, West Virginia, rarely disappoints, and his 185 yards against Mississippi

The state was another reason why. As long as Steve continues to rack up big numbers

he will remain a serious Heisman candidate this year. Without a doubt, Steve is

a big part of the reason West Virginia is 5-0 and ranks highly in the polls. Steve

has shown week after week that he deserves to be compared to the Troy Smiths,

Garrett Wolfes and Adrian Petersons from the world of college football.

What can be said about Notre Dame’s Brady Quinn? Just when you think he’s done something

to get out of the Heisman race, step up and make big plays or have

the kind of game that will keep you on the run. Play quarterback for Notre Dame

drawing a lot of attention on his own, and having over 1,600 passing yards on the season

Midpoint will keep that attention focused on you. Of all the players discussed up to this

point, Brady may have the remotest chance of winning the Heisman. His game has been

spotty at times this year but like I said keep making good things happen at the right times

and that will keep him on the Heisman short list.

Michigan currently has two players worth discussing here, Michael Hart and Mario Manningham.

Most college football experts expected Michael Hart to be a Heisman contender this year, but

his teammate, “Super Mario”, has come out of nowhere to light up the screens with

sensational catch after sensational catch. If Mario continues like this, it is likely that in

several weeks we will be talking only about Mario’s Heisman race and Michael Hart will be a

remote memory. Only time will tell, but for now Michael is still playing well enough to be

considered as having an external possibility of reaching New York.

Auburn’s loss affected their ranking significantly and Kenny Irons’ lackluster play certainly.

it didn’t help his chances of winning the Heisman. To recover from this you will have to have

several great performances to re-enter contention. If Kenny has a thing

going for it is that sports fans and writers have short memories. some killer performances

at the right time in the season it can launch a player or team back into the college stratosphere

soccer elite.

Last week’s article mentioned Rutger’s Ray Rice. Rutgers remained in the top 25 of both

AP and USA Today polls this week despite a scheduled off week. We will have to

watch Ray’s next game to find out which way he’ll move in the Heisman race. A

this point, he has played well enough to attract the attention of many sports journalists and

fans. Is the midpoint of the season too late for a player to stage a title raid?

of the best college football player? In the next few weeks, Ray will answer this question for us.

all.

There is never a lack of excitement, suspense, or disgust in college football. although anyone

noteworthy player on this or any other Heisman contender list could make it big in New York

this year, any one of them could just as quickly fade into the background due to injury, poor play, the

promotion of an unexpected candidate, or a myriad of other reasons. As fans, we are lucky to sit

Come back and enjoy the athleticism and excitement that make this race worth watching. Personally,

I look forward to another great week of college football.