My Heisman Ballot

The 73rd Heisman Memorial Trophy will be awarded on Saturday night. The finalists are Arkansas RB Darren McFadden, Hawaii QB Colt Brennan, Missouri QB Chase Daniel, and Florida QB Tim Tebow. What makes this year's award unique is no matter who wins, history will be made. Tebow could become the first sophomore in history to take home the Heisman. If Tebow does not win, the Heisman would go to a school it has been to before as McFadden, Brennan, and Daniel would be the first from their respective schools to win college football's top honor.

First, a few honorable mentions that did not make the final group.

* Dennis Dixon, QB, Oregon. Clearly the most exciting player in college football this season. The fourth-down, 43-yard touchdown run on the Ducks' initial possession at Arizona, proved how good he is, if only because he ran it with a torn ACL. Took us folks on the east coast a while to appreciate him and just when we did he went down with a season ending injury.

* Pat White, QB, West Virginia. Passed for 1,500 yards and rushed for over 1,100. Didn't put up the qudy passing stats as the thre finalists and had to share the spotlight with RB Steve Slaton but was very fun to watch. Add that he came back from an injury vs. Pitt when the team was down and needed is a bonus in my book.

4- Chase Daniel- No one burst onto the national scene in 2007 like him. He led Mizzou from the bottom of the Big 12 all the way to the title game. Completed almost 70% of his passes for over 4,000 yards and 33 TD's. Could have been 1 or 2 with a stronger showing vs. Oklahoma during the Big 12 championship.

3- Colt Brennan- I don't buy the "product of the system" jargon. He clearly put that team on his shoulders and elevated their level of play. Only QB not to lose a game in 2007. He started his career backing up Matt Leinart in High School and wnet to Colorado as a walk-on. Had some trouble there and after a stint at a JC went to the Aloha state. Bonus points cleaning up his life but loses some by not playing tougher schedule...not his fault but still counts against him.

2-Darren McFadden-Back-to-back #2 finishes, was runner up to Troy Smith in '06. Accounted for 20 TD's ( 15 rushing, 4 passing, and 1 receiving). Had a huge game when it counted the most upsetting LSU and had a better statistical season than '06. Had a few supbar games which hurt his standing. He should have won it last year as a sophomore.

And the winner is TIM TEBOW...he has become a legend in Gatorland even more so than the ole ball coach (the '68 Heisman winner). You will hear another of the "system QB" bologna with Tebow but no one has ever had a season like his no matter what his age is. Completed over 68% of his passes for over 3,000 yards 29 TD's and only 6 picks. Also rushed for 800 yards and a mind boggling 22 TD's (7 more than McFadden who actually is a RB). No player in Bowl Subdivision (which is really I-A) has ever been a 20-20 man. No player was more important to his team and despite the fact that he is only a sophomore, Tim Tebow is your Heisman winner.