Conference play is just beginning, but already several of the nation's top players have begun to boost their chances of winning college football's most prestigious individual award: the Heisman Trophy. Here's a look at how the top candidates stack up as the season heats up.
The Frontrunner
Tim Tebow, QB Florida
Whether it's fair or not, history indicates Heisman voters pay extra attention to a candidate if his team is a title contender, and the defending champion Gators have certainly proven that thus far in 2007. Florida struggled to defeat Ole Miss this past weekend, but Tebow was phenomenal. The sophomore quarterback threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns, while also running for 166 yards and scoring two rushing touchdowns. Through four games, Tebow has accounted for 17 of Florida's touchdowns, 10 through the air as well as seven on the ground. Over the next four weeks, however, he faces three very tough road games - at No. 2 LSU, at No. 14 Kentucky and at No. 15 Georgia - that will make or break his Heisman chances.
The Contenders
Steve Slaton, RB West Virginia
Slaton, like Tebow, is a player who will receive a boost in the voting due to the strong season the Mountaineers have had thus far. The junior running back has rushed for 502 yards through four games and leads all Division 1-A running backs with nine touchdowns. This upcoming week will be his first true test as No. 5 West Virginia faces its first ranked opponent of the year, No. 18 South Florida. The Bulls have not allowed more than 62 rushing yards to any player this year, so Slaton could open some eyes if he can eclipse the 100-yard mark for the fifth-straight game and find his way into the end zone.
Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas
If the voters do indeed pay attention to team success, McFadden's chances may be falling. The Razorbacks have lost two straight against No. 22 Alabama and No. 14 Kentucky and continue to plummet in the standings. Despite the fact that the junior running back has eclipsed 150 yards rushing in all three games this year, he has only scored four touchdowns. Another area that could hurt McFadden is that he is not a dual threat as a receiver out of the backfield a la Reggie Bush. While his 519 rushing yards this year rank fifth in Division 1-A, he is going to need more total touchdowns to boost his case. He will, however, have a great opportunity to rack up some gaudy numbers in the next couple games against doormats North Texas and Chattanooga.
Work To Be Done
Brian Brohm, QB Louisville
Brohm is another player whose team continues to plummet in the standings after consecutive losses against Kentucky and Syracuse. However, in head coach Steve Kragthorpe's pass-heavy offense, Brohm continues to put up big numbers. In last weekend's shootout against the Orangemen, he threw for 555 yards and four touchdowns. Through four games, he has thrown for 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. Brohm should continue to add to his resumé in the coming weeks in relatively easy non-conference games against North Carolina State and Utah. However, since the Big East does not gather as much respect from a national perspective as larger conferences, how he plays against top 25 teams such as No. 5 West Virginia, No. 24 Cincinnati, No. 10 Rutgers and No. 18South Florida will ultimately make or break his case.
Pat White, QB West Virginia
White is a bit of a wildcard in the Heisman race, as he has several factors working against him, as well as some notable deficiencies. One area that will certainly hurt his case is the argument that White has not thrown for 200 yards in any of his first four games. He also has only six touchdown passes. However, the junior quarterback has yet to throw an interception this year, and has the reputation of being a dual threat out of the backfield. He has rushed for 286 yards and six touchdowns this year, proving to voters that he can get it done both through the air and on the ground. However, his Heisman campaign may be overshadowed by his teammate Slaton in the same way USC's Matt Leinart was overshadowed by teammate Reggie Bush in the 2005 voting.
Other Guys To Keep An Eye On: Colt Brennan, QB Hawaii; Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky; Ray Rice, RB Rutgers; John David Booty, QB USC.
