As the regular season comes to a close, so does the Gameday season. With just one more home game following Saturday's, it's time for National Outlook, the unquestionable authority on matters of college football forecasting, to tackle the two most anticipated issues of college football: the Heisman Trophy and the National Championship.
Check back next week to find out which school will win it all. In the meantime, keep reading to see who will capture the Heisman Trophy.
1. Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma (Sophomore)
Bradford came out of nowhere as a freshman to throw for 36 touchdowns with only eight interceptions, and he has been even better this year. He already has a nation-leading 38 touchdown passes through just 10 games, and he has a through-the-roof passing efficiency rating of 188.9. In five of Oklahoma's 10 contests, Bradford has thrown for at least four touchdowns.
If it weren't for a loss to No. 5 Texas in October, Bradford's squad would still be ranked No. 1. Even that loss was not Bradford's fault, as he posted a passing efficiency rating of 187.2 in the game.
Although the Sooners are ranked three spots behind Graham Harrell's Red Raiders, Gameday is banking on an Oklahoma victory in week 13's showdown between the two teams. Plus, Bradford doesn't carry the stigma that comes with being a Texas Tech quarterback.
The bad news for Bradford is that he has the toughest remaining schedule of the Heisman contenders. Even if the Sooners get past Texas Tech next weekend, the game after is on the road against their dangerous in-state rivals, the No. 13-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys. If Bradford's team wins those two games, they will still likely have to face a tough Missouri in the Big 12 Championship Game.
2. Graham Harrell, QB
Texas Tech (Senior)
Before the season started, Harrell was considered a long-shot for the Heisman Trophy. This isn't because anyone doubted his ability to put up astounding numbers, but because the accolades of Texas Tech quarterbacks are invariably marginalized thanks to the product of the system"" tag. At almost any other time, Harrell's 4,070 yards, 42 total touchdowns and five interceptions still wouldn't have gotten him anywhere near Heisman discussions.
Harrell is an exception to this rule because he has led his team to victory over the best teams in the country. Heading into their eighth game of the season, Tech was written off as the same old pass-happy circus doomed to be outdone by the ""real"" teams, a recurring theme in recent Texas Tech history.
They then beat No. 19 Kansas 63-21. Then they shocked No. 1 ranked Texas in a 38-33 victory, the result of a game-winning touchdown pass by Harrell to sophomore wide receiver Michael Crabtree on the last offensive play of the game. Most recently, they crushed No. 8 Oklahoma State 56-20.
Although no one is smirking at Texas Tech at this point, Harrell still faces at least one more monumental test in his next game as the Red Raiders travel to Sooner-land to face Sam Bradford and the No. 6 Oklahoma team.
3. Colt McCoy, QB
Texas (Junior)
McCoy is different from Bradford and Harrell in that he's a dual threat, leading his team on the ground with 449 yards and seven touchdowns while completing 78 percent of his passes and throwing for 28 touchdowns. Like Bradford, McCoy currently has a passer efficiency rating over 180. Both quarterbacks have passing efficiencies exceeding that of Graham Harrell (169.2).
The problem for McCoy is his team will be remembered not for his accomplishments, but for their heartbreaking loss to Texas Tech on the last offensive play of the game.
Although McCoy performed well enough for the Longhorns to win that game, he still failed to post numbers that were up to his usual standard.
There still may be a silver lining for McCoy, however. Bradford's Sooners may need to face as many as three top-10 teams before the end of the season, and the combination of being a non-Texas Tech quarterback and a threat on the ground may give him an edge over Harrell.
The last two games in Texas' regular season schedule are very manageable contests against Kansas and Texas A&M.
4. Michael Crabtree, WR
Texas Tech (Sophomore)
The sophomore sensation set the college football world on fire as a freshman, catching a shocking 134 passes for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns. His numbers this year have not been as impressive, most likely because of increased attention from defenses, but his presence makes the Texas Tech offense as a whole nearly impossible to contain, let alone stop.
Crabtree has 1,010 yards and 18 touchdowns through 10 games, and his game-winning catch in Tech's upset over Texas will resonate in the memories of college football fans for years. He is almost certainly the most-feared receiver in the nation.
Despite all this, Crabtree is still a wide receiver. Receivers almost always take a backseat to quarterbacks, and this season has been loaded as far as great quarterback performances go.
For Crabtree to get anywhere near the Heisman Trophy, he'll need to post mammoth numbers until the season's end, maybe with another game-winner or two. Even if he does, his candidacy for the Heisman is complicated by the fact that any of his success will be traced to his quarterback, Graham Harrell. The likelihood of Crabtree winning is also hurt by the fact that he's a sophomore.
