1. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama–56 (9)

2. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame–26 (1)

3. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas–25

4. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida–23 (1)

5. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska–15 (1)

6. Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame–10 (1)

Case Keenum, QB, Houston–10

8. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State–8

Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State–8

10. Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee–4

Others receiving votes: Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia–3; C.J Spiller, RB, Clemson–2; Ryan Williams, RB, Va. Tech–2; Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State–1; Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh–1; Matt Barkley, QB, USC–1

About the Poll
 
The HeismanPundit.com Heisman Poll is made up of 13 Heisman voters from across the country. They vote for five players each week. Tabulations are made on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis, with five points awarded for a first-place vote, four points for a second-place vote and so on.  Last year’s final Heismanpundit poll was the most accurate in the country, picking five of the top six finishers in the Heisman vote, including the winner.

Members of the panel include: Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel, Teddy Greenstein and Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune, Olin Buchanan and Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com, Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman, Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com, J.B. Morris of ESPN the Magazine, Austin Murphy, B.J. Schecter and Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated, plus Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News. 

Chris Huston of HeismanPundit.com coordinates and also votes in the poll.
 
HP’s Thoughts
 
Mark Ingram has taken a commanding lead in the race and he should stay there for at least another week as Alabama uses a bye in preparation for LSU on Nov. 7.    It appears Tim Tebow’s quest for a second Heisman is in major jeopardy unless he can turn things around soon.  In the meantime, Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clausen have gained ground and one of them should emerge as the quarterback alternative to Ingram.  October has been a rough month for most of the Heisman field and, as a result, it looks like this race could go down to the wire.
 
Heisman Game of the Week
 
No. 3 Texas at No. 13 Oklahoma State–Preseason favorite McCoy had a strong outing against Missouri last week and might be back on track after a rather erratic first half of the season.  The Cowboys are the last ranked team on the Texas schedule, so it’s vital that McCoy play well–Heisman voters will be watching.   It’s also a golden opportunity for McCoy to whittle away at Ingram’s lead while ‘Bama is on that bye week.

Player to Watch

Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska–It’s been 18 seasons since a defensive tackle finished among the top five in the Heisman vote.  That player was Steve Emtman of Washington.  Suh has a chance to join him in that elite group if he keeps playing like he has been.  Suh is amazingly active for an interior player, leading the Cornhuskers (or tying for the lead) in 10 defensive categories, including tackles (44), tackles for loss (10), sacks (4), pass breakups (7), interceptions (1) and blocked field goals (2).

This Week in Heisman History
 
Unbeaten Ole Miss held a 3-0 lead over unbeaten LSU five minutes into the fourth quarter on Halloween night, 1959.  A Jake Gibbs punt was fielded at the LSU 11-yard line by Tiger halfback Billy Cannon, who proceeded to wiggle his way through numerous tacklers en route to a miraculous 89-yard return for a touchdown.  The score turned out to be the difference in LSU’s classic 7-3 victory and it clinched Cannon’s eventual Heisman triumph.

The computers aren't exactly in love with USC yet -- ranking them 11th. Both human polls (USA Today and Harris) rank USC 4th, enough to keep the Trojans ahead of TCU, but not Boise State, Cincinnati, and Iowa.

1 Florida (6-0)
2 Alabama (7-0)
3 Texas (6-0)
4 Boise State (are...)
5 Cincinnati (you...)
6 Iowa (kidding...)
7 USC (6-1)
8 TCU (6-0)
9 LSU (5-1)
10 Miami (5-1)

USC is the top-ranked 1-loss team. Oregon (5-1) falls just one spot outside the top-10 even with a better computer ranking than the Trojans. Because the computers almost like Arizona (4-2) as much as USC, the Cats land the 22nd spot, despite being ranked 37th and 40th in the Harris and USA Today. If they can hold or improve that spot, it should be a quality opponent for USC to end its schedule with.

If USC wins out and gets hosed, you can bet your ass we'll be doing a second run on the BCS: Beyond Common Sense shirts.

2009 Week 1 BCS Standings

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Alabama (-6) over Ole Miss

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Texas (-32.5) over Colorado

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Michigan (+8) over Iowa

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LSU (+9) over Florida

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Texas (-32.5) over Colorado
Michigan (+8) over Iowa
LSU (+9) over Florida

Gameday heads all think the Alabama-Mississippi game will be really close. It's enough to scare us out of putting this early game in the parlay.

Colorado sucks. Toledo hung 54 on them this year.

We avoided the Wolverine trap that everyone fell into last week picking them over Michigan State. This week we think Michigan keeps it close enough against an undefeated Iowa team that hasn't played anyone (unless you count Penn State).

LSU plus 9 points. This is Florida's toughest and only opponent they play all season. They probably pull out a gutty win in corndog country.

Tim Brown's thoughts on the possibility of Tebow not playing in BetUS's BetFlix after the jump.

A look at how prognosticators from around the country view this week's games.

Tim Sullivan, New York Post: Ignore what happened last weekend in Eugene. California has had Saturday's game against USC circled on the calendar all season. This is the Golden Bears' day to shine, so give the points and enjoy the ride.

Double D, Boston Herald: Georgia has been a turnover machine in its first four games, with 12 fumbles and interceptions resulting in a turnover ratio of minus-9. Louisiana State has done just the opposite with a turnover rate of plus-7. Take the points and the Bayou Bengals.

Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: Dave Wannstedt is up to his old tricks. His Pittsburgh Panthers are road favorites Friday night against Louisville. This one is easy. Take the Cardinals. In the Pacific 10, Wilner likes UCLA and the points at Stanford.

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Hlastradamus is rising. He was 3-2 last week, and with a record like that, you can go anywhere in this world. Except North Korea. Their ruler is funny about uninvited guests showing up. Load up on Northwestern against Purdue.

John Werner, Waco Tribune-Herald: Miami's schedule has been particularly grueling, so you have to wonder if it's wearing down the Hurricanes. The pick is Oklahoma, 28-17.

Heisman Pundit: A letdown by Houston? Not going to happen. The Cougars have way too much firepower and will bury Texas El Paso, 49-24.

Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News: Here's another vote for Oklahoma to beat Miami, but the Sooners, minus Sam Bradford, won't cover the number.

Phil Steele: His top 25 forecast calls for LSU to become the latest team to be knocked out of the top 5. Georgia 27, LSU 20.

College Injury Report: A look at who is hurt and who is healthy.

Get the latest college numbers from Doc's Sports. Also check Doc's for the latest NFL numbers.

For complete TV listings, check Matt Sarzyniak's Sports.

Visit the Wiz's Resources page for all your reference needs.

Selections to be added to this post later on Friday as they become available. Please check back.

2. USC

3. Alabama

4. Texas

5. Penn State

6. Brigham Young

7. California

8. Ole Miss

9. LSU

10. Boise State

On the Cusp:  Ohio State, Virginia Tech, Oregon State, Houston, Miami

1. Barkley on a big stage: USC's freshman quarterback passed his first test against San Jose State, but things will be much tougher for Matt Barkley at Ohio State. It's hard to imagine he won't struggle, but if he shines and leads the Trojans into the national title chase, buckle up for the hype that will commence.
2. Prince of Rocky Top: Speaking of young quarterbacks, UCLA's redshirt freshman Kevin Prince is not as young as Barkley but his supporting casts is much younger, and Neyland Stadium at Tennessee is just as tough as the Horseshoe, even if the Volunteers are a step or two behind the Buckeyes. How will Prince and the Bruins O-line perform on the road, where UCLA traditionally struggles?
3. Take three on young QBs: Not to establish a theme or anything, but redshirt freshman Andrew Luck leads Stanford across the country for an early PDT kickoff at Wake Forest with a chance for the Cardinal to announce to the college football world that they are again a contender not to be trifled with.
4. Ducks Blounted: Oregon needs to beat Purdue to salvage its season. That sounds extreme, but the Ducks are back at home and they are a vastly superior team. If they don't prevail, it won't be because the better team won. It will be because the Ducks suffered a Boise State hangover that could well last the entire season. If Oregon wins, they likely will be able to look at the schedule ahead and know they have a lot to play for. Shoot, a victory over Utah on Sept. 19 should get them back into the top-25.
5. Secondary test for Beavers: The first order of business is can Oregon State's rebuilt secondary thwart a strong UNLV receiving corps -- Ryan Wolfe and Phillip Payne are a Pac-10-worthy combination. The second is can the Beavers win an early-season nonconference game on the road? Their recent track record -- LSU, Boise State, Louisville, Cincinnati, Penn State, Utah -- isn't good. If Oregon State does prevail, it will be 2-0 and a long way toward not repeating a 2-3 start for the fourth consecutive year.
6. Huskies winning streak: It might not last long -- USC comes to town on Sept. 19 -- but Washington should be on a one-game winning streak by Saturday afternoon with Idaho coming to town. That winning streak, obviously, will end a 15-game losing streak. It will be interesting to see if the Huskies pounce with a relentless hunger to win or if they are flat after the emotional effort vs. LSU.
7. Cougars offense steps up: Hawaii needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat Central-Arkansas, an FCS program. The Warriors only have two starters back on defense. They are projected to finish in the bottom half of the WAC. This is a prime time for the Cougars to get a win. It would be a particularly good time for the offense, which showed some life against Stanford, to put up some numbers -- and points, which might mean either Kevin Lopina or Marshall Lobbestael would establish himself as the starter.
8. Best 200 before the half?: Cal didn't need Jahvid Best in the second half of its blowout win over Maryland. But if his Heisman Trophy candidacy is going to pick up steam, he might want to post some fancy numbers against FCS team Eastern Washington. Or maybe coach Jeff Tedford wants to rest him before the Bears head to Minnesota.
9. Passing Wildcats: Arizona is going to beat Northern Arizona, but the Wildcats night won't be a success unless they walk into the post-game locker room feeling good about their quarterback situation before heading to Iowa. That means a quality, confidence-building outing for Matt Scott and some good reps for backup Nick Foles.
10. Nonconference tests: When the smoke clears Saturday, how will the Pac-10 stand up to against a tough nonconference schedule? There are six games here that are "losable." If USC goes down, the conference won't have much say in the national championship race, unless Cal surges. If UCLA gets whipped at Tennessee, the SEC folks will howl with delight. If Stanford goes down at Wake Forest, it will be played as "the Pac-10 lacks depth." If Oregon loses to Purdue, the Chip Kelly doubters will be out in force. If the Huskies lose to Idaho, all the goodwill from the LSU game will go splat. If Oregon Sate loses at UNLV, the Mountain West will start crowing again. If the Cougars lose to Hawaii, the specter of a winless season will appear. There's lots at stake this weekend.

1. Kelly green or blue: Chip Kelly makes his debut as Oregon's head coach at Boise State in a matchup of ranked teams on ESPN. If the Ducks look well-prepared and poised and -- most important -- win, the majority of questions about whether Kelly was ready to take over for Mike Bellotti will go away. If they are sloppy and lose, well, Kelly will experience his first heat since making a huge splash as the offensive coordinator in 2007.
2. Can Sarkisian's Huskies compete? Some folks have been, curiously, touting Washington's capability to upset visiting LSU. Hmm. While there's a strong sense that the Huskies, particularly with the return of a healthy Jake Locker at quarterback, are significantly better than their 0-12 record from 2008 would indicate, being significantly better than winless means only a couple of wins, not an upset of an SEC superpower. The big picture matters here, even more than how Locker looks as a pro-style quarterback: Will the Huskies fight and claw for four quarters and keep this one respectable?
3. Best for first: Perhaps California running back Jahvid Best's worst memory from 2008 was his performance at Maryland. Not only did he have only 25 yards on 10 carries, he also got smashed on a pass play and threw up while the TV cameras were on him. Well, the Terrapins are coming to Memorial Stadium with a rebuilding defense, and Best is supposed to be the West Coast's leading Heisman Trophy candidate. Good time for him to break out a few highlight-reel runs so his post-game film and YouTube clips are better this time.
4. Can Wulff's Cougars compete? Much like its hated cross-state rivals, Washington State is trying to return to the realm of respectability after a dismal 2-11 finish last season, which included a 58-0 pasting at Stanford. While the Cougars will tell you they are going for the upset, the real mission here is to keep the score respectable and fight for four quarters. If the Cardinal again run over the Cougars -- this time in front of a Martin Stadium crowd -- the heat might turn up on Wulff, whether that is fair or not.
5. Says Barkley, "Hello world!" While the game might not be terribly thrilling, USC's matchup with San Jose State will be the debut of super-frosh quarterback Matt Barkley, who takes over the premier position in college football as an 18-year-old. If Barkley is lights-out, then Heisman talk will begin and the hype before the Trojans visit Ohio State will be epic. If Barkley struggles, then the hand-wringing and second-guessing will begin and the hype before the Trojans visit Ohio State will be epic.
6. Who the heck is Arizona's quarterback? Perhaps Arizona coach Mike Stoops will send out a quarterback against Central Michigan with a mask on and a "?" for his number. While most signs point to Matt Scott getting the start and Nick Foles seeing some action, Stoops has refused to reveal who will take the first snap. His most definitive statement is both will play. Maybe. The Chippewas are not a team to take lightly, so the hope is whoever is at quarterback will capably lead the offense. The guess here is Stoops and offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes would like to have a true starter before the trip to Iowa on Sept. 19.
7. Prince or pauper on offense? UCLA's redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince makes his debut against San Diego State -- L.A. fires permitting -- and Bruins fans are hoping last year's horrible offensive showing will be rendered a distant memory as Prince and a youthful offensive line dominate the action. The reality figures to fall short of that as Prince likely will only be as good as his line, which may struggle with three first-time starters going against a peculiar 3-3-5 scheme. If the Bruins can't block the Aztecs, then it won't have much hope against Pac-10 defenses.
8. Secondary test: Portland State won't beat Oregon State, but its high-flying passing attack might test the Beavers' rebuilt secondary. At least a little. In any event, an FCS foe means the Beavers will start 1-0, which is 100 percent better than 2008.
9. Suspended sentence: Arizona State will be missing six or seven suspended players -- coach Dennis Erickson wouldn't be specific -- against Idaho State. And there are injury issues. A good way to get fans' minds off the recent bad news is for the Sun Devils rebuilding offense to push Idaho State around and for new quarterback Danny Sullivan to put up big numbers before yielding to true freshman backup Brock Osweiler in the third quarter.
10. Quarterbacks and offensive lines: Every Pac-10 team has preseason questions either at quarterback or on the offensive line. A few have questions with both. While one weekend won't provide complete answers, it should reveal which teams are going to be OK fairly soon and which teams need work. And who might be in big trouble. If the Pac-10 is going to thrive when the meat of the nonconference schedule hits during the next couple of weeks, it's going to need quarterbacks and O-lines to grow up quickly.

• Arizona has big plans for its athletic facilities. Running QBs have given the Wildcats problems.
• Arizona State has a lot of issues -- suspensions, injuries, NCAA Clearinghouse questions -- as it begins the season. But Dennis Erickson doesn't post consecutive losing seasons.
• Jeff Tedford is learning to embrace the hype at California. Blocking for Jahvid Best.
• Oregon doesn't want a repeat of 2008 at Boise State.
• Oregon State isn't trash-talking Portland State. Beavers video and notes.
• 1,000 yards? Bah! Stanford running back Toby Gerhart wants two grand.
• UCLA isn't worried about its defensive line. Fires -- and air quality -- are still an issue near the Rose Bowl.
• It will be interesting to see who emerges at defensive end for USC. Also in that link: Will Aaron Corp transfer? Joe McKnight will start at tailback.
• Washington's strength & conditioning program, long a program weakness, might be getting better. A walk-on will start at guard for the Huskies against LSU.
• This Washington State notebook is packed with information.

• Returned a senior Heisman contender in his third year as a starter at quarterback.
 • Were subsequently exceptional (and balanced) on offense, finishing in the top six nationally in total yards and scoring.
 • Were ludicrously talented: Miami sent eight players up in the '03 draft (four in the first round), and USC had 11 players taken in the '06 draft (five in the first two rounds, all on offense).
 • Went wire-to-wire on top of both major polls entering the bowl game.

And, of course, both lost classics as relatively substantial favorites (Miami -11 over Ohio State, USC -7 over Texas) in the final game.

The superficial similarities between this year's Gators and the '05 Trojans are really startling -- both are coming off championship wins over Oklahoma in Miami and have no competition whatsoever as the preseason favorite -- down to their Heisman-winning, golden boy quarterbacks taking it easy in the classroom. There's also the "greatest ever?" hype that incensed so many fans ahead of the '06 Rose Bowl, and that looms ominously over the horizon if Florida gets out of Baton Rouge unscathed on Oct. 10. The parallels are hardly lost on Pete Carroll, given the task of throwing cold water on the Washington Times' "Tebow greatest?" story on Tuesday:

"Look, I think Tim Tebow is fabulous, but it seems like just yesterday we were having exactly the same discussion about Matt Leinart and along comes Texas and Vince Young. It can all change in the blink of an eye, so I think we have to let it all play out before we evaluate careers."

I'll sign on to that bit of hindsight/foresight, especially if it means we get a game as enthralling as the '03 Fiesta or '06 Rose bowls this January.

Another interesting corollary between '02 Miami and '05 USC: Both had to come from behind for a literally last-second win over a rival in October (Miami survived an upset bid from Florida State on the "Wide Left" kick; USC has the Bush Push at Notre Dame), and both were somewhat exposed in too-close-for-comfort shootouts late in the season against outmanned Virginia Tech and Fresno State, respectively, widely ignored signs of their eventual demise. Just worth keeping in mind if LSU or Georgia takes the Gators to the brink.

The bleacher report has rated the top 40 best looking student bodies. USC was ranked 3rd. LSU came in 1st. You can see why in the above picture. More photos of other fans after the jump....

To see entire list click here.

College Football's 40 Hottest Fanbases [BleacherReport]

From ESPN.com:

"By the time they offered, I was involved with a lot of other schools," Stills said. "USC was still my top choice but I had already told a few schools I would take a visit there in the fall. My plan all along was to take my trips and then commit to USC and I even told them that.

"Then this week after Robert Woods committed, I talked to the coaches and they said they didn't have room for me. They're supposed to be getting Kyle Prater and they just wanted to take two receivers in this class. They told me they have enough guys at my position and were going in a different direction.

"I was kind of bummed because that was my first choice but at the same time, I know God has a plan for me and I'm going to stick with him on it. I have no regrets and I'm just going to take my visits and find the best place for me."

Can't say I have any sympathy for this kid.  It was earlier in the year that Kenny was telling everyone that SC was his "dream" school and that he would commit to SC right away if he got an offer. Once he finally got that offer, he changed his tune stating that SC "waited a little too long".  Now SC has backed off its offer with the commitment of Robert Woods and the expected commitment of Kyle Prater in a few weeks; both top 3 rated receivers by nearly all recruiting services.

I mentioned back in June that Kenny needed to establish himself as top-tier receiver before he goes off and burns bridges.  Now he no longer has SC as an option and it seems like Florida is following suit; I think it's only a matter of time before LSU and Oklahoma also pull out of the race once they get their commitments from higher priority recruits like Trovon Reed and Darius White respectively.

Going back to SC talk, I think an interesting piece from the quote above is Kenny mentioning that SC only wants to take "two receivers in this class".  That is definitely not a number based on depth; in reality SC could easily take 3 receivers in this class considering there are at least 5 guys leaving after 2010/2011 season, if not sooner.  The speculation is SC got who they wanted in 2010 with Woods and Prater and they are saving a spot for George Farmer (1st priority) and then guys like Antoine Arnold and Victor Blackwell in 2011.

What's our preseason projection for the Pac-10? Probably not many shocks here. This mirrors my vote in the Pac-10 media poll.

1. USC: The Trojans are No. 1 until somebody knocks them off the mountain. With nine starters back on offense, including what might be the nation's best offensive line, there will be plenty of help for the new quarterback. And do you really think USC's defense won't be elite again in 2009? Come on.

2. California: The Bears have 17 starters back from a team that went 9-4 in 2009, including a Heisman Trophy candidate in running back Jahvid Best. The secondary will be one of the nation's best and the defensive line is as good as any in the Pac-10. Replacing three of four linebackers doesn't seem to be causing much stress in Berkeley. The only issue is how much the passing game improves. If it improves significantly, this is a potential BCS bowl team.

3. Oregon: Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and running back LeGarrette Blount give the Ducks a strong one-two punch on offense and an athletic corps of linebackers and cornerback Walter Thurmond and end Will Tukuafu will lead the defense. Both lines are questions that, if answered, could push the Ducks to the top of the conference.

4. Oregon State: Rebuild or reload? The Beavers have transitioned to the latter category, which is why most are overlooking a defense that needs to replace eight starters, including the entire secondary, and an offensive line that must replace three first-rate starters. There are two veteran quarterbacks in Lyle Moevao and Sean Canfield and the explosive Rodgers brothers -- James and Jacquizz -- leading the offense, while tackle Stephen Paea and linebacker Keaton Kristick lead the defense.

5. Arizona: Losing three offensive mainstays -- quarterback Willie Tuitama, receiver Mike Thomas and tackle Eben Britton --- hurts, but the Wildcats should be even better on defense in 2009, and the general feeling is the offense will be solid whether Matt Scott or Nick Foles wins the job. For one, tight end Rob Gronkowski is the best target in the Pac-10.

6. Stanford: The Cardinal have lots of guys back -- 17 -- from a team that fell just short of bowl eligibility in 2008. They also have seven home games after playing just five a year ago. The key is passing -- on offense and defense. Redshirt freshman Andrew Luck is supposed to be the answer for the offense, while an injection of young talent should improve the athleticism in the secondary.

7. UCLA: The Bruins have two big questions: quarterback and offensive line. The defense should be good, led by tackle Brian Price, linebacker Reggie Carter and cornerback Alterraun Verner -- all three are All-American candidates -- but it won't matter if the running game remains anemic. One big reasons for optimism: five offensive players are again available who would have started last year but were out for various reasons back: running back Christian Ramirez, tight end Logan Paulsen, center Kai Maiava, fullback Trevor Theriot and tackle Sean Sheller.

8. Arizona State: Not unlike UCLA, Arizona State has questions at quarterback and on the offensive line while the defense looks solid. Senior Danny Sullivan played well in the spring and looks to be the favorite at quarterback, while new faces could key dramatic improvement on the offensive line. If things fall into place, the Sun Devils could win eight or nine games, but it's hard to project that until the offensive line proves itself.

9. Washington: The good news is the Huskies could be the most-improved team in the conference. Of course, it's hard to regress from an 0-12 season. Moreover, Washington could play much better and still have little to show for it because the nonconfernce schedule features LSU and Notre Dame. Still, the return of 18 starters, as well as quarterback Jake Locker and linebacker E.J. Savannah, suggests the Huskies won't be anyone's patsy this fall.

10. Washington State: The biggest hope for the Cougars lies in a potentially improved running game that could keep a defense that is thin on talent on all three levels off the field. That didn't happen last year -- see an offense that ranked 118th in the country that surrendered 38 turnovers, tied for most in the nation. But there's experience on the offensive line and James Montgomery and Dwight Tardy give the Cougars a pair of solid backs. If either Marshall Lobbestael or Kevin Lopina provides adequate quarterback play, Washington State might surprise some folks.

1. Florida (53)
2. Texas (4)
3. Oklahoma (1)
4. USC (1)
5. Alabama
6. Ohio State
7. Virginia Tech
8. Penn State
9. LSU
10. Mississippi

Follow the jump for the rest of the list.