Matt Cassel (QB, New England) had the biggest game of his career and was impressive even in defeat. Call it a moral victory. He piled up 400 yards on 30-of-51 passing with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. He added 62 yards on 8 carries, making him the first NFL player to gain 400 yards throwing and 60 yards receiving in the same game. He led the Pats back from an 18 point deficit at halftime, but they eventually fell 34-31 in overtime. No worries. The best game of his career was enough to win over the Sports Guy.

Lofa Tatupu (LB, Seattle) made 9 tackles in a 26-20 loss to Arizona.

LenDale White (RB, Tennessee) carried 14 times for 52 yards in a 24-14 victory over Jacksonville.

Terrell Thomas (CB, NY Giants) had a career-high 5 tackles, one for a loss, in a 30-10 win over Baltimore.

Justin Fargas (RB, Oakland) carried 17 times for 57 yards in a 17-15 loss to Miami.

Willie McGinest (LB, Cleveland) made 5 tackles in a 29-27 Monday night victory over Buffalo.

Steve Smith (WR, NY Giants) caught passes for 12 and 5 yards in the victory over Baltimore.

Frostee Rucker (DE, Cincinnati) made 4 tackles in a 13-13 tie with Philly.

Mike Patterson (DT, Philadelphia) assisted on a pair of tackles in the tie with Cincy.

Brian Kelly (CB, Detroit) had 2 tackles in a 31-22 loss to Carolina.

Shaun Cody (DT, Detroit) made a tackle in the loss to Carolina.

Sedrick Ellis (DT, New Orleans) had a tackle in a 30-20 win over Kansas City.

Lawrence Jackson (DE, Seattle) assisted on a tackle in the loss to Arizona.

Also played: Fred Davis (TE, Washington), Sammy Knight (S, NY Giants), Billy Miller (TE, New Orleans)

Matt Leinart (QB, Arizona) didn't play, as usual. Does it strike anybody else as strange that after he got in for a few minutes in week two, he hasn't even been used in garbage time during three different games decided by 21+ points?

-- Adam Rose
Photo by Luc Leclerc/US Presswire

The Pac-10 blog has often called USC the most-talented team in the nation.

While something like that can't be measured and proclaimed a fact like, say, 2 + 2 = 4 is a fact, most folks without an agenda recognize that as a reasonably true statement.

Some know it to be reasonable true but deny it because they have an agenda. Others make fuzzy arguments and use hackneyed terms like "overrated."

We've also noted that USC would be favored against any other team.

That bothers many folks.

The Pac-10 blog seeks not to bother.

It merely seeks that which is reasonably true amid a maelstrom of regional emotions that are insufficiently governed by a BCS system that often confounds that quest.

So... this from Chris Fowler's column should help everyone who's been confused and bothered by the Pac-10 blog's quest for truth.

Fowler checked in the Wynn sports book in Las Vegas. Here's what he found:

While we're on the topic, here are some of their other thoughts on potential matchups for the BCS title game in Miami:

• Alabama would be an underdog against any of the Big 12 teams it could face. Texas Tech or Texas would be rated about a touchdown favorite and Oklahoma would be favored by 8½. USC would be an 11-point pick over the Tide in by far the most lopsided (on paper) potential title game.
• The Trojans, in fact, would be favored over all potential BCS opponents. OU would be a 2½-point underdog to USC, Texas Tech a 4-point dog, and Texas 5½ points. One of the most evenly matched title games would be USC and Florida, with the Gators a 1½-point underdog.

This doesn't mean that USC should, necessarily, be rated ahead of any other one-loss team questing for inclusion in the BCS title chase.

It merely means that folks who insist that USC shouldn't be included in the discussion are not taking a reasonably true position.

Matt Cassel (QB, New England)

LenDale White (RB, Tennessee) led the Titans with 14 rushing yards. That wasn't too impressive, but his touchdown was his 11th of the season. He also made a six yard catch. Tennessee excaped Chicago, 21-14, to remain undefeated.

Mike Patterson (DT, Philadelphia) only had one tackle, but grabbed his first career interception (complete with a 21 yard return) and recovered a fumble in a 36-31 loss to the NY Giants.

Justin Fargas (RB, Oakland) is doing the best under the circumstances, gaining 89 yards on 22 carries and 9 on a reception. He also had a fumble in the Raiders' 17-6 loss to Carolina.

Lofa Tatupu (LB, Seattle) made 9 tackles in a 21-19 loss to Miami.

Billy Miller (TE, New Orleans) nabbed 5 receptions for 65 yards in a 34-20 loss to Atlanta.

Reggie Bush (RB, Saints) is expected back from knee surgery for next week's game against Kansas City.

Willie McGinest (LB, Cleveland) made 7 tackles, one behind the line of scrimmage, in a 34-30 loss to Denver.

Sedrick Ellis (DT, New Orleans) made 5 tackles in the loss to Atlanta. He also got a nice writeup in the Times-Picayune.

Troy Polamalu (S, Pittsburgh) had 4 tackles in a 24-20 loss to Indianapolis.

Steve Smith (WR, NY Giants) caught a 12 yard reception in the win over Philly.

Terrell Thomas (LB, NY Giants) had 3 tackles in the victory over the Eagles.

Keary Colbert (WR, Seattle) made an 11 yard reception in the loss to Miami.

Lawrence Jackson (DE, Seattle) had one tackle in the loss to Miami.

Brian Kelly (CB, Detroit) made on tackle in a 38-14 loss to Jacksonville.

Also played: Thomas Williams (LB, Jacksonville)

-- Adam Rose
Photo by Elise Amendola/AP

Posted by ESPN.com's Ted Miller

In Los Angeles, everyone asks USC about the BCS. In Berkeley, everyone asks California about big, bad USC.

Trojans coach Pete Carroll practically had to beg this week for questions about the Bears, who visit the Coliseum on Saturday. Meanwhile, Cal coach Jeff Tedford admitted that his best efforts to treat USC like just another game likely would fail to register with his team.

"They're not going to buy that," he said after Cal dispatched Oregon last weekend. "They will know that we have to prepare the same no matter whom we play every week, but when you go down to play USC, you have a tendency to get really hyped up."

That's where we are. USC is trying to keep the focus on Cal, while Cal doesn't want to think too much about the Trojans.

USC, 24-0 in November under Carroll, dropped two spots to seventh in the latest BCS standings after beating winless Washington 56-0. The win over Oregon propelled Cal into the standings at No. 21.

USC is Cal's biggest hurdle toward earning the program its first Rose Bowl berth since 1959.

The grumpy Trojans see Cal as an opportunity to make a statement to pollsters that they are the nation's best team, even if their schedule makes it difficult to prove that.

As for the Rose Bowl, it's "officially" USC's first goal every season.

Only the Trojans played in Pasadena four of the past five years, the lone break in the annual routine being a trip to Miami to secure a second consecutive national championship after the 2004 season.

That's why it seems the set-in-stone party line of "don't talk about the BCS" was deviated from this week around Heritage Hall. <!--more-->

"Every one talks about [the BCS standings] here and there -- 'We're winning but we're dropping -- we might as well lose!'" linebacker Rey Maualuga said. "To me, you can only control what you can control, which is win every game.

"Then again, all the veterans are getting tired of seeing Disneyland and all the same stuff we've been seeing the past couple of years. That national title is why we all came back to take this team towards. But sometimes things just don't go your way."

Or as Carroll said this week when asked about the BCS system, "I think it stinks. I don't think it's the way it should be."

California thinks it stinks that USC wins the Pac-10 every year. The Bears finished second in 2004 and 2006 (officially tied with the Trojans but lost the head-to-head matchup), and are sensing opportunity.

That's part of the reason players, such as running back Jahvid Best, amid the euphoria of the victory over Oregon, said they started thinking about USC the second after the clock struck zero.

Best initially tried to retreat from that position Wednesday. He briefly parroted the notion that it was "just another important Pac-10 game."

It didn't take much prodding, though, to get him to own up to his and his teammates true feelings. He even noted that the increased traffic on his MySpace and Facebook pages were constant reminders of how hungry Bears fans are to beat the Trojans for the first time since a triple-overtime win in 2003.

"It obviously is a little bit more but we don't want to blow it out of proportion," Best said. "We don't want to get caught up in all the hype."

Last year, a beleaguered Cal team that had lost three of four after earning a No. 2 national ranking dug deep and fought hard in a rain-soaked battle with the Trojans.

Trailing by seven with just under three minutes left with a first-down on the USC 36-yard line, Cal quarterback Nate Longshore threw an interception, his second of the game, that clinched a 24-17 win for USC.

It's a moment many Cal fans point to as why they favor Kevin Riley over Longshore at quarterback. Yet, with Riley just returning to practice Wednesday after suffering a concussion against Oregon, it's possible that Longshore will get one more shot at the Trojans.

Of course, whoever plays quarterback will have a formidable task ahead. The Bears will face the nation's best defense with a beaten up offensive line and a receiving corps that has been inconsistent much of the season, and that's not even mentioning that Best is nursing elbow, foot and ankle injuries.

"There's really no chinks in their armor," Tedford said. "You've just got to make plays. If you are one-on-one, sometimes it's just your guy against their guy and hopefully you can make some plays."

One of the ways the Bears can make plays is on defense. Cal is tied with North Carolina with the most interceptions in the nation (17) and is No. 1 in the Pac-10 in turnover margin.

If USC has shown any weakness, it's an inconsistent offense led by quarterback Mark Sanchez, who runs hot and cold.

"I've learned some tough lessons but we've been winning," Sanchez said. "More than anything I've just had a couple of off-nights. There's a couple of passes that I want back that could have changed the whole outlook of the game in every contest where I haven't been my best."

Cal's best hope is another bad night for Sanchez.

Mistakes, in fact, typically decide games when opponents challenge USC.

If the Trojans are too focused on the big picture, or the Bears get too hyped for the big, bad Trojans, then that could break things one way or the other.

Here are the most interesting stories in the AFC North:

• Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reports Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer will not have surgery on his injured right elbow, but simply plans to rest until it feel betters.

Morning take: We're hearing that it's just a strain, which is good news. We've been saying for at least a week now that Palmer needs to sit long term until things feel right. There's no reason in his case to rush back on the field.

• Speaking of the Bengals, in the battle of No. 85s Gene Collier of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says the Steelers' Nate Washington is doing better than Cincinnati Bengals' Pro Bowl receiver Chad Ocho Cinco.

Morning take: We're not sure this is a fair statement. Collier doesn't take into account the amount of attention Chad Ocho Cinco draws, and the single coverage Nate Washington often faces. Washington plays his role well in Pittsburgh, but the Bengals' 8-5 remains the better player.

• Jamison Hensley of the Baltimore Sun writes the Ravens desperately need to break their three-game losing streak Sunday against the Miami Dolphins.

Morning take: This is an intriguing matchup of a pair of 2-3 teams in the AFC. Both clubs are just a few plays away from 4-1, and now the Ravens and Dolphins battling each other to stay in contention.

• Tony Grossi of the Cleveland Plain Dealer believes the Browns' secondary is now a position of strength.

Morning take: Indeed, this unit is growing up fast. And it's doing it without safety Sean Jones, who has been the quarterback of the secondary. That's the surprising part.

Matt Cassel (QB, New England)

Reggie Bush (RB, New Orleans) is still a human highlight reel, but also still not an every down back. He returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown with ridiculous speed -- and a taunting wave. On offense he ran 10 times for 28 yards and made 7 receptions for 63 yards. The Saints lost to Washington, 29-24.

LenDale White (RB, Tennessee) split carries with Chris Johnson, but touched the rock 18 time for 59 yards and a touchdown.

Lawrence Jackson (DE, Seattle) had a big day. The rookie made 5 tackles, but, most impressively, had two sacks in a 33-30 overtime loss to San Francisco.

Troy Polamalu (S, Pittsburgh) overcame hamstring trouble to make 4 tackles and an interception in a 10-6 victory over Clevelend.

Keith Rivers (LB, Cincinnati) made 8 tackles in the loss to Tennessee.

Carson Palmer (QB, Cincinnati) doesn't seem his old self. After a lousy game last week, he was only 16-of-27 for 134 yards and 2 interceptions in a 24-7 loss to Tennessee. He also injured his ankle in the second half.

Justin Fargas (RB, Oakland) have 97 yards in week one and was holding off rookie Darren McFadden pretty well. Then he pulled his groing in the second quarter this week against Kansas City and McFadden had a great day. Before leaving, Fargas had 43 yards on 9 touches in a 23-8 victory.

Lofa Tatupu (LB, Seattle) made 5 tackles in the loss to the Niners.

Steve Smith (WR, NY Giants) made catches of 11 and 8 yards, as well as a tackle after a turnover. New York won 41-13 over St. Louis.

Matt Leinart (QB, Arizona) saw mop-up duty in a 31-10 victory over Miami. He completed a 15 yard pass on 2 attempts. Kurt Warner seems to have the job on lock for now.

Fred Davis (TE, Washington) saw the first pro action of his career and made a 6 yard catch in the victory over New Orleans.

Frostee Rucker (DE, Cincinnati) made 5 tackles in the loss to the Titans.

Sedrick Ellis (DT, New Orleans) made 4 tackles in the loss to Washington.

Brian Kelly (CB, Detroit) had three tackles in a 48-25 loss to Green Bay.

Willie McGinest (LB, Cleveland) made one tackle in the loss to Pittsburgh.

LaJuan Ramsey (DE, Indianapolis) had a tackle in an 18-15 win over Minnesota.

Also played: Sammy Knight (S, NY Giants).

Monday Night Football: Mike Patterson (DT, Philadelphia) will be playing against Dallas.

-- Adam Rose
Photo by Rich Kane / US Presswire

1. Chris Wells, Ohio State–Things are getting tricky when it comes to analyzing Wells’ chance at the Heisman. At this point, there are a ton of variables in play. First off, he is hurt. Second, most of us don’t know how healthy he will be against USC on Saturday. Third, he has gained a slight advantage in that a loss to USC could be seen as the result of his being hurt, thus increasing his perceived worth to his team. Fourth, a win over USC with Wells making a minimal contribution could hurt his perceived worth to his team (they still won even though he was hurt? He must not be that important). Fifth, he could potentially have a Willis Reed type of moment, gutting out a winning touchdown, for instance, while not necessarily performing well in the overall game due to being hobbled. Thus a premium would be placed on his guttiness in the clutch. Last, he could just end up being a complete non-factor, but I think he now has a built in excuse and so won’t be dramatically penalized by the voters for it. So, you see all the ways to look at it? The fact that there are so many possibilities is a testament to the high stakes of the game this Saturday vs. USC. Unless Wells and Ohio State have a total meltdown, I believe he is unlikely to be eliminated from the race by virtue of his injury.

That’s because after USC, the Buckeyes will move on to the Big Ten schedule and, assuming he is healthy, Beanie will pile up a ton of yardage. Even if he has a rough game against the Trojans, he is likely to come back and put up 1,700-plus yards, which would at least make him a legitimate candidate, especially if the Buckeyes are undefeated or headed for the BCS title game once again.

Last week: Injured. Season: 13 carries, 111 yards, 8.5 ypc, 1 TD

2. Chase Daniel, Missouri–Daniel is moving closer to taking the lead in the Heisman Watch. He’s been exemplary so far and the Tigers have played well. What more can you ask for? If Wells stumbles against USC, he’ll be the front runner for the Heisman.

Then, all he has to do is keep winning. No small task.

Last week: 16 of 17, 245 yards, 3 TDs, 1 int. Season: 42 of 62, 568 yards, 6 TDs, 1 int., 9 carries, 46 yards

3. Mark Sanchez, USC–Sanchez is a shaky No. 3 right now. Let’s face it, he’s had one game. But the Ohio State game is such a high-profile affair, he is in a unique situation to capitalize. After Saturday, he could be out of the race, or sitting at the top.

Just a couple of the benefits/pitfalls to being the quarterback for the No. 1 team.

Last week: Off Season: 26 of 35, 338 yards, 3 TDs, 1 int.

4. Colt McCoy, Texas–McCoy is quietly off to a nice start for the Longhorns, but he will stay a few slots back in the race until the Oklahoma and Missouri games play out. Those two games could go a long way in determining this year’s winner.

Last week: 20 of 29, 282 yards, 4 TDs, 1 int Season: 44 of 58, 504 yards, 7 TDs, 1 int, 17 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD

5. Matt Stafford, Georgia–Stafford looks to be maturing as a quarterback and is off to his best start yet. There will be no shortage of big games for him to show his stuff. For now, he’s a candidate as long as UGA is undefeated.

Last week: 18 of 28, 213 yards, 2 TDs, 0 ints. Season: 31 of 49, 488 yards, 4 TDs, 0 ints.

6. Percy Harvin, Florida–Harvin came back against Miami, but didn’t set the world on fire. He’s got one more week to show his stuff, or else the clock will run out on his Heisman hopes.

Last week/Season: 5 carries, 27 yards, 1 TD, 1 catch, 12 yards

7. Stafon Johnson, USC–Johnson had minimal impact against Virginia, but he’s got this big game against Ohio State to do his thing. While USC seems determined to make all its tailbacks happy, it will go with the hot hand when necessary. If Johnson does not break out against OSU, he’s off this list for good.

Last week: Off Season: 9 carries, 28 yards, 1 TD

8. Pat White, West Virginia–White is hanging by a thread in the race after his WVU team lost to East Carolina, 24-3. He was shut down for the most part and it looks like WVU is really missing Coach Rod. Unless the Mountaineers run the table the rest of the way, White won’t have a shot.

Last week: 11 of 18, 72 yards, 0 TDs, 0 ints, 97 yards on 20 carries. Season: 36 of 51 for 280 yards, 5 TDs, 1 int., 29 carries, 160 yards, 0 TDs.

Dropped Out: Graham Harrell–For Harrell to have a shot at winning, he had to break NCAA records for yards and TDs in a season. With just 3 TDs in two games, that looks unlikely right now.

If the Vote were Held Today

1. Tim Tebow

2. Chase Daniel

3. Chris Wells

4. Knowshon Moreno

5. Mark Sanchez

6. Pat White

7. Graham Harrell

8. Jahvid Best

9. Matt Stafford

10. Percy Harvin

SC has to make sure that the offensive line needs to give Sanchez the time he needs to get the play to develop. I know it sounds like a broken record but this week it is absolutely key. The OSU defense will throw a lot of things at this relatively new offensive line. They performed flawlessly against Virginia but this is a whole new level of talent.

Ends Lawrence Wilson (6 feet 4, 274 pounds) and Cameron Heyward (6-6, 287) and tackles Nader Abdallah (6-4, 300) and Todd Denlinger (6-2, 292) present an entirely different look than Virginia, a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Byers anticipates typical Big Ten smash-mouth style from the Buckeyes.

"They get big guys and they pound each other, that's what they do in the Big Ten," Byers said.

Like USC, Ohio State features outstanding linebackers. James Laurinaitis is in the middle flanked by Marcus Freeman and Ross Homan.

Ohio State intercepted four passes and recovered a fumble against Ohio. Co-defensive coordinators Jim Heacock and Luke Fickell are expected to turn the defense loose against Sanchez, who only a month ago suffered a dislocated left kneecap in practice.

This is match-up that concerns me the most. Wilson and Heyward are beasts and they are fast so they have to be contained in order for Sanchez to get things going. Like I said they are going to throw everything including the kitchen sink at Sanchez. He is going to get more pressure than anything he saw against UVA so he is going to have keep his composure if things get dicey in the pocket.

I know SC's O line sees some similar type play against our defense in practice but its always different in a real game. Combine their line with a stout linebacking corps led by James Laurinaitis and you can see how this will be the most important battle to watch.

The Ohio State Defense as a whole has come under some criticism for their lack of fire on the field lately and this was pretty evident against Ohio. But that is not enough for me to take them lightly.

Talk about split personality. Either they can’t adjust to game speed after 2 months off or the defensive plan has just been pathetic. If I see Ohio State try to keep USC in front of them by lining up in a line 15 yards off the line of scrimmage, I may turn off the TV. Give up a big play, who cares? Just do something. The defense has made exactly one big play in the past 3 losses (Malcolm Jenkins INT, give that man the ball). If we don’t see more physicality from the defense, we might as well sign up for a Miami failure. James Laurinaitis being taken out of a play by a LSU WR is embarrassing.

Yes they have had problems performing at the highest level in some big games but there is a history here between these two teams as we have battled it out before so I am not ready to dismiss them yet.

They have always had problems defending the spread and dealing with mobile QB's but that is not what we run so tOSU will be able to play a more standard defensive scheme against SC. If they get some pressure look for a lot of dump passes out of the backfield to Havili or McKnight.

Outside of the O line the key players to watch will C.J. Gable for his blocking abilities, Anthony McCoy to stick with his blocking assignments yet still be available for a quick dump pass or neutralizing the LB to give the running back some room to break through and of course Mark Sanchez to see if he maintains his composure and how his knee holds up.

A lot of people think that SC just has too many weapons not to win or that the weak link in the Ohio State chain is quarterback Todd Boeckman and his ability to make plays but to me its the little things and this will be THE key matchup that SC has to control in order for SC to win.

1.  Chris Wells, Ohio State–Wells holds on to the top spot this week, as we’re taking his word that his foot is going to be okay.  He most likely will miss the Ohio game this weekend, but that shouldn’t affect his Heisman chances too much, as there is a precedent for Heisman winners missing early-season games (namely Charles White and Bo Jackson).  It will, however, increase the stakes for the huge matchup the following Saturday at No. 1 USC.  He must do well (100+ yards) in a Buckeye win, or go crazy (180+ yards) in a close Buckeye loss, to solidify his status as the Heisman frontrunner.

Last week:    13 carries, 111 yards, 8.5 ypc, 1 TD against Youngstown State

2. Chase Daniel, Missouri–Daniel got off to a great start to his season with a nice performance in an exciting win over a ranked Illinois squad.   It’s pretty clear that Daniel is going to have the numbers needed to win the Heisman, barring injury.  If he can lead his team to the Big 12 title, then he should finish no worse than second and could even win the trophy.  The next three weeks Mizzou plays three cupcakes, so Daniel can pad his stats before a potentially high-profile game against Nebraska on Oct 4.

Last week:  26 of 45 for 323 yards, 3 TDs, 1 int against No. 20 Illinois

3. Pat White, West Virginia–I wrote in my Heisman Preview that White would need to step it up in the passing game to make a serious Heisman run and he did just that in week one.  By season’s end, no one will remember that his 5 TD passes came against lowly Villanova–they will just be part of his statistical total.   He is already 1/4 of the way to having 20 TD passes on the season, which should impress voters who think he is just a glorified running back.  White got a bit of a gift this weekend when WVU’s next opponent, East Carolina, beat Virginia Tech.  He can now showcase his abilities in a game that some people might actually care about, before getting a chance to hog the spotlight on Sept. 18 (Thursday night) at Colorado.

Last week: 25 of 33 for 208 yards, 5 TDs, 0 ints against Villanova

4.  Mark Sanchez, USC–It seems exruciatingly early to already be touting a USC quarterback for the Heisman, but there it is.  Sanchez benefitted, believe it or not, from the attention created by his dislocated knee cap in the weeks prior to USC’s game against Virginia.  Suddenly, he became the subject of increased speculation, which made him more of a known quantity.  He was able to reward that speculation and attention with an outstanding game against the Cavaliers.  He is a potential boom-bust candidate.  As long as USC is doing well and he is doing well, he’s going to hover near the top of this list.  But, should his team falter, he will bear the brunt of the blame.  The Ohio State game will determine his Heisman future.  Should he do well in a USC win, then he will zoom into the top two or three and become one of the main contenders.  If the Trojans lose, then he can start working on his resume for a run at the Heisman in 2009.

Last week: 26 of 35, 338 yards, 3 TDs, 1 int against Virginia

5. Colt McCoy, Texas–Don’t look now, but McCoy looks to be back and better than ever.  What has largely gone unnoticed over the past year is how effective a runner the Texas QB has become.  For now, he will be helped by the fact that Texas is below the radar, as he can perform without too much pressure until the matchup with Oklahoma on Oct. 11.  By then, McCoy could be on his way to a remarkable season and people will just be starting to realize it.  If McCoy can help slay OU and Mizzou in back-to-back weeks, he’ll have as good a case for the Heisman as anyone in this race.

Last week:  24 of 29, 222 yards, 3 TDs, 0 Ints, 12 carries, 103 yards, 1 TD against FAU.

6. Matt Stafford, Georgia–Is Stafford finally ready to break out as a passer?  Will Mark Richt let him put up the numbers he needs to compete for the Heisman?  Looks like it so far.  But Stafford won’t have a chance to break into the top five of this list until he survives the gauntlet of South Carolina, Arizona State and Alabama that begins in a couple weeks.

Last week: 13 of 21, 275 yards, 2 TDs, 0 Ints against Georgia Southern.

7.  Percy Harvin, Florida–Harvin is hanging on a bit in this race.  He missed the Gators’ first game against Hawaii and is slated to play against Miami this Saturday.  But how healthy is he, really?  We won’t know until we see him play.  One thing is for sure:  He probably needs to explode against Miami to get back in the thick of the Heisman hunt.  A lackluster game, or another DNP could mean his chances for the Heisman have gone bye bye.

Last Week:  DNP

8. Stafon Johnson, USC–Johnson is the most likely USC back to gain the yards needed to challenge for the Heisman.  However, it seems apparent that USC is sticking with its tailback by committee approach.  Unless Johnson can get untracked in a big way against Ohio State, he’ll drop from this list.

Last week:  9 carries, 28 yards, 1 TD against Virginia

9. Graham Harrell, Texas Tech–Harrell had his typical day against Eastern Washington.  But until people stop yawning at his 500-yard passing games, he’s just a fringe candidate waiting for an opportunity.

Last week:  43 of 58, 536 yards, 2 TDs, 1 int

* * *

If the vote were held today

1. Tim Tebow

2. Chase Daniel

3. Pat White

4. Chris Wells

5. Mark Sanchez

6. Knowshon Moreno

7. Graham Harrell

8. James Laurinaitis

9. Colt McCoy

10. Sam Bradford

ESPN College GameDay Appearances By School

Rank School Shows
1. Florida 28
2. Ohio State 22
3t. Florida State 21
3t. Michigan 21
5t. Notre Dame 18
5t. Oklahoma 18
7t. Tennessee 17
7t. Miami (Fla.) 17
9. Nebraska 15
10. Southern Cal 14

Note: The list takes into account that Corso and the gang roll into Gainesville this weekend for Steve Spurrier's favorite matchup.

Interesting that LSU, Georgia, Texas, West Virginia, and other traditional powers don't make the list. I guess that just goes to show how dominate Nebraska, FSU, and Miami were in days gone by.

Comment on Top 10 ESPN GameDay appearances ranked by team...

You hear it a lot.  Way too much, in fact.

Now, here’s the thing.  The SEC is currently the top conference.  It was amazingly good last year and will be amazingly good this year.

But it is not set in stone that the SEC is the default top conference every year, or at least it shouldn’t be.  Yet, that seems to be the prevailing opinion among the college football media, year-in, year-out.

To refute this notion, I present to you… the data provided by the indispensable CollegeFootballDataWarehouse.

The CFBDW has a ranking of teams and conferences based on (1) Winning Percentage Points (2) Schedule Points (3) National Championship Points and (4) Big 4 Bowl Points.

For the period 2000-2007, the BCS conferences are ranked as follows (total points is the first bit of data, followed left to right by the previously mentioned totals):

As you can see, the SEC is on top in this decade (941 total points), but it’s not a slam dunk.  And, the real reason for the top ranking is due to the SEC having 12 teams to accumulate its points vs. 10 teams for the Pac-10.  The Pac-10 (923 points) gets to No. 2 largely on the strength of its schedule, while the SEC is dragged down somewhat by playing the fourth-toughest schedule among the six major conferences.  Averaging the total points per team per conference, the Pac-10 averages 92.3 and the SEC averages 78.4.

If you look at the top 25 programs for 2000-2007, another interesting piece of data is revealed:

Which first-year players have a chance to be the next Peterson in 2008? Here’s my list:

Jermie Calhoun, RB, Oklahoma–I think Calhoun is well-positioned to have an excellent freshman season. He enters a situation where the two backs ahead of him are both coming off injuries. He’s an awesome talent, with size and speed and he’ll have an outstanding line to run behind.

Sam McGuffie, RB, Michigan–An ideal running back for Rich Rodriguez’ spread offense, McGuffie is a lightning-quick water bug who should get a chance to shine early. There will be some offensive struggles as Michigan transitions to the spread, but McGuffie could be a bright spot. Like another great back of yore, John Arnett, he has a background as a gymnast and a track athlete.

Chris Polk, RB, Washington–The Huskies need all the help they can get in the running game to take the load off of Jake Locker. Polk, an exciting multi-threat, could be just that guy.

Julio Jones, WR, Alabama–The nation’s top prep receiver could be the difference between the Tide going to just any old bowl, or maybe making some major noise in the SEC West.

Da’Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson–Bowers should start from Day One for the Tigers. He’s got the potential to be a top five draft pick three years from now.

Arthur Brown, LB, Miami–Anyone who saw Brown’s high school tape couldn’t help but be amazed by his explosiveness. He’s a bit undersized, but that’s the traditional Miami ‘backer, right? He’s a playmaker and a future star.

Will Hill, DB, Florida–With the recent attrition at the safety spot for UF, expect Hill to step in and star right away. He’s a phenomenal athlete.

This is just a few of the first-year players we’ll soon be hearing about.  Feel free to add your fab freshmen in the comments section.