• Weis Watch. Another sign of Charlie Weis' impending demise: Notre Dame has blocked the university plane from appearing on flightaware.com (see for yourself), a proactive effort at cutting off the breathless surfers intent on tracking its path to Cincinnati or Gainesville or Vatican City or wherever ND's next coach is waiting. That comes on the heels of the athletic director assuring reporters that Weis' huge buyout won't affect whether he stays or goes and the two most notable Irish-centric newspapers both calling for his head almost simultaneously, completing the Holy Trinity of "You're Fired." [South Bend Tribune]

• Oh, to be a Knoxville lawyer. News leaked Tuesday that Tennessee freshman defensive back Nyshier Oliver was cited for shoplifting for allegedly walking out of a Dillard's with a $110 polo shirt just hours before the Vols' win over Memphis on Nov. 7, a relatively piddling misdemeanor that would usually pass without much notice if not for a) Last week's blockbuster armed robbery arrest involving three other UT freshmen, raising the legal antennae around Knoxville, and b) Coach Lane Kiffin's repeated statements just hours before the armed robbery news broke that his team had been entirely arrest-free over his 11-month tenure -- despite being fully aware of Oliver's shoplifting charge.

Kiffin may skate by charges that he blatantly lied on a technicality -- Oliver was cited, not arrested; his arrest warrant was issued Tuesday, and he won't be booked until Nov. 23 -- but he's certainly lost the "clean program" pitch for the next year or two. [Knoxville News-Sentinel]

• The good Cap'n a Cardinal? Hornswaggle! Weirdest coaching rumor so far in the early rounds of silly season: Mike Leach to Louisville? The Louisville Courier-Journal cites a radio interview with ex-Georgia and Marshall coach Jim Donnan, who thinks Cap'n Leach would be interested and would be "a good fit" if/when UL dumps current coach Steve Kragthorpe. That's better sourcing than CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd offers in his Leach-Louisville speculation, which seems based entirely on the pirate coach's no-buyout contract in Lubbock and the Louisville opening existing ... you know, probably, at some point in the near future. It's too strange to make up, frankly, although Leach has never lamented any extra attention. [Louisville Courier-Journal]

• Z-Rob still shaking out the cobwebs. It can't say for sure, but the Tulsa World believes that backup quarterback Alex Cate has been taking most of the snaps in Oklahoma State's preparation for Colorado Thursday night, though starter Zac Robinson is still expected to suit up and possibly be available for senior night in Stillwater despite being knocked silly by Texas Tech's Jamar Wall last Saturday. Think of it as an investment, Cowboy fans: It may be Robinson's last home game, but his presence is not mandatory for beating the sad-sack Buffaloes, and it can never hurt to get the quarterback of the future some live reps. [Tulsa World]

• No one snubs Urban's cubs. Urban Meyer will be "upset" if the Tebow Child isn't invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony for the third consecutive season: "Absolutely, yeah I’ll be upset. ... He's the quarterback of the No. 1 team in college football. I think the Heisman goes to the best player, and it’d be hard to argue that he’s not." Actually, it's fairly easy to argue: Florida is relying far more on its dominant defense to make up for a good-not-great offense averaging 50 fewer yards and 16 fewer points in SEC games than it did in 2008, and Tebow is well behind Ryan Mallett as the league's best statistical passer. But don't let semantics get in the way: Tebow will be in New York, because his exclusion from the proceedings will only hasten the horrors of the tribulation. The Downtown Athletic Club makes its decisions based on the relatively peaceful continuity of human civilization, not stats. [Palm Beach Post]

Quickly ... James Vandenberg is one poised quarterback. ... The victim in an alleged assault case against Auburn's Eric Smith is suing Smith and two unnamed Tiger players. ... Washington State linebacker Jason Stripling was arrested for assault and obstructing a public servant, both misdemeanors. ... Old hat Jerry Glanville resigns at Portland State. ... And yes, that is a 13-year-old middle-schooler being touted as "probably the most celebrated high school recruit in history" before enrolling in high school.

The Trojans will need to play well in all phases to successfully defend the Coliseum turf against 3 tough opponents (Stanford and Arizona are ranked and in the Rose Bowl race and you have the crosstown rivalry with UCLA). If they are able to win the final three, another trip to Pasadena is still very much alive. If they struggle, a match-up with Oklahoma in the Sun Bowl is easily be in the cards.

The Pac-10 is extremely strong this year and any 1 of 5 teams would represent the conference very well against a top 15 team on a neutral field. This type of quality is why a team with two losses in conference could play in the Rose Bowl.

Notes and Analysis for the Water Cooler and IM Chats:

Barkley in a slump: Matt Barkley was 7-22 for 122 yards against Arizona State. If you take away the short pass to Damian Williams that was turned into a 75 yard touchdown, Barkley was 6-21 for 37 yards. In the second half against Oregon, he was 5-16 for 49 yards. Did Raider quarterback Jamarcus Russell take over for the Trojans?
Hopefully the offensive coaches are doing some self scouting to help Barkley make adjustments to his tendencies. Opposing defensive coaches have enough film on Barkley to truly dissect his game and it is showing. Arizona State has a great defense but his throwing numbers were awful considering Cal QB Kevin Riley threw for 351 yards the week before.

*More Barkley, offensive line, Williams injury after the jump

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.

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

Tim Sullivan, New York Post: Texas keeps plodding along. Oklahoma is 0-2 in its only true tests. Yes, Sam Bradford is back, but that's not enough for the Sooners. Take the Longhorns and give the points in the Red River Rivalry.

Jon Wilner, San Jose Mercury News: Idaho can become bowl eligible with a victory against Hawaii. Don't worry about the points because the Vandals are going to cover with ease. In the Pacific 10, watch out for those Washington Huskies at Arizona State.

Mike Hlas, Cedar Rapids Gazette: Hlastradamus loves friendly Pete Carroll more than surly Charlie Weis, but business is business. Take Notre Dame and the points against USC.

Double D, Boston Herald: The conservative playcalling of Jim Tressel is to blame for Terrelle Pryor falling way short of expectations. Nonethless, Ohio State is overdue for an offensive explosion. Take the Buckeyes and lay the points at Purdue.

John Werner, Waco Tribune-Herald: Baylor's offense is still trying to find itself without Robert Griffin. Playing Iowa State should help. The Bears win, 27-24.

Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News: Texas Tech quarterback Steven Sheffield is mobile, just maybe not enough to avoid Ndamukong Suh. Nebraska wins, 41-36.

Phil Steele: The top 25 forecast calls for Virginia Tech to defeat Georgia Tech, 34-27. In Madison, look for Wisconsin to edge Iowa, 24-23.

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.

Between Texas-Oklahoma, USC-Notre Dame and Florida-Arkansas, the action will include TWO current Heisman winners, THREE major candidates for the 2009 Heisman, an undetermined number of future Heisman challengers (among the various underclassmen on the rosters), and FIVE traditional Heisman powers with a combined 24 bronze statues to their credit (nearly 1/3 of all the winners).

I’m a West Coast guy, so after a hearty breakfast, I’ll get the Sooners and Longhorns at 9 a.m.  I’m keeping a close eye on this one, because if Colt McCoy plays lights out, he could take control of the race. 

What does he need to do for that to happen? 

My gut tells me that to have his Heisman moment, he will need to be his usual accurate self (that means completing over 66 percent of his passes) while throwing for minimum 280 yards, with at least 3 touchdown strikes (or a combined 3 TDs running and passing) and no more than one interception.  Some tough scrambles to convert some third downs would help, too.   

I think if he sort of muddles along, playing unimpressively in a Texas victory, he won’t be completely out of the running, but he will have missed an opportunity to jump past Tim Tebow into the lead.  He would have to make up a lot of ground against less-prestigious competition the rest of the way.   Not an easy task.

If the Sooners win despite his playing well, McCoy’s candidacy will be on life support, entirely dependent on the misfortunes of others.  And if his poor play costs his team the victory, his Heisman hopes will fade.

What about Jimmy Clausen? 

His task on Saturday is tough.  While Oklahoma and Texas are pretty evenly matched in the talent department, that is not the case with the Irish and the Trojans.   Charlie Weiss is recruiting some studs to South Bend, but there is still a significant gap between the two programs, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Clausen must go up against an extremely athletic USC defense that leads the nation in sacks and is second in tackles for loss .  And he won’t have his best wide receiver (Michael Floyd) to go up against one of the best (and most physical) secondaries in college football. 

In other words, if he can pull off this win over the Trojans, it will be quite the accomplishment.  A Heisman-worthy accomplishment, to be exact.

Stranger things have happened, but I can’t foresee a scenario in which Notre Dame wins and Clausen does not play a great game.  So, it’s simple.  If the Irish win, Clausen becomes the leading Heisman candidate–regardless of what happens with McCoy earlier in the day. 

If the Irish lose–regardless of how he plays–his Heisman quest will quietly peter out.  The remaining schedule just won’t give him enough credibility to overcome the doubts that will linger on about his team.  Even if the Irish win out, they might be considered the worst 10-2 team in recent memory.  Is it possible that every other candidate slips up later in the schedule and Clausen somehow stays in contention with his stellar play?  I suppose it’s possible, but highly unlikely.  

Meanwhile, Tim Tebow must pick up the pace with his production.  He’s got a shot to do that against a suspect Arkansas defense that is nonetheless coming off a better-than-expected performance against Auburn.   He won’t be in the spotlight this week–Saturday belongs to McCoy and Clausen–but winning the Heisman requires that you quietly take care of business while voter eyes are mostly elsewhere. 

I think throwing for a season-high in yards (237 is his current high) and touchdown passes (4) would be a good way to stay within striking distance in the Heisman race, even if one of the other candidates makes a major move.   People need to look at his stat line after the game and say “Oh, Tebow is back!”

And, of course, he has to stay healthy and keep his Gators undefeated.  I think he’ll have no problem doing that.

By this time next week, I think the Heisman race will make a lot more sense.

On Wednesday, Boise State is at Tulsa. This could be one of the last major challenges for the Broncos, who are trying to go undefeated and earn a berth in a Bowl Championship Series game. Boise State is favored by 8.

Cincinnati and South Florida square off Thursday in the biggest game of the season thus far in the Big East. The Bulls are favored by 1.5 points.

On Friday, there's another Big East game between Pittsburgh and Rutgers. The visiting Panthers open as 3-point favorites.

Saturday's games of note: Texas (-1.5) vs. Oklahoma in Dallas; Iowa (-2) at Wisconsin; South Carolina at Alabama (-17); USC (-8) at Notre Dame; Texas Tech at Nebraska (-6); Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (pick); Stanford at Arizona (-4); and Arkansas at Florida (-22).

For the latest numbers, visit Doc's Sports.

From CLASports.com:

Farmer told College Level Athletes after the game that he has received scholarship offers from "the Pac-10, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, and Minnesota." When asked who was at the top of his list of schools for 2011, Farmer stated, "Probably SC."

You can watch the full interview in the link above (bottom video).  The early word has been SC is the leader for George, but this one is far from over.  Robert Woods has been pushing George to come to SC, but even Robert's recruitment isn't set in stone.  Although he sounds pretty firm at this point, the Bruins are pushing hard to get Robert to flip his commitment and they'll continue to throw out every possible incentive until signing day.

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Straight Bet $25 to win $22.73
Penn State (-7) over Illinois

Straight Bet $25 to win $22.73
Alabama (-17) over Kentucky

Straight Bet $25 to win $22.73
Miami (+7) over Oklahoma

Illinois lost to Ohio State 30-0. And over 80% of people on Covers.com are taking Penn State. Florida drubbed Kentucky at Kentucky 41-7. Why should Alabama at Kentucky be any different? Miami is bad ass. Just go their website. Does that look and sound like a team that is going to lose to sissy ass Oklahoma sans Sam Bradford at Land Shark Stadium by more than a touchdown?

Staying away from USC because this Cal grad (Dr. Bob) is jinxing us (after the jump) and we think Barkley pulls out another barnburner that is closer than the spread.

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.

"We definitely are working very hard to get him better, for him and for the rest of his fans," said Dr. Gudata Hinika, trauma director at California Hospital Medical Center. "So we expect him to be on the football field at some time."

The question is whether that's at USC or in the NFL -- university compliance officials said Johnson could successfully apply for a medical hardship that would grant him a fifth year with the Trojans in 2010, but an NFL scout told the L.A. Times the league has enough film and would only need to get a clean bill on Johnson's recovery. Observers around the program think he's a goner if he recuperates in time to go through pre-draft workouts.

• What's in the pot, Terp fans? Mmmm, head coach. The slow, almost imperceptible simmer under Ralph Friedgen's seat at Maryland the last two years is in full blaze after a 1-3 start that includes a futile blowout at California, a near-miss in overtime over I-AA James Madison, a second consecutive loss to Middle Tennessee State, a turnover-filled debacle at home against equally reeling Rutgers, and now an open inquiry into Friedgen's contract situation by the Washington Post:

But what is Maryland -- and more specifically [athletic director Debbie] Yow -- to do? Friedgen is owed about $4.5 million for the two remaining years on his contract. Regardless of how this season unfolds, buying Friedgen out of his remaining two years is considered unlikely, particularly given economic conditions.

When asked Tuesday if Friedgen would return as coach next season, Yow said: "I will evaluate the status of the program after we play the entire season, not now, with eight games remaining. My focus is on supporting the team and our coaching staff. That focus will continue [until] season's end."

"... at which point we break out the guillotine." Actually, Maryland is an unusual "hot seat" situation because of the clear succession plan from Friedgen to offensive coordinator James Franklin, who could move up somewhat seamlessly with a passing of the torch in place of a messy denouement. But never underestimate Friedgen's ability to pull his feet from the fire: The vultures were out last September, too, and the Terps recovered to win eight and were a touchdown against Boston College away from the championship game in the wide-open ACC. Who else you got in the Atlantic Division?

• Oklahoma! Where the coach plays coy with quarterback plans. Sam Bradford "looked good" again in his second day back at Oklahoma practice Tuesday, according to coach Bob Stoops, who still wouldn't give any indication about the Sooners' plans at quarterback Saturday night at Miami. Bradford has reportedly been splitting first-team snaps with Landry Jones, and Stoops indicated it might come down to a game-time decision against the 'Canes.

Stoops also tentatively suggested during his Tuesday press conference that the obscure NCAA rule keeping OU linebacker Mike Balogun off the field for his senior season "needs to be revisited," but played politician on the question ("It's your question, you're bringing it up, not me, and since you brought it up ...") rather than open up on a bogus clause with barrels blazing.

• The Pinstripe Bowl? Per a press release keep an eye out today for a "MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT" about the rumored bowl game at Yankee Stadium, reportedly featuring teams from the Big East and Big 12. The as-yet-untitled game (at last check, they were going with "Yankee Bowl") is gunning for 40,000 visitors beginning in 2010; a press conference with NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg and various Yankee bigwigs is scheduled for later this morning.

Quickly ... Oregon cornerback Walter Thurmond, a four-year starter, is out for the season with ACL, MCL and PCL tears in his right knee, ending his college career. ... Two Texas players, receiver Brandon Collins and safety Christian Scott, are academically ineligible for the rest of the season, but will continue in practice and should be back next year. ... Iowa State defensive end Rashawn Parker, a starter, is out for the season with an ACL tear. ... Iowa's All-Big Ten tackle, Bryan Bulaga, will be back on the line Saturday against Arkansas State after missing three games with a thyroid condition. ... With other high-profile quarterbacks going down all around him, Colt McCoy ain't afraid of no injuries. ... New Mexico's HR department is taking a closer look at Mike Locksley's pugilistic encounter with an assistant coach. ... Division II is moving away from Division I and toward Division III by cutting season lengths and practice times in a number of sports, including football. ... A business is Kansas was ordered to pay more than $600,000 in attorneys' fees and court costs for selling bootleg Jayhawk gear. ... The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal's story on Texas Tech's suspension of lineman/captain Brandon Carter drew 10 times the usual page views and comments. ... Video of the "hit" that got Ohio State safety Kurt Coleman suspended for next week's game with Indiana is up. ... And Joe Paterno is not interested in your local angles, Illinois reporters.

Ever notice how a team celebrates a landmark win one week just to agonize a loss the next? Already, Oklahoma State, USC, Florida State and Washington have followed hallmark victories with a loss. Granted, it’s not a foolproof way to cash in. Nothing in the wagering world is, but more times than not, it’s a trend for the bettor to follow closely and one you can read about in my column this week for Covers.

Covers is second to none in coverage of industry news, statistics and advice. Check the site's excellent matchups page, featuring previews, trends and line moves.

Straight Bet $50 to win $45.45
Oklahoma (-19.5) over Tulsa

Parlay $25 to win $65
USC (-20.5) over Washington
Over 54 on Oregon and Utah

Dr. Bob picks USC minus the points with his analysis after the jump.

1. Colt McCoy, Texas–McCoy threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns against Wyoming and added an interception, plus 44 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.  On the year, he is 51 of 76 (67 percent) for 654 yards, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, with 41 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown.  He won’t face legitimate competition until mid-October and so his position on top of this list is unlikely to budge until then.  For now, he remains the player most likely to win the Heisman.

2. Tim Tebow, Florida–He had a Tebow-esque game against Troy, throwing for 237 yards on 15 of 24 passing, with 4 touchdown passes and no interceptions.  He also ran for 71 yards and a score.  On the year, he is 25 of 39 (64 percent) for 425 yards, 5 touchdowns and no interceptions, to go with 72 yards and 2 touchdowns on the ground.  He’ll get a chance to show off this weekend against Tennessee in a game no one would care about if it weren’t for Lane Kiffin’s big mouth.  As with McCoy, his real tests come starting in October and so his position here is unlikely to change until then. 

3. Jahvid Best, Cal–Best ran for 144 yards on 17 carries against Eastern Washington.  He had a touchdown rushing and a touchdown receiving.  On the year, he has 281 yards on 27 carries (10.4 average), 3 rushing touchdowns and 4 catches for 42 yards and 1 receiving score.  While McCoy and Tebow won’t be focused upon until mid-October, Best has a chance to stick out a bit in the next three weeks, as he has games at Minnesota, at Oregon and then the big one versus USC.  If he turns up the production a bit in these next three games, he’ll be in pretty good shape, especially if Cal remains undefeated.

4. Daryll Clark, Penn State–Had another nice game this past week, throwing for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns (with one pick) on 20 of 31 passing against Syracuse.  For the season, he is 49 of 71 for 593 yards with 6 passing touchdowns and 2 interceptions.  His schedule isn’t especially conducive to a Heisman run, but if he keeps playing well and Penn State remains undefeated, he’ll be a viable option if any of the others in front of him screw up.

5. Max Hall, BYU–Hall went 24 of 32 for 309 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception against Tulane.  On the year, he is 50 of 70 for 638 yards, with 4 touchdowns and 3 picks.  Hall gets Florida State this week and it’s a shame for him that the Seminoles looked so bad against Jackson State, as he won’t get as much credit if the Cougars win this one.  If BYU gets through the season undefeated and Hall’s numbers look good, he’ll have a shot at the Heisman if the others ahead of him falter.

6. Joe McKnight, USC–McKnight didn’t do well enough against Ohio State to catapult himself into the upper echelon of Heisman contenders, but he did do enough to stick around for a possible late-season run.  He rushed for 60 yards on 16 carries and caught 2 passes for 45 yards, but many of those yards were clutch in the final minutes of USC’s dramatic win, so he did well when everyone was watching.  On the year, he has 205 rushing yards on 30 carries (6.8 ypc), and 3 catches for 66 yards.  He needs to get to 1,500 yards on the season to make a legitimate case for the Heisman.

7. Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State–Bryant played well in OSU’s lost to Houston, catching 5 passes for 75 yards and returning a punt 82 yards for a touchdown.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t make the plays needed to save the Cowboys and so he takes a hit in the Heisman race.  However, this is where being a receiver in the race is beneficial, as he won’t take as much blame for the loss as he would if he were a quarterback.  On the year, he has 8 catches for 162 yards and 2 touchdowns and has 3 punt returns for 111 yards and 1 score.  If he can be the catalyst for a Cowboy run at the Big 12 title, he will start to jump back up in this race.

8. Jevan Snead, Ole Miss–Bye.  Snead is barely hanging on this list.  I doubt whether he will put up the numbers he needs to compete with the other quarterbacks, but as long as Ole Miss is undefeated and he performs well, we’ll keep him here.

Dropped Out:  Jimmy Clausen, Terrelle Pryor–Both these guys can still have great seasons and even get some Heisman votes, but anything they do will mostly serve to set them up for a run at the 2010 Heisman. 

If the Vote Were Held Today

1. Colt McCoy

2. Tim Tebow

3. Jahvid Best

4. Max Hall

5. Dez Bryant

6. Joe McKnight

7. Case Keenum

8. Eric Berry

9. Tate Forcier

10. Jimmy Clausen

Chris Brown: Central Michigan (+13.5) over Arizona.
I like Arizona, I really do. I like what Mike Stoops has done, and within a few years, offensive coordinator Sonny Dykes (son of former Texas Tech legend Spike Dykes and protege of fellow Texas Tech legend, Captain Leach), will be a head coach for a D-1 program somewhere. But, while this game is at Arizona, I cannot justify the nearly two-touchdown spread; in fact, I think the Chippewas will win it outright. CMU has won eight games in each of coach Butch Jones's first two seasons, but more importantly they return 17 starters, none more important than Tim Tebow-lite, quarterback Dan Levour. Levour is a tough, gritty kid, and this is just the type of win over a BCS program to jumpstart his senior year.  More importantly, Arizona should take a step back after losing a lot of talent from last year's squad, and I think that regression will begin in week one.

Matt Hinton: Cincinnati (+5) over Rutgers (Monday).
The line on this one goes as high as 6.5 on some sites, a pretty strong diss to the defending Big East champs. Yes, the Bearcats lose 10 starters from a solid defense that anchored the best team in school history, but Rutgers' losses on offense -- goodbye, leading passer and receiver in school history -- are about as substantial. The Knights also flopped at home last Labor Day, in a loss to Fresno State that looked worse and worse as the year wore on. Put it this way: Cincy returns a substantial percentage of its offense, including the best quarterback in the conference, and Brian Kelly has yet to fall short of expectations in any season as a head coach. Rutgers' offense isn't in very good position out of the gate to exploit the turnover on the other side.

Doug Gillett: Georgia (+4.5) over Oklahoma State.
I realize I'm jinxing my team eight ways from Sunday by even allowing this to cross my mind. But even if the Zac Robinson rumors have no legs, OSU has been experiencing an inordinate amount of personnel turmoil over the last few weeks, and even a Cowboy defense at full strength would be tasked with bouncing back from last year's 94th-in-the-nation performance. As good a coordinator as Bill Young may be, I'm not sure he can yank the handbrake and pull a 180 with that unit in the span of a single game. Georgia's defense didn't play so well themselves during the second half of last season, but the talent and experience are there, and given Mark Richt's sterling record in opponents' home stadiums, I put my faith behind Georgia to make the necessary adjustments and pull out a close win in Stillwater.

Holly Anderson: Miami, Ohio (+15) over Kentucky
Can these be flatly irrational? I'll take the Redhawks over Kentucky, because apparently Dick's Sporting Goods in Lexington doesn't carry Tennessee gear, and to quote a dear Vawl partisan buddy, "After 24 [losses to Tennessee] in a row, you have lost the right to be a [jerk] about it."

Louisiana Tech (+13.5) over Auburn.
Because the Bulldogs are one of those pesky, sneaky upset types to begin with (they knocked off Mississippi State in last year's opener en route to their first bowl win in 30 years) and Auburn is such a completely unknown quantity at this point.

Nevada (+14.5) over Notre Dame.
Because I really like getting emails telling me I'm a religious bigot (despite my Catholic background) for not liking their football team. Keep 'em coming, beautiful people.