Tebow third in Heisman poll

Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel sits atop of the first Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy Poll of the season.

Fourth in the Heisman balloting last year as a junior, Daniel, who ranks fourth in the nation in both passer rating (193.39) and total offense (371.5 yards per game), earned seven of 10 first-place votes. Oklahoma sophomore QB Sam Bradford was second with defending Heisman winner QB Tim Tebow of Florida third. Southern Cal QB Mark Sanchez and Georgia RB Knowshon Moreno round out the top five.

Compiled by The Rocky Mountain News in Denver, the Scripps Heisman poll is in its 22nd year, making it the longest-running weekly Heisman forecaster in the country. The final poll taken in December has correctly predicted the Heisman winner in 18 of the previous 21 seasons.

Ten voters vote for five players each week. The tabulations are made on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis, with five points for a first-place vote, four points for second, etc. First-place votes are in parentheses.

The first week’s poll, with statistics from last week:

Player, Position, School, Last week, Points

1. Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri, 36-for-43 passing, 439 yards, 2 TDs, 41 (7).

2. Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma, Did not play.

3. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida, 8-for-15 passing, 96 yards, 2 TDs, 24 (1).

4. Mark Sanchez, QB, USC, Did not play, 19.

5. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia, 149 yards rushing, 2 TD runs, 17.

Others receiving votes: Max Hall (QB, Brigham Young), 10; Jeremy Maclin (WR, Missouri), 5 (1); Colt McCoy (QB, Texas), 2; Matthew Stafford (QB, Georgia), 2; Donald Brown (RB, Connecticut), 1; David Johnson (QB, Tulsa), 1; Javon Ringer (RB, Michigan State), 1; George Selvie, (DE, South Florida), 1.

Voters: Kirk Bohls, Austin (Texas) American-Statesman; Jimmy Burch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; Dennis Dodd, CBSSports.com; Vahe Gregorian, St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Mike Griffith, The Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel; Michael Lewis, Salt Lake Tribune; Bernie Lincicome, Rocky Mountain News; John Lindsay, Scripps Howard News Service; Tom Luicci, The (Newark) Star-Ledger; John Rohde, The Oklahoman.