72° P/SUNNY, Tebow reclaims Heisman poll lead
Last Modified: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 5:41 p.m.
In a little more than a month, the 75th Heisman Trophy will be awarded in New York City. And right now, the race could not be more wide open.
The seesaw plight of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow proves that. Tebow, the 2007 Heisman winner who led the Scripps Howard Heisman Trophy poll for the first five weeks of the season before plummeting to fifth last week, is now back on top with last week’s leader, Alabama running back Mark Ingram and Houston QB Case Keenum close behind.
After running for two TDs (the first of which broke Herschel Walker’s career SEC record) and throwing for two more in a 41-17 romp over Georgia, Tebow managed three of 10 first-place votes. Ingram, who was off last week, actually got four first-place votes, but was left off one ballot so he trailed Tebow by two points, 35-33. No Alabama player has ever won the Heisman.
On the strength of a terrific game in Houston’s 50-43 win over Southern Miss, Keenum, who earned the final three first-place votes, lurks in third just four points behind Tebow.
Voting 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.
This week’s poll, with statistics from last week:
Player, Position, School, Last Week, Points.
1. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida, 15-of-21. 164 yards passing, 2 TD passes, 85 yards rushing, 2 TD runs, 35 (3).
2. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama, Did not play, 33 (4).
3.Case Keenum, QB, Houston, 44-of-54, 559 yards passing, 5 TDs, int., 31 (3). 4. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame, 22-of-27, 268 yards passing, 2 TDs, 12.
5. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas, 16-of-21, 171 yards passing, TD, 11.
Others receiving votes: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews, 4, Cincinnati QB Tony Pike, 3; Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli, 3; Boise State QB Kellen Moore 2; Notre Dame WR Golden Tate 1; TCU DE Jerry Hughes, 1.
(Scripps Howard News Service Heisman Trophy poll 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; Bob Condotta, Seattle Times; John Lindsay, Scripps Howard News Service; Tom Luicci, The (Newark) Star-Ledger; John Rohde, The Oklahoman.)
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Comments
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November 5, 2009 11:19:31 am
RE: Link
I've been one to think it would be better for Alabama to win but I'm thinking for Tebow's chances to repeat you don't want Ingram or his team to win the LSU game. Better have LSU stuff Alabama and Ingram.
Right now Ingram has 4 1sts and Tebow 3 and that's without Ingram playing a week. Better to have LSU play them and win, stuffing Ingram.
November 5, 2009 11:23:17 am
I think Tebow will win it as one of those "Lifetime accomplishment" awards where people give him the vote because there is no one else that has truely wowed everyone in CFB this year.
If Ingram ends up running for 250y/3tds vs LSU and Alabama ends up undefeated, then Ingram may take it away. But it would have to be an AWESOME game and his stats would have to really shine with some highlight runs for sure.
November 5, 2009 11:33:02 am
I'm somewhat surprised at all the Ingram Love. He doesn't lead the conference in rushing and Tebow has as many rushing TDs as Ingram. The media is just looking to prop somebody else up. I love how some tried to make a case for slob Cody.
November 5, 2009 11:33:51 am
There's no way that Ingram gets 200+ on LSU. He'll be lucky to break 100 if LSU has any chance of winning.
If we win out, Tebow will win the Heisman. He's going to get some more numbers over the next few weeks and a lot of national exposure.
November 5, 2009 12:43:33 pm
Don't you mean "when we win out." Think positively.
November 5, 2009 12:51:45 pm
For Tebow to win the Heisman he just needs to play consistant like he did in the UGA game. I feel like it does not matter what anybody else does if he can have those 4 TD games with no turnovers he will blow everybody else out.
November 5, 2009 12:54:52 pm
I'm of the opinion that the victor of an Alabama/Florida SECCG would have the edge. However it would be nice to gain some separation for Tebow while keeping Ingram around to suck up regional votes which could go to other contenders. Some voters do send their ballots before the SECCG so an Alabama loss now would mitigate chances of Ingram getting voted higher than Tebow even if Florida wins the SECCG.
November 5, 2009 12:57:27 pm
Tebow has more star power outside the Southeast. Meanwhile, Bama's weakness has been exposed. Teams like LSU are going to stack the line and try not to let Ingram beat them. Last year, Tebow got the most first place votes but lost in the midwestern states where he was left off the ballot entirely. Tebow has an excellent chance of winning it unless the only other candidate from the midwest, Colt McCoy, does something very special over the last month.
All that said...WHO CARES when you're in the hunt for a Title.
November 5, 2009 3:47:54 pm
Man - for Tebow to win BOTH the Heisman AND the Bama/LSU game, he better have one hell of a game this weekend!
November 6, 2009 8:03:05 am
I think we care because that's a part of what is going on with all things UF this year and it's worth looking at. To win it Any year is something, but to be the first to repeat since Archie Griffin after being the first Sophmore to win it, that's quite an accomplishment. If that is to be done, it is to be done this year by Tebow. If you have the ability to take both, why take one and not the other?
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