Alabama's Ingram back on top of Heisman poll

It may be mid-November, but there is a long way to go in the race for the 75th Heisman Trophy.

Alabama running back Mark Ingram jumped back on top of this week’s Scripps Howard News Service Heisman poll just holding off Houston quarterback Case Keenum by a single point. Last week’s leader, 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow of Florida, fell to third.

Voters were clearly impressed with how Ingram battered out 145 yards rushing (102 in the second half) while also catching five passes in the third-ranked Crimson Tide’s 24-15 win over No. 9 LSU on Saturday. A 5-10, 215-pound sophomore, Ingram received four of 10 first-place votes.

Keenum earned three first-place nods himself after helping the Cougars to a miraculous 46-45 win at Tulsa, a game where UH trailed 45-37 with less than a minute left before scoring 9 points in the final 21 seconds. Keenum, a 6-10, 210-pound junior, completed 40 of 60 passes for 522 yards and three touchdowns and has now thrown for 1,081 yards and eight TDs in his last two games.

In the Gators’ somewhat lethargic 27-3 win over Vanderbilt, Tebow threw for 208 yards with a touchdown (on a tipped pass to a different receiver) while also rushing for a TD but was sacked four times. Earning the other three first-place votes, Tebow ranks eighth in the nation in passing efficiency but his 11 TD passes are only eighth in the Southeastern Conference.

Ingram’s Tide and Tebow’s Gators will meet Dec. 5 in Atlanta in the SEC Championship Game. The Heisman will be awarded a week later in New York City. No Alabama player has ever won the Heisman.

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. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama, 22 carries, 145 yards rushing, 37 (4).

2.Case Keenum, QB, Houston, 40-of-60, 522 yards passing, 3 TDs, 36 (3).

3. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida, 15-of-20, 208 yards passing, TD passes, 27 yards rushing, TD run, 27 (3).

4. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas, 33-of-42, 470 yards passing, 2 TDs, int., 17.

5. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford, 38 carries, 223 yards rushing, 3 TDs

Others receiving votes: Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen, 4; Clemson RB C.J. Spiller, 4; Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh, 4; Cincinnati QB Zach Collaros, 2; Boise State QB Kellen Moore 1; Notre Dame WR Golden Tate 1; TCU DE Jerry Hughes, 1.