The candidates, in my opinion, and what they’ve done. These are off the charts numbers by these guys. All are deserving, but I know one has to be selected. The award is given to the most outstanding player in college football for this year. Team is not the overriding factor. So it’s tough. Here are the candidates and their numbers. This is my order of finish at this point. I’ll give you my final analysis and decision on Monday. Subject to change after this Saturday as it should be.
1. Trent Richardson: RB, Alabama: 263-1,583 (6.0 average), 20 TDs. 131.9 yards per game. Big games posted in an earlier blog. Those numbers were very impressive. Games left: Regular season over. Team record: 11-1 (7-1 SEC).

2.Robert Griffin III: Quarterback, Baylor: 252-347-5 (72.6%), 3678 yards, 34 TDs. 334.4 passing yards per game. Rushing: 149-612, 7 TDs. Game left: vs Texas at home, Saturday, 2:30 PM CT on ABC/ESPN. Team Record: 8-3 (4-3, Big 12).

3. Montee Ball: Running back, Wisconsin: 248-1,622 (6.5 Average), 29 TDs. 135.2 yards per game. Games left: vs. Michigan State in Big Ten Championship game, 7:17 PM CT on FOX. Team record: 10-2 (6-2 Big Ten).

4. Kellen Moore: Quarterback, Boise State: 272-372-7 (73.1%), 3194 yards, 38 TDs. 290.4 yards per game. Games left: vs New Mexico; 5PM CT on Mountain West Network. Team record: 10-1 (6-1 Mountain West).

5. Case Keenum: Quarterback, Houston: 342-467-3 (73.2%), 4,276 yards, 43 TDs. 393.8 yards per game. Games left: vs. Southern Miss in CUSA Championship game, 11 AM CT, ABC. Team record: 12-0 (8-0 in C-USA).

6. Andrew Luck: Quarterback, Stanford: 261-373-9 (70%), 3,170 yards, 35 TDs. 264.2 yards per game. Regular season over. Team Record: 11-1 (8-1 Pac 12).

This is tough. These numbers for these guys are unbelievable. I want to wait till after this Saturday to decide who should go to NYC and who should win the Heisman. It’s just too close to call. I liked Trent yesterday, but after looking at these numbers, it’s too close to call right now. RGIII, Ball, Moore and Keenum are in action on Saturday. Will have final decision on Monday.

(Trent, RGIII are two of my six favorites to win Heisman).

Here is how it works from Wikepedia. There have been 76 trophies awarded and 75 players have received it. Archie Griffin won it in back to back years in 1974 and ’75. Reggie Bush’s 2005 trophy  was taken away so only 74 players have received it. The award was established in 1935 and renamed the Heisman in 1936 after John Heisman, who was a football pioneer and the club’s athletic director. It’ll be interesting to see how regions select throughout the country. It was nip and tuck with Mark Ingram a couple of years ago. A lot of people thought Stanford running back Toby Gerhart might win.  Ingram won by 28 points, the closest finish in Heisman history.

Is where the Heisman Trophy is awarded in NYC. The Downtown Athletic Club used to host it, but it was damaged in 9/11 and the Club went bankrupt in 2002 due to the attack and now it’s at the Nokia where it’s been since 2005. There have been 75 individual winners, but Reggie Bush had his 2005 Heisman taken away for violating NCAA rules.

The game was a blowout. AU has problems. Tide looked great. Not much analysis needed for the game. Alabama just dominant. Defense was incredible again. Trent, A.J. and offense played extremely well. Clint Moseley is terrible. Can’t sugarcoat it. Auburn needs a new quarterback. Maybe Frazier can develop into a better passer. Could be some changes in the coaching staff. Malzahn may leave, but after that effort offensively, not sure he’s as popular a name as he was before the game. AU’s defense really bad this year. Just a lot of work that needs to be done to get better.
Tide in good position to capture a 14th national title. Should be in good shape to play in it. LSU is outstanding on both sides of the ball. It may seem unfair that they have to play the Tide again after beating them in Tuscaloosa, but these two teams are without a doubt the best two teams in the country. Tide can beat LSU. Need to have a good day from A.J. and Trent. Don’t think Oklahoma State can overtake Tide. They shouldn’t. They lost to Iowa State and ‘Bama lost to LSU by three in overtime. There is no comparison. So there shouldn’t be any argument on who should play for national title. LSU should beat Georgia. They’re better. Georgia has been good at the end and they’ve got a pretty good team, but they’re not LSU or Alabama. I like the Tigers by 10 or 14 if they are ready to play. They have a lot to play for so they should be.

Wanted to talk about Trent and Heisman. Think he should get it. He’s run for 1,583 yards this year and 20 TDs. ESPN’s Todd Blackledge made the most important comment on it Saturday Night. Todd said that you’ve got to look at the big games and how the player performed in those games. Here are the numbers: against Penn State, Trent ran for 111 yards and two TDs. Against Florida, he ran for 181 yards and two TDs. Against Arkansas, 126 yards and a TD. Against Ole Miss, 183 yards and four TDs and one of the most beautiful runs and moves you’ll ever see in college football on that long run in which he just juked the Ole Miss defensive back at the end of a 75 yarder. And to finish it off, 203 yards against Auburn and a five yard TD reception from A.J. Trent an amazing player. I know Luck is good, but to me, he’s not great. In their big game against Oregon, Luck didn’t get it done and his team lost. RGIII is a great player, but his team lost three games this year, to A&M, Ok State and Kansas State. Not taking anything away from what RGIII has done. He should be second. But Trent has won the big games, all except LSU, and the kicker and some stellar play by the LSU secondary kept Trent and his team from winning that one. Like Trent to be accepting the award by the Downtown Athletic Club on Dec. 10 in NYC.

It’ll be a rematch of two heavyweights. The Thrilla in Manila Southern style part two. Should be fun. The other bowls will be fun and exciting as they always are, but this will be a classic on Monday, Jan.9, at 7:30 PM at the Superdome. ESPN will televise it. Now that S has six weeks to prepare, it should be very interesting,. More later in the week.

Iron Bowl is here. Can Auburn do the impossible? Not likely, but you never know in this game. It should be competitive. Another huge game in Baton Rouge on Friday as Arkansas tries to somehow make it to the BCS title game. Beating LSU would be huge for this program regardless. Here is this week’s analyses and predictions>
Last week 8-6; 80-33 overall

‘Bama @ AU; Saturday, 2:30 PM, CBS

Alabama had trouble stopping the run last week against Georgia Southern and I’m sure Gus Malzahn took notice of that. Auburn is going to try and run the football in different ways, maybe run some option, off tackle, sweeps. They have to do that to have a chance. They’ve got good wide receivers. If Moseley can get some time maybe he can get the ball to Blake, Lutz and Reed. Lutz is somebody they need to target seven or eight times this game. Even more

For ‘Bama, it’s Trent, Trent, more Trent and throw in some Eddie for good measure. A.J. needs to be S’s game manager and get the ball to Trent on screens and get the ball to the new emerging target, Brad Smelley. He needs Maze and Hanks to give some opportunities, too. Not sold on A.J., but he’s good enough for Tide to have shot to win it all. Looks like most of the players will be back: Barrett, Josh C. and I guess the players who were suspended: Nick Gentry and DeAndrew White. These football programs keep these suspensions so internal that you have no clue what the player did. It’s almost like national security; which is pretty much ridiculous. I understand you may have to protect the players, but in another way I don’t. These players are so glorified by the media and the public that when they make mistakes, they need to be held accountable. I know there is a tremendous amount of pressure on these coaches to win; an unreasonable amount really. But sometimes, you have to send a message to your team that this bad behavior won’t be tolerated. The media around here isn’t even reporting on what Gentry and White did. And what about Brent Calloway? He was suspended indefinitely but there is no reporting on that situation at all. I know he was smoking pot, but all that is reported is how it’s going to affect the running back rotation next year. What happened to objectivity? Seems like the reporters are more interested in cheering for the team rather than being professionals and reporting the news-sports. I wish there was more accountability for athletes these days. Maybe that will change.

Makes me wonder how much they allow these days when Joe Paterno was accused by a dean of discipline of telling the administration he would handle all discipline problems and to not interfere. There were a lot of personal mistakes by his players, some that were pretty bad. But the great Paterno was held on such a pedestal, that he wasn’t accountable to anyone. And we know about Sandusky. That was heinous. Turns out Paterno wasn’t such a great guy after all.

So we don’t know what White and Gentry did. Isaiah Crowell at Georgia was smoking pot and he’s a questionable kid. Richt gives out that tough punishment of a one game suspension for the New Mexico State game. These kids really learn a lesson by being suspended for the blowout games. It’s kind of a travesty. Miles did the same at LSU with his pot smoking players and Jordan Jefferson put a guy maybe a couple more in the hospital and now he’s the starting quarterback. Doesn’t seem right. Saban had a situation with freshman Brent Calloway, who was smoking pot. I don’t know what coaches do these days. There is so much pressure to win, but that’s really not an excuse. Coaches are glorified and they’re villified, but maybe they ought to try and do the right thing for the integrity of their program. I’d like to see a coach take a real stand and send a message to his team that he’s going to pay the consequences for his actions. If he smokes pot, or gets in a fight and beats somebody up he’s off the team. It’s called integrity. I’m not sure how much these coaches have. Really, I don’t know if some coaches have ever had integrity throughout the years. Joe Paterno was supposed to be the perfect role model and disciplinarian, but that was a joke. There needs to be someone who steps up and does the right thing. Suspending players for a cupcake game is not discipline. Maybe we’ll hear of some coaches who want to do the right thing and show some character and integrity. That would be a pleasant surprise. Oh well. Life at the factories. Vanderbilt had a player who committed armed robbery last week and there has been nothing written about it. I hope James Franklin doesn’t allow him back on the team. Somebody needs to take a stand. Do the right thing. I’m hopeful things will change. These kids need to learn valuable lessons about life. Because if they don’t pay for their actions, they’ll never know how to act and probably end up in jail. That would be a waste.

Anyway, like Alabama to take care of business in this one. AU will play hard–they’re trying–just don’t have the experience and horses yet that Alabama has. The defense should be in good shape for Tide. Dont’a and the boys should be pretty dominant though I’m not totally sold on the secondary. Think they’re good players, but they’ve struggled at times this year. Could be a challenge for them if they get to national title game though if it’s LSU, they won’t be tested as severely in the passing game. If it’s Arkansas, that could be interesting. Arkansas a lot better on offense than they were in first game with Tide. Like the Tide though over Tigers. If Michael Dyer and Onterion McCalebb can run the ball and open up some things for Clint Moseley, AU could make it interesting. It should be competitive for a while. But I think Trent and Eddie will be too much in the end for the Tigers to stop even though AU will load the box and probably put a spy on Trent. Just don’t think they can totally stop him. He’s just too good and A.J. will do enough in the passing game. Maze could run a punt back, too.

Alabama 28, Auburn 7

Arkansas @ LSU; Friday 1:30 PM, CBS

Arkansas has a real shot here. I like Arkansas as a matter of fact. Think Tyler Wilson, an excellent running game, an amazing receiving corps and a now pretty good defense will get Arkansas over the top. Everybody is picking LSU, but I like the Hogs. That will make things really interesting in the BCS and I think it’s going to happen. I think LSU could still go to the SEC title game even if they lose. That is my understanding using the BCS tiebreaker rule. If LSU loses and they’re five places within reach of Alabama in the BCS, they still could still go, though they might be behind Arkansas, though they might not if it’s very close, which it should be. So Arkansas can win this game and still not get a shot because they lost at Alabama. They are playing great football right now though. LSU’s offense is nothing special, kind of like Alabama’s, so I think the Razorbacks can put up 28 and defeat the Bengal Tigers. If Hogs do, they have a shot at the national title. Not out of it yet.

Hogs 28, Bayou Bengals 24

SEC games and games involving SEC teams on Saturday:

Georgia @ Georgia Tech; 11 AM, ESPN: Georgia did not play well against Kentucky last week and I they don’t have Crowell and they’re second string guy, Carlton Thomas, is going through “personal issues.” So not sure who’s going to suit up at tailback for ‘Dogs. Tech has a good offense but not much defense. Aaron Murray should have a big day, but so should the Tech running game. Like Ga to get it done and but not by much.

Ga 35, Tech 31

Tennessee @ Kentucky; 11:21 AM, SEC Network

Vols got a controversial victory over Vandy last week on a phantom whistle in overtime on an interception by UT that was whistled down, but called a touchdown anyway. Vols have a future NFL All-Pro at wide receiver in Da’Rick Rogers. The guy is amazing. Ky struggled mightily this year, but played better against Ga, losing 19-10. Think this could be a pretty good game. UT not great, but they do have some great athletes on both sides of the ball. Tyler Bray should be even better this week. He’s a good quarterback. Makes mistakes, but has a chance to be excellent in the rest of the season and next year if he can cut down on his ints. Kentucky just doesn’t have enough on offense and the defense is not that great though they have a couple of good players on that side of the ball. Like the Vols to take this one and make another bowl as Derek Dooley tries to rebuild this program into an upper echelon team once again in the SEC and a player in the national scene.

Vols 28, Ky 14

Vanderbilt @Wake Forest; 2:30 PM, ESPNU

‘Dores desperately trying to reach another bowl game. This will be tough for them. Wake a solid team which beat Florida State, 35-31, and crushed Maryland last week, 31-10. They’re 6-5 and going to a bowl game with a young team. Jim Grobe is an excellent coach. James Franklin doing some great things at Vandy and has recruited outstandingly well for 2012. This would be huge for Vandy to pull this off. Quarterback Jordan Rodgers needs to improve this week. I think he will.

VU 31, Wake 27

Florida State @ Florida; 6 PM, ESPN2

Florida is an erratic team. Don’t know what you’re going to get week to week. The same can be said for FSU. FSU lost a heartbreaker to a pretty good Virginia team last week. Florida had some trouble with Furman but pulled away. I like FSU in this one though. Just don’t trust the Gators.

‘Noles 28, Gators 21

Ole Miss @ Ms. State; 6 PM, ESPNU

State has had a very disappointing year. Ole Miss has even been worse. Talk now is that Gus Malzahn is going to be the new Ole Miss coach as Skip Holtz looks to be the favorite at North Carolina. It’s just been a difficult year for Houston Nutt. Doesn’t have much character on this team and they seem to have quit halfway through the season. State trying for a bowl game in what has been a very disappointing year for Dan Mullen, who had his sights set on a possible Western division title, but Chris Relf turned into a bust and their offense just never got it back after the Auburn loss. Still like State to handle business here, move to 6-6 and qualify for a bowl game.  Ole Miss just trying to finish the season and get a new coach.

State 27, Rebels 10

Clemson @ South Carolina; 6:45 PM, ESPN

SC has won nine this year without Marcus Lattimore the last three games. Connor Shaw has been pretty good. Clemson got crushed by NC State last week. You just can’t trust Dabo. Know he’s a good person, but his teams always break down at crucial times. Like Shaw, Alshon Jeffery and company to get it done and get SC to 10 wins and a very nice New Year’s bowl game. Outback, Capital One or  Jan. 6 at the Cotton Bowl. One of those.

SC 27, Clemson 21

UAB @ Florida Atlantic; 3 PM, No TV:

Blazers should be on somewhere on the dish, just not sure what channel. FAU is 0-10, but these are the games Blazers need to be careful in and take care of business and execute. They’re coming off a huge victory over Southern Miss and Neil Callaway’s job status is looking better. He needs to get’er done here and get the Blazers to four wins which includes solid victories over Central Florida, Memphis and Southern Miss. I think that’s enough with the youth he has on this football team, a young highly talented quarterback in Jonathan Perry and some excellent skilled players, to give Coach Callaway another shot in 2012. He needs to get some linemen coached up for next year and if he does this should be a fun offense to watch. Defense has to get better. Bent but didn’t break against Southern Miss. Callaway is a solid football coach and I thought he and his staff did a terrific job against Southern Miss. He’s a good man, too, and I think he can get this program in good shape next year and the following years. I may be in a minority, but I talked to Coach Callaway last week and see him as a solid football coach. UAB needs a new stadium without a doubt, but I think they should give their football coach some more time to get this thing going in the right direction. He has caught a lot of heat and stayed the course and the victories over UCF, Memphis and Southern Miss were impressive.

Blazers 45, FAU 10

Other national games:

Virginia  28, Virginia Tech 27

 Duke 31, North Carolina 28

Wisconsin 35, Penn State 21

Michigan 31, Ohio State 14

Notre Dame 31, Stanford 28

USC 42, UCLA 28

(Trent and Dyer square off in Auburn.)

Alabama and Auburn both won as expected, but it was a lot tougher than both teams probably thought. Samford is a pretty good team and Georgia Southern a very good team. Alabama had all they could handle stopping the triple option and Ga Southern made some nice throws. That was a pretty interesting game to watch. Pretty entertaining. If ‘Bama beats Auburn and LSU wins out, we’ll have a rematch. But LSU beating Arkansas is no guarantee by any means. If Arkansas–which has a tremendous offense led by one of the best quarterbacks in the country in Tyler Wilson, who is the best qb in the conference– knocks off LSU, it really gets interesting. Arkansas’ defense has improved. Still don’t think they’re great, but a lot better. LSU not prolific on offense, but have that tremendous defense. I’ll have my picks on Wednesday.
Alabama should take care of business in Auburn. AU just not where they need to be. I guess they’ll be better next year. Some changes may come in the staff in the offseason. Can those defensive players who struggled mightily this year, get better next year? Maybe they need better coaching. Something is missing with this defense. AU has to get better qb play, too. Moseley is OK, maybe he can develop in the spring and next summer. Don’t know if Kiehl Frazier can throw the ball. Zeke Pike will be a freshman next year and that’s always hard in the SEC. Malzahn may be going somewhere else as a head coach. A lot of talk about UNC, so there will be a lot of questions for this football team. He may need to hurry up and secure a deal before the Alabama game because that could change some minds if he gets destroyed there.

Alabama in good shape to play for national title if they can beat Auburn. The defense was a little shaky against Southern, but that had a lot to do with the triple option. It’s hard for any team to defend. That was a good football team. Tide needs to play well against Auburn to solidify their position. If Arkansas beats LSU, they’ll move ahead of LSU in the BCS standings. It would be Alabama, if they beat Auburn, then Arkansas, then LSU most likely. But this is like bobbing for apples. You just don’t know which one comes out of the barrel. Here’s what I’m pretty sure will happen if Arkansas beats LSU. All three would be tied for the West crown at 7-1. LSU would go ahead of Alabama because they beat ‘Bama in head to head and they are five spots within’Bama in the BCS rankings. Alabama is ahead of Arkansas, so that knocks the Hogs out. Would Arkansas leap frog ‘Bama if they beat LSU? I don’t think so because ‘Bama beat Hogs. If LSU wins out over Ark and Ga and ‘Bama beats Auburn that would be a done deal Jan. 9 in the Superdome for the BCS national title: LSU vs. ‘Bama.

Alabama is in good shape if they beat Auburn. LSU would go to the SEC championship even if Arkansas beats them because they are within five spots of ‘Bama who beat Arkansas, but if  they lose to Georgia in SEC, that gets interesting again. I think LSU would probably still play ‘Bama. If LSU beats Arkansas and then loses to Georgia in the SEC title game, I think it’s still LSU-‘Bama as long as LSU doesn’t get killed. Just don’t think any of these other teams throughout the country are as good as these three teams and they’ve all blown it. Even though ‘Bama blew it against LSU, they have a very good chance  to play for the national title if they can beat Auburn. You never know in the Iron Bowl, but the talent is overwhelmingly in Alabama’s favor as is the coaching, so ‘Bama should take care of business. ‘Bama is a 22 point favorite over Auburn this morning. Auburn’s best chance is to load up and stop Trent and Eddie and force A.J. into mistakes.

Oklahoma State is the only other team with one loss and that loss is to Iowa State, so that should put them out. Houston is undefeated, but they have not played the schedule to merit a shot.

More tomorrow and Wednesday.