From the Horse’s Mouth- Week 5 Spotlight games

If you enjoyed week 4, this week gets even better. We get two SEC heavyweights battling again, a couple of contests that will stand large in deciding the Big 10, and a fallen program facing another that appears to be rising.

(8) Alabama at (3) Georgia

The Horse’s must see rating: 10

Quickie: The Georgia Bulldogs figured to have some bumps in the road towards an SEC championship and possible appearance in the BCS title game, but I doubt playing an Alabama team ranked in the top 10 in week 5 was one of the expectations. The overachieving Tide are now among the nation’s elite and appear as the Dogs’ second SEC foe and first AP ranked opponent of the season.

BULLDOGS (3-0)
Last week- W-Arizona State (2-2)

Georgia is often advertised as “Knowshon Moreno and the Bulldogs”, but there’s much more than that. Their trip to the desert not only earned the respect of western viewers, but gave us an opportunity to learn more about the third ranked team in the nation. Although Moreno has more than lived up to the hype, equally impressive is the poise of QB Matthew Stafford. Stafford appears as a solid first round draft prospect, commanding the Bulldogs offense with a combination of skill and leadership. A player overlooked in all the mass publicity is freshman wide receiver AJ Green, who caught 8 passes for 159 yards in Saturday’s victory over the Sun Devils. Tagged as a freshman, Green has the appearance of someone that has being playing the college game for years, and is easily an overlooked weapon of the offense. The Bulldogs defense is solid, making each opponent fight for each yard gained. They defend the ends well, but don't appear to have that same pressure up the middle as they did in 2007.

TIDE (3-0)
Last week: W-Arkansas (2-1)

Nick Saban has said to hell with a rebuilding plan, and uses the better motto of “the time is now”. After opening impressively against Clemson, the Tide has continued to roll. They’ve done it with a mixture of youth and experience, and an offense that continues to put up big numbers. Although we weren’t really sure what to expect from the Tide in 2008, they may have found something in running back Gary Coffee. Coffee ripped an Arkansas defense on Saturday for 162 yards, averaging more than 16 yards per carry. When the backs are churning, it relieves the stress from QB John Parker Wilson, and phenomenal passing statistics aren’t necessary to earn victories. A pressuring defense and workmanlike offense has Alabama sitting undefeated and ready for more.

Xtra Points: The team most effective in stopping the run is the team that will win this game. The quarterback match up isn’t favorable, with Matthew Stafford having a clear edge, so it’s more important for the Tide to establish something on the ground than be put in a position where a victory would be riding on Wilson's arm.

All Time Series: Alabama leads 35-25-4
Streak: Georgia won 3

(22) Illinois at (12) Penn State

The Horse’s must see rating: 9

Quickie: After watching Ohio State over the course of the first few weeks, it’s clear that the Big 10 race is wide open. Penn State remains my favorite, and they’ll receive their first true test in this Big 10 conference opener.

NITTANY LIONS (4-0)
Last Week: W-Temple (1-3)

Joe Pa’s Lions may have off field issues, but on field, everything appears to be clicking. Though their first 4 opponents combine for a record of just 5-10, Penn State made quick work of each, as they should. Their defense has been stingy, while the offense has recorded a low of 45 points and high of 66. The 40 or more points scored in each of the first 4 games are a school record. Powered by the offensive line, sophomore running back Evan Royster has found the end zone 7 times in the 4 games played. That line has also offered protection for QB Daryll Clark, who has only been sacked twice in 4 weekends. In comparison, Penn State sacked Temple quarterbacks 7 times in Saturday’s 45-3 rout of the Owls.

FIGHTING ILLINI (2-1)
Last Week: W-Louisiana Lafayette (1-2)

The Illini have the early season out of conference loss to Mizzou, but still remain in the running for the Big 10 title, and anything else, if others begin to stumble before them. It’s been an up and down season for QB Juice Williams, who has thrown for 7 touchdowns but also been picked 5 times. His most impressive passing day came in the loss to Missouri, where he wracked up 451 yards in the air and 5 of those touchdown tosses. But since the opener, he hasn’t thrown for more than 150 in any game, and is on the wrong side of the touchdown to interception ratio (2/3). The Jekyll and Hyde act doesn’t only represent the Illini QB, it’s descriptive of the program. After appearing impressive in the opener, though they did lose, this team struggled last week to edge Louisiana Lafayette. Now they head to the Big 10 opener and we wonder which team will show up.

Xtra Points: If there is a team that plays according to their competition, it would be Illinois. Going to Happy Valley to play the 12th ranked Nittany Lions, they better bring their “A” game, and leave the gameplan from last week at home. If Williams fails to give the true look of a quarterback again this week, the Illini will suffer a lopsided defeat.

All Time Series: Penn State leads 12-3
Streak: Illinois won 1

(9) Wisconsin at Michigan: The wolverines have a streak in jeopardy. Michigan has won 22 consecutive Big 10 home openers, and with a rebuilding program and a ranked opponent coming in, it will be difficult to maintain.

Minnesota at (14) Ohio State: The Gophers are the surprise team, opening 4-0. The Buckeyes are another surprise, as the experience of the roster hasn’t proven to equate to dominance on the field. They now weigh their hopes on the inexperience of freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Arkansas at (7) Texas: An old rivalry renewed, but shouldn’t prove to be much of a battle. Look for the Horns to win this one big.

Tennessee at (15) Auburn: The coach’s seat in Knoxville has been uncomfortable. Look for the tigers to light a match.

(25) Fresno State at UCLA: The Pac 10 should take another mid-major hit here. For the first time in 44 years, a Bruins offense has failed to score a touchdown in back-to-back games. And this is occurring with Norm Chow as the offensive coordinator.

Colorado at Florida State: The Buffs are undefeated and for real. The Noles appeared to be real, until they finally played a program from the FBS.

Purdue at Notre Dame: For two years now, the Boilermakers have struggled to hold leads. The Irish struggle to get ahead. Don’t let the halftime score fool you. Despite what it may read early, this one won't be over until the fourth.

(24) TCU at (2) Oklahoma: Can the Mountain West continue to do some damage? Nah. I really doubt it happens against Bob Stoops.

(1)USC at Oregon State: The Trojans return to the scene of the crime. Preview here.

Virginia Tech at Nebraska: A program rising, and another falling? Guess which is which, and you can probably predict the outcome.

From The Horse’s Mouth: Week 4 Spotlight games

I actually like what the fourth week has in store, because not only does it bring some key conference games involving both the SEC east and west, it also combines some out of conference match ups between some big name programs. We have a Florida State team that has climbed back into the rankings and will receive their first true test of the season, and an entire group of mid majors continuing their quest to invade the BCS.

(3) Georgia at Arizona State

The Horse’s must see rating: 10

Quickie: For the first time since Eisenhower was president, The Georgia Bulldogs will play a regular season game in the western time zone. The last trip came in 1960, where they fell 10-3 to USC in the Los Angeles Coliseum. They face a Sun Devils team fresh off an upset loss to UNLV that pushed them out of the AP top 25, and leaves them hanging by a thread in the coaches’ poll.

SUN DEVILS (2-1)
Last Week: L-UNLV

Anyone reading me over the course of 2007 knows I had the Sun Devils consistently on “fraud alert”. 2007 featured 8 games at home, bottom of the barrel out of conference opponents, and a loss to each power opponent they played.

QB Rudy Carpenter is a pro prospect, and near the top of the 2009 class at his position. But seldom do we get a good look at his abilities, because his line buckles and fails often. Carpenter was sacked 58 times last season, and has already eaten turf 5 times through the first 3 games of 2008.

BULLDOGS (3-0)
Last week: W-South Carolina

Georgia faced a challenge against a stiff South Carolina defense on Saturday. The Gamecocks limited the Dogs to 289 yards of offense, and allowed running sensation Knowshon Moreno just 79 yards on 20 carries.

The Bulldogs’ pass defense currently ranks 11th of the 12 SEC programs (263.3 ypg), and will face a Sun Devils passing offense ranked 1st in the Pac 10 (324.7). Pressuring the quarterback is of the utmost importance, as Dennis Erickson will likely go back to airing it out after losing in an upset to the Rebels, with the Devils altering the game plan and showing a big increase in rushing attempts and decrease in pass attempts. Expect them to go back to their strength, and Georgia to flex theirs. Georgia’s 42 sacks led the SEC last year, and can play a major role against a program that still struggles to protect their quarterback.

Xtra Points: I’ve seen some funny things happen in the Arizona desert. The last SEC program to visit Tempe was LSU in 2005. It took a tremendous comeback and late fourth quarter score for the 5th ranked Tigers to edge the 15th ranked Sun Devils in a game that ended 35-31, and saw an LSU defense surrender 560 yards of offense to the Devils. The tone should be set early. And if ASU opens by being overpowered by the Georgia defensive front, Carpenter is in for a very long day.

All Time Series: No prior meetings.

(4) Florida at Tennessee

The Horse’s must see rating: 10

Quickie: As rumor had it, it didn’t matter where you coached before or the success you had, because no coach could just walk into the SEC and take over. Well, Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, and Les Miles all have. It took Saban just 4 years to not only win the SEC, but also a national championship. It took Les Miles just 3, and as little as 2 for Urban Meyer. Meyer now looks to make it 4 straight victories over Tennessee’s Phillip Fulmer.

GATORS (2-0)
Last Week: BYE

The book on the 2008 Gators was an explosive offense with a suspect defense. The offense was supposed to offer more firepower, with an addition of a running game. I’m still waiting to see that ground game, because they haven’t showed much of it. Emannuel Moody is obviously buried deep in Meyer’s doghouse, but is expected to have more carries against the Vols than he has all season. That season total for Moody is “2”. Percy Harvin was limited in his first game back, either by the Miami defense or the rust of sitting out for weeks. I expect a more productive game from Harvin against the Vols, as he’s slowly worked back into the rhythm.

VOLUNTEERS (1-1)
Last Week- W- UAB

The Vols are still searching for an identity. Are they the preseason power as reflected in the polls, or the team dominated in the trenches by UCLA in week one? The victory over UAB still leaves these men behind the mask, and they should reveal their true faces on Saturday. Neyland Stadium offers a small advantage, as the Gators are 2-3 in their last 5 games away from the swamp (losses to Michigan, LSU, Georgia). Even in their road victories, the Gators aren’t nearly as impressive as they are on their home field.

Xtra Points: Arian Foster and the Vols ground game could be the key if Fulmer is to end the streak. In 3 losses to Florida, Tennessee has no runs of more than 6 yards. A 1-2 start would be awful in Knoxville, and though I don’t like to call a game in the fourth week a “must win”, for Tennessee, this is one.

All Time Series: Tennessee leads 19-18
Streak: Florida won 3

(6) LSU at (10) Auburn- The two teams played a thriller last year that ended with Matt Flynn finding a receiver in the end zone with time running out. I’m not sure this one will be as classic, with that new spread offense at Auburn looking about the same as the one in Michigan.

Notre Dame at Michigan State- The Irish can match their win total of a year ago. The Spartans can continue their ownership of the Boys from South Bend.

Miami at Texas A&M- As a ranked team, the Aggies were dominated by the Canes in 2007. Toss out the numbers next to the names, and expect more of the same.

(18) Wake Forest at (24) Florida State- Are the Noles back? They will answer that on Saturday.

(21) WVU at Colorado- In the thin mountain air, have no fear of Colorado coach Dan Hawkins. Fear his son, Cody, the Buff’s quarterback, instead.

(20) Utah at Air Force- What? Are you still sleeping on the Falcons?

Portland State at Washington State- Why is this game listed? It’s because I believe Washington State is bad enough to lose to this team.


Boise State at (17) Oregon- This game has upset written all over it. Oregon is limited to using their 3rd and 4th team quarterbacks. That’s about the same as UCLA, and things aren’t working well for the Bruins.

Week 3 Heisman Performances- Quarterbacks

The race for the Heisman Trophy hasn’t taken full form, but it’s slowly revealing a shape. Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel and Max Hall have jumped out quickly with huge numbers, while some others find themselves in vicarious positions. Overall, quarterbacks continue to stand out, with quite a few lighting up stat sheets in the first 3 games.

Rudy Carpenter took a heavy hit with a loss to UNLV. As it stands now, for Carpenter to pull himself out of the hole and make it to New York, his Arizona Sate Sun Devils will probably have to defeat both Georgia and USC, and he needs to be impressive against both. That would also suggest that he needs to win the Pac 10 and secure a top 10 finish. The most memorable number from Todd Reesing’s game against South Florida is “1”. One interception late in the game set up the Bulls with field position to kick the game winning field goal. Reesing can easily make up for that error, considering the Big 12 has so many Heisman candidates and exposure games. Here’s the list for week three, in no particular order.

QUARTERBACKS
New to list: Matt Grothe, USF

Mark Sanchez, USC
Opponent: Ohio State

17 of 28, 172 yards, 4 tds, 1 INT

Season: 43 of 63, 510 yards, 5 tds, 2 INTs
Rating: 166.57
Opponents: Virginia, Ohio State
Record: 2-0

Matthew Stafford, Georgia
Opponent: S. Carolina

15 of 25, 146 yards, 0 td, 0 INT

Season: 46 of 74, 634 yards, 4 tds, 0 INT
Rating: 159.97
Opponents: Georgia Southern, C. Michigan, S. Carolina
Record: 3-0

Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
Opponent: Washington
18 of 21, 304 yards, 5 tds, 0 INT

Season: 64 of 81, 882 yards, 12 tds, 2 INTs
Rating: 214.43
(1 rushing td)
Opponents: Tenn-Chat, Cincinnati, Washington
Record: 3-0

Juice Williams, Illinois
Opponent: Louisiana Lafayette

Pass: 13 of 25, 147 yards, 1 td, 1 INT
Rush: 11 attempts, 35 yards, 0 tds

Season: 65 of 92, 722 yards, 7 tds, 1 INT
Rating: 139.94
(Rushing: 46 attempts, 219 yards, 2 tds)

Opponents: Mizzou, E. Illinois, Louisiana Lafayette
Record: 2-1

Chase Daniel, Missouri
Opponent: Nevada

23 of 28, 405 yards, 4 tds, 0 INTs

Season: 65 of 90, 973 yards, 10 tds, 1 INT
Rating: 197.48
Opponents: Illinois, SMS, Nevada
Record: 3-0

Cullen Harper, Clemson
Opponent: NC State

20 of 28, 262 yards, 2 tds, 1 INT

Season: 54 of 80, 642 yards, 3 tds, 2 INTs
Opponents: Alabama, Citadel, NC State
Record: 2-1

Graham Harrell, Texas Tech
Opponent: SMU

31 of 48, 418 yards, 5 tds, 0 INT

Season: 93 of 152, 1,251 yards, 8 tds, 3 INTs
Rating: 143.74
(1 rushing td)
Opponents: E. Washington, Nevada, SMU
Record: 3-0

Todd Reesing, Kansas
Opponent: USF

34 of 51, 373 yards, 3 tds, 1 INT

Season: 103 of 141, 1,041 yards, 9 tds, 2 INTs
Rating: 153.30
(1 rushing td)

Opponents: FIU, La Tech, USF
Record: 2-1

Rudy Carpenter, Arizona State
Opponent: UNLV

13 of 23, 242 yards, 2 tds, 1 INT

Season: 62 of 87, 975 yards, 6 tds, 2 INTs
Rating: 183.56
Opponents: N. Arizona, Stanford, UNLV
Record: 2-1

Matt Grothe, USF
Opponent: Kansas

32 of 45, 338 yards, 2 tds, 0 INTs

Season: 61 of 93, 780 yards, 7 tds, 2 INTs
Rating: 156.58
(1 rushing td)
Opponents: Ten-Mart, UCF, Kansas
Record: 3-0

Max Hall, BYU
Opponent: UCLA

27 of 35, 272 yards, 7 tds, 1 INT

Season: 91 of 117, 1,095 yards, 12 tds, 2 INTs
Rating: 186.82
Opponents: UNI, Washington, UCLA
Record: 3-0


BYE WEEK

Pat White (WVU), Tim Tebow (Florida), Colt McCoy (Texas)

DROPPED FROM LIST

Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan)

ON THE BUBBLE

Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan)

The Horse’s Early QB Pick: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
The Horse’s Early Overall pick: Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

Massey ranks Temple No. 1

While people are debating over Buckeyes, Trojans, and Bulldogs as the No. 1 team in the nation, Massey has already spit out its choice. For those that don’t know, Massey’s results are used in the computer portion of the BCS equation. And when I think back to 2003, when the computers made up two-thirds of the formula, and then see the opening ranks in 2008, all I can do is shake my head.

According to Massey, the ratings are based on win/loss outcomes relative to schedule difficulty. Margin of victory is not a factor, and neither are point differentials. USC, Georgia, and Ohio State are in a 3rd place tie, along with 51 other programs. The team(s) sitting above them are Temple and Rice, tied for the top spot.

I’m not sure how you make sense of the rankings, considering Rice defeated SMU over the weekend, and Temple beat Army. Where is the strength in that? The rankings also have the SEC as the top rated conference, followed by the Big 12. The Pac 10 and Big 10 rank 7th and 8th, with the ACC at No. 13. The Big East doesn’t appear until the 32nd spot. Between the Pac and Big 12, you’ll find the Southland, Pioneer, and Mid-American Conferences, but these numbers are strictly based on the amount of teams in conference, amount of teams that played, and the average win/loss records after one weekend.

Massey Ratings

The cost of a gallon of gas was 31 cents…

Thirty one cents gave you a full gallon of gasoline. Forty nine cents bought a gallon of milk. You could mail a letter with a four cent stamp. The average price of a new home was $16,500. Fifty seven cents would give you a dozen eggs. Eisenhower was the President, Nixon was a Vice President, and JFK was a Senator. Life expectancy was 69.7 years. Unemployment was at 5.5%. 3,500 American soldiers were sent to Vietnam.

Cassius Clay wins his first professional fight. Rome hosted the Summer Olympics. Wilt Chamberlain records 55 rebounds in a single game. Jim Kelly, John Elway, Marcus Allen, and Cal Ripken Jr. were newborns, as were Daryl Hannah, Valerie Bertinelli, and Howie Long. Ben Hur won the academy award for best picture. Charlton Heston was best actor. Shelly Winters was the best supporting actress.

Norm Van Brocklin was the NFL MVP, and his Philadelphia Eagles were NFL Champs. Navy’s Joe Bellino won the Heisman Trophy. Minnesota was the NCAA football champion. Roger Maris was the American League MVP, but Casey Stengel’s Yanks lost to the Pirates in the World Series. Duke played in the Cotton Bowl, and Southern California defeated Georgia 10-3.

What’s the significance of these events? The year was 1960, and that loss in Los Angeles marks the last time the Georgia Bulldogs played a regular season football game west of the Central time zone. They’ll be making their first regular season trip out west for the first time in 48 years, when they play Arizona State in the Valley of the Sun.

And just think, men have been to the moon and back.

Mike Mayock Is A Pud

There’s nothing more irritating than networks that suddenly want to jump on the college football bandwagon and select just about anyone to give an analysis. In their rush to cash in on a hot commodity, they’ll select a panel of “experts” to breakdown teams, games, and conferences. But much too often, you get a group that may have expertise in one area, but college football isn’t one of them. Fox was guilty of this the past two seasons, latching on to the BCS rights and giving us a group of people that said a whole lot without saying anything at all. The NFL Network is now making that same push, attempting to put more emphasis on college football, and one member of their panel is already under my skin.

Mike Mayock is an NFL draft guru (supposedly), but I recently caught him in a discussion about Pac 10 football and Arizona State. In talking about the Sun Devils’ upcoming game against Georgia, the panel gave reasons why ASU may win or lose. With Mayock, the answer was short and simple, “SEC, spank”, even using hand gestures to act out the prediction. I can think of plenty of reasons the Sun Devils could possibly lose that game, beginning with the poor play of their offensive line in 2007, and an outlook that looks to be the same. But when someone gives one reason, and that reason being that the opponent is from the SEC, that burns me.

I’ve never claimed to be an expert on college football, but I at least attempt to support my assumptions with facts. To believe Mayock’s assertion that SEC vs. Pac 10 equates to a spanking, you would think the Southeastern Conference was 15-0 in head-to-head matchups against the Pac in this BCS era. They are not. Maybe Mayock should realize the Pac actually leads in the series by a count of 9-6. Where’s my spanking?

LSU spanked Arizona (as many teams did), Auburn spanked Washington State (as many teams did), and Cal was spanked by Tennessee in 2006. But Cal managed to return the favor in 2007, when they hosted the Vols. In fact, with Tennessee and Arkansas each reaching the SEC championship game over the past 2 seasons, what they both have in common is getting spanked by Pac 10 programs to start their year (Cal and USC).

Arkansas was spanked twice. Auburn was shutout in Jordan-Hare. UCLA dumped Bama twice. In two games against the SEC, Oregon hasn’t lost. Where’s my spanking? Remember what happened when LSU played a team not at the bottom of the Pac? They won the games, but they didn’t exactly have an easy time doing it. In 2006, they had to come from behind to edge the Sun Devils in Tempe. In 2004, Alexis Serna misses 3 PATs, and the Tigers escape the Beavers 22-21 in Baton Rouge. This was the follow up to LSU’s 2003 championship season. Where’s the spanking?

If Mike Mayock wanted to give a more positive reason for Georgia’s probable beating of Arizona State, the answer is simple. Georgia has a damn good football team. The conference name doesn’t make the program, otherwise Vanderbilt would be world beaters. It’s the roster, experience, and coaching. The Bulldogs have the ability to spank many teams, but it’s because they are Georgia, and not because they are SEC. The media can continue to doubt the Pac and cast them in a lesser light than their SEC opponents. But the truth is, they have no numbers to support their claims. Those snake oil salesmen can sell their product to the rest of the country, but it's not selling on the left coast.

Greatest Underdog Performance In North American History?

With the popularity of the college world series being far less than other sports, it’s hard for some to grasp the recent accomplishment of the Fresno State Bulldogs. The Dogs achieved the impossible, the unthinkable, and the improbable. They represent the lowest seeded team, defying the greatest odds, to win a championship.

To clarify their run, and enlighten those not understanding, Fresno State, now reigning as the 2008 baseball champion, is by far more shocking than the 42 ½ point underdog Stanford Cardinal and division I-AA Appalachian State upsetting perennial college football powers USC and Michigan in 2007. To even relate to this achievement, you would have to take those Stanford Cardinal and have them fight their way through USC, LSU, West Virginia, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma, eliminating each one. If you say to yourself that they survived mighty USC last year, and you actually like their chances, then consider how the Cardinal would fair in a double elimination tournament against those teams, that would eventually wind down to a 3 game series against one of the best in the land. Everyone can have a bad day, but what are the odds of any of the aforementioned losing to Stanford in a 3 game series? Would you put your money on it?

Fresno State entered the tournament with a season record of 33-27, barely making the field. They finish 47-31, and represent the worst record ever to win the world series, and the lowest seed in any sport to be crowned champion. With 18 games over 35 days, and surviving elimination 6 times, the Bulldogs stand atop the mountain. Is it the greatest underdog performance in North American history? Damn right it is. Will it be celebrated as such and remembered? No, not at all. It's mostly because many still don’t (and never will) understand what it means to make that kind of run in college baseball. The Giants victory over the New England Patriots pales in comparison to this feat, but will be viewed publicly as the greater accomplishment.

To put it another way, this isn’t the heavily favored Mike Tyson getting knocked out by the underdog Buster Douglas. This was Mike Tyson losing to my mom. They call them "Cinderellas", but even she was forced to leave the ball. The Fresno State Bulldogs stayed until the party was over, and were the last guests on the dance floor.

Trojan Trio listed for Heisman in 2009

Where else but Heismanpundit.com would you find a list of potential Heisman candidates for 2009, when a single game of the 2008 season has yet to be played? They’re projecting players based on the assumption that Florida’s Percy Harvin and Tim Tebow, along with Ohio State’s Beanie Wells will be entering the 2009 NFL draft. Some of the names are obvious choices, if you look back on the past season. But other names show the site has high expectations for some players I believe to be extremely overrated.

The obvious Trojan trio is QB Mark Sanchez and Running backs Joe Mcknight and Stafon Johnson. Of the three, Sanchez is a more likely candidate, with Johnson and McKnight, along with the other stable of backs, limiting the amount of playing time and touches. Unless either McKnight or Johnson is utilized in a full time role, neither will be receiving that trophy.

There’s a Georgia duo on their list, and I’m skeptical of whether Knowshon Moreno will even return to college for the 2009 season. Matthew Stafford is a good quarterback, but appears even greater in a conference thin at that position. Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford is another good choice, but I’m not so sure about Demarco Murray. Bradford made people forget Heisman winner Jason White. Can Murray make us forget Heisman runner up Adrian Peterson?

Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen and Texas’ Colt McCoy are head scratchers. McCoy will be operating this season without Jamaal Charles and Limas sweed, which should make for his toughest challenge yet. He is now set up to fail in Austin, but if he finds success, he’s very deserving of the 2009 list. Claussen worked 2007 behind an offensive line that was unable to provide protection. Former Domer Brady Quinn had Heisman consideration, but unfortunately, I don’t see Clausen possessing those same skills. Well, at least, not yet.

Jake Locker, who we’ve come to know as “Tim Tebow West” made their list. He does have the similarities, but the Washington program is far lacking in the talent Tebow has around him. Unless the huskies recruited some immediate impact offensive talent, Locker won’t be getting an invitation to New York.

One name noticeably missing from the Pundit is Lesean McCoy of Pittsburgh. He’s not even listed as heading to the NFL. LeSean is no longer flying under the radar, so how could they miss him? If this Panther chooses to remain in school, he can easily be a front runner in 2009.