Monday, November 5, 2007

Barkley vs. Bavetta Heisman Watch

Right now you really are down to 5 Heisman Candidates: Tim Tebow, Darren McFadden, Dennis Dixon, Matt Ryan, and Mike Hart. Possible Darkhorse, Pat White.

I'm gonna break down what has to happen for each of these candidates to win the coveted BvB Heisman which has way more value and homerism than the real award delivered in New York every December.

The current BvB standings are:

  1. Dennis Dixon
  2. Tim Tebow
  3. Darren McFadden
  4. Matt Ryan
  5. Mike Hart

Dennis Dixon needs to keep winning. With games left at Arizona and UCLA with a home game against Oregon St. It seems very possible for the Ducks to make it to 11-1 with a berth to the title game or the Rose Bowl. Of the 5 candidates, His team is the best team and highest ranked in the country. If all 5 candidates stay undefeated and Dixon's injury doesn't affect him, then he will be the winner.

Tim Tebow needs to keep scoring and winning. If the gators drop any of their remaining three games, Tebow is out. If the Florida Defense can't keep the Gamecock offense off the field next week, Tebow will have to take the game over and keep scoring. If that happens, it will be a huge bonus to his chances, but Tebow may be out of luck if no one knocks off the ducks. If Oregon loses or if Dixon doesn't perform then Tebow will be able to beat out the rest of the candidates.

Darren McFadden knows what it is like to get close to that trophy. He has had a tough time getting healthy this season, and a tougher time being able to help his team win. The strange thing is Spurrier is right, if McFadden doesn't get his bell rung in that Alabama game, and if his ribs stayed healthy the hogs could be undefeated and sitting atop the BCS right now. Darren needs close games to help his Heisman hopes. The razorbacks can't jump out to 3 score leads that they hold the whole game or Nutt is going to bench his bread and butter and save him for the rest of the season. Tennessee is a team he can perform well against statistically and pulling a win out of knoxville will help him. He needs a monster game against LSU and somehow pulling out a victory to put himself ahead of the other candidates. A 5-3 conference record could be just the thing to put him on top, but once again Dixon winning will be insurmountable.

Matt Ryan really hurt himself this weekend. After a bad statistical performance against Virginia Tech and the 3 interceptions and loss to FSU, he might be done for. Clemson and Miami might be tough games, too. Boston College has slipped to 8 in the BCS, but Matt Ryan won't get the Heisman unless he has some more Boston Magic like the magic that gave Flutie the award in 1984. It will take a lot of faltering by the other candidates before Ryan comes up with it.

Mike Hart has been quietly working against the 0-2 start the Wolverines experienced. His yardage has been better than McFadden's, but his competition inferior. With only one 200 yard outing, he has been consistent and has had 100 yard games in all 8 games he's played in. With only 2 more games to perform in he is going to need a huge performance to get into Heisman contention. Not to mention the fact that he has so many players ahead of him that might fail. Without a huge performance against Wisconsin or Ohio St. he won't even get invited.

BigFootFool's prediction for the Heisman winner: Darren McFadden

Here's the scoop, Dennis Dixon's knee will hamper him more than he thinks, and while the Ducks will win out limited playing time and poor performances against Arizona and UCLA will leave him behind. Tim Tebow has monster stats, but a loss to South Carolina will put the gators off any chance at an SEC championship game and will derail his heisman hopes. Darren McFadden will put up 200 yard games against Tennessee and Mississippi St. At LSU, whether the hogs will win or not won't matter as Darren will have a stiff arm against Glen Dorsey that gets played so often on Sportscenter the voters won't be able to get McFadden out of their head. Darren wins by the narrowest margin in voting history.

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