My toughest Heisman vote ever (cont.)

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Tebow, despite his incumbent status, never seemed to be in the mix, due in part to a slow start to his season. But last weekend's SEC title game performance apparently made quite the final impression on many voters (the large majority of whom waited until this week to cast their ballot.)

In the Rocky Mountain News' annual Heisman Poll, which has correctly tabbed the winner 18 of the past 21 years, Tebow appeared in the top three only twice: The first week and the last. That poll's electorate tabbed McCoy, by one point, over Bradford.

Meanwhile, the Gainesville Sun polled 98 voters across the six regions and came out with a tie -- Tebow and Bradford both notched 194 points.

One of the major reasons this year's vote was so difficult is because, in today's age, voters are usually swayed by the player with the most impressive stats. But what do you do when all of the primary candidates have at least one absurd stat to their credit?

Oklahoma's Bradford threw for an astounding 4,464 yards, 48 touchdowns and six interceptions. In any other year, those numbers would likely tower over those of any other candidate.

But another player in his own conference, Texas Tech's Harrell, threw for 4,747 yards, 41 TDs and seven INTs while playing one less game, causing his ever-outspoken coach, Mike Leach, to declare, "If Graham is not invited to the Heisman, they ought to quit giving out the award. It is a shameless example of politics ruling over performance."

(All due respect, Mike, but Harrell's fall from grace had less to do with politics than it did that 65-21 debacle.)

Meanwhile, Texas' McCoy threw for about 1,000 less yards than Bradford. However, he posted what will wind up being an NCAA-record 77.6 completion percentage for 32 TDs and seven INTs while also serving as his team's leading rusher (576 yards, 10 TDs).

Finally, there was Tebow, whose yardage totals (2,515 passing, 564 rushing) were more modest than his competitors, but who posted one of the most impressive stats of all: a 28-to-2 touchdown-to-interception rate, including 16-to-0 over the Gators' final six games.

Among the NCAA's passing efficiency leaders, Bradford finished first; McCoy third; and Tebow fifth.

Personally, I pored through all those numbers about 20 times over a three-day span. I looked back at game-by-game performances. At one point or another, I managed to sell myself on one of the three ... only to change my mind again later.

Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that this was not a race that could be decided by stats. The fact is, all of the candidates' stat lines were impressive in their own ways, making it impossible to quantify one guy's as "better" than another's.

So I finally asked myself, "Who do you truly believe is the nation's 'most outstanding player?'"

Prior to last weekend, I believed it to be McCoy. Simply put, he was Texas' offense this season, which he directed remarkably and almost flawlessly en route an 11-1 season. I watched him in person direct two fourth-quarter comebacks, first against Oklahoma, then against Texas Tech (Harrell and Michael Crabtree wound up rendering that one moot).

But then I covered last weekend's SEC title game and was reminded first-hand why I, and so many others, deemed Tebow the "most outstanding player" a year ago. Everything the Gators do, they do because of Tebow. It's not just his razor-sharp passes. It's not just his relentless, fullback-style running. It's all the little things in between -- the lethal play-fakes, the precise option pitches and, most importantly, his emotional leadership -- that make him the most dominant player in the sport.

Put it this way: Tebow was the most outstanding player a year ago, and he's only gotten better. All three quarterbacks, as well as Harrell, are phenomenal players, but if you asked me to choose one to build a team around, I would choose Tebow in a heartbeat -- which is why I voted for him.

Considering just how difficult a decision it was, I would not argue with anyone who voted for Bradford or McCoy. Now, I anxiously await the result.