As top contenders fall, Crimson Tide's RB remains in control

Before we get to who's on the list, let's address who's not. Quarterbacks ColtMcCoy of Texas and Tim Tebow of Florida have been prominent members of The Watch for multiple seasons -- and many weeks this season -- but neither made the cut for the first time in who knows how long.

Both are great players and terrific ambassadors for college football, but, based on 2009's results alone (remember, the Heisman is not a career award), neither has been the nation's "most outstanding player." McCoy has been hot the past three weeks (80.9 completion percentage, 303.3 yards and 2 TDs per game), and even coach Mack Brown acknowledged as much in his postgame comments Saturday. "The last three weeks, for sure, we've seen the Colt that we all remember to be as good as anyone in the country," Brown said. The issue is McCoy's start to the season, which included a 127-yard bottoming-out in his team's biggest game of the year, against Oklahoma. The QB threw one interception and could've had two more. And for that showing, McCoy has much catching up to do to be Heisman-worthy.

As for Tebow, he has suffered from the team's lack of a downfield receiving threat and an offensive line that has allowed him to be constantly pressured. The Florida offense is not the same machine of the last two seasons, and, while that is not necessarily Tebow's fault, he's left to build a Heisman résumé around his team's undefeated record and other incidentals. As with McCoy, that's not enough. (An aside: I'm sure both couldn't care less about where they rank in the Heisman race as long as their teams remain undefeated.)

All that said, McCoy and Tebow still seem to get the benefit of the doubt nationally, and if you were to ask The Watch to rank the national race today, we'd predict the following: 1) Mark Ingram, 2) McCoy, 3) Tebow, 4) CaseKeenum. But that's just a guess. So could either McCoy or Tebow still win the Heisman? The answer is undoubtedly yes, but it will be hard earning this vote.

Last week: 22 rushes, 144 yards; 5 receptions, 30 yards in a 24-15 victory against No. 9 LSU

Season: 175 rushes, 1,148 yards, 8 TDs; 24 receptions, 216 yards, 3 TDs

Heisman-o-meter: After Ingram had just six carries for 38 yards in an offensively inept first 30 minutes, the Tide fed Ingram early and often in the second half and he shouldered much of the load on the team's first two scoring drives in the half. He was his vintage self, darting through holes and hop-cutting by defenders and finished with 106 yards after halftime. His most important carry may have been the least exciting: a two-yard dive on fourth-and-inches in the fourth quarter to seal the win. So what makes him the Heisman leader? In four games against ranked opponents, he has averaged 178 rushing yards.

Up next: Saturday at Mississippi State

Last week: 4 tackles, 1 solo; 1 pass broken up; 3 quarterback hurries; 1 blocked kick in a 10-3 victory against No. 20 Oklahoma

Season: 53 tackles, 29 solo; 13 tackles for loss; 5 sacks; 1 interception, 8 passes broken up; 17 quarterback hurries; 1 forced fumble, 3 blocked kicks