As Luck fades, Heisman field gets more crowded

The season-long support of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck in the Heisman Trophy race seems to be waning after Luck threw two interceptions last week in the Cardinal's first loss of the season.

That has moved some other folks into contention, including Oregon's LaMichael James, who ran for 146 yards and three touchdowns against Stanford and tops the nation in rushing. Quarterbacks Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State and Case Keenum of Houston, along with Alabama running back Trent Richardson, also are up there for the coveted prize, which will be awarded in three weeks.

Weeden, 28, who played five years of minor-league baseball before beginning his college career, is growing weary of questions about his age. The number of queries has risen as the Oklahoma State QB continues to climb to a prominent position in the Heisman race.

"On the ballot, there's not an age requirement," Weeden told the Associated Press. "It's stupid. I'm so sick of hearing about it. People need to find some new material. It's getting old real quick."

Florida State quarterback Chris Weinke, also a former minor-leaguer, was 28 when he won the Heisman in 2000, making him the oldest winner of the award by five years.

Houston hasn't gotten much time in the spotlight for most of the season, but that all changed with last week's loss by previously undefeated Boise State.

Now the Cougars (10-0) are the darlings of college football, a team from a nonautomatic qualifying conference (Conference USA) with a great shot at landing their league's first-ever berth in a BCS bowl. Led by Keenum, who received a sixth year of eligibility after sitting out last season with a knee injury, the Cougars are on track to establish NCAA single-season records for passing yards, total yards and points.

What do SEC teams have in common with Football Championship Subdivision members the Citadel, Furman, Georgia Southern, and Samford?

Those are the opponents Saturday for South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, and Auburn, respectively, as conference teams ease off on the competition to prepare for a big finish to the regular season and a bowl matchup.

Of course, you can't tell Alabama coach Nick Saban that it's going to be easy against Georgia Southern, which is 9-1 and seeking its seventh FCS national championship.

"Teams like this beat Division I teams all the time," Saban said. "We need to have the proper respect for who we're playing."

Southern California coach Lane Kiffin thought he had top high school prospect De'Anthony Thomas all locked up when national signing day arrived last February. But the running back from Los Angeles shocked him and signed with Oregon.

Kiffin will get to see Thomas close-up when the two teams meet Saturday night in Eugene, and he's still perplexed as to why he didn't get Thomas. "For that to happen was very strange," Kiffin told the AP. "But it is what it is."

Thomas, who has scored 13 touchdowns this season, has said he chose the Ducks simply because he likes Eugene.

So is the Harvard-Yale game really so important that Bulldogs quarterback Patrick Witt would withdraw his application for a Rhodes scholarship because he chose the Game over attending an interview before the scholarship committee?

"People who don't understand this decision have never been part of a team . . . going through some of the things that these guys go through with each other," Yale coach Tom Williams told the Boston Globe.

The Globe found words to fit Witt's thought process right in the Rhodes committee criteria, which includes phrases like "devotion to duty," "unselfishness and fellowship" and "moral force of character and instincts to lead."

When looking at tapes of his team's heartbreaking loss last week to Florida State, Miami coach Al Golden saw three turnovers, nine penalties, and what he called "some horrific plays in the kicking game."

As the former Temple coach explained in the Miami Herald, the mistakes "were a function of football intelligence . . . not personal intelligence, not intellect, but just football intelligence."

The Hurricanes (5-5) must get smarter and win one of their next two games, starting Saturday at South Florida, to become bowl-eligible in Golden's first season.

After watching his team open the season with losses to Boise State and South Carolina, Georgia coach Mark Richt felt the intense "win-or-else" pressure that comes with coaching in the SEC.

But the Bulldogs abruptly reversed their fortunes and enter their game against Kentucky with an eight-game winning streak. A victory over the Wildcats would clinch the SEC East and put the Bulldogs in the conference championship game just down the road at the Georgia Dome.

Quarterback Aaron Murray has provided a spark with nine TD passes in the last two weeks and 27 for the season.

Wisconsin running back Montee Ball has given the Badgers two players in the national spotlight along with quarterback Russell Wilson. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior scored three touchdowns last week to give him 27 for the season, a Big Ten record that was shared by three players including Penn State's Ki-Jana Carter.

Wilson, who leads the nation in passing efficiency, had gotten all the team's Heisman publicity before a pair of midseason losses took him off the A-list of candidates. But now?

"I'd probably have to vote for Montee," he told the AP. "He's the man. 'Money' Ball, I guess they call him."

Michigan State's Kirk Cousins trails only the Badgers' Wilson in passing efficiency among Big Ten quarterbacks and has a shot at setting several school records.

But that means nothing to him compared to winning the conference championship and playing in the Rose Bowl. "That would mean a great deal to me, so that's what we're pursuing," Cousins told the Detroit Free Press.

Going into the game against Indiana, Cousins is four touchdown passes shy of the career record of 61 and needs 42 completions to break the school mark of 685, both set in 2003 by Jeff Smoker.

1. Louisiana State 10-0

2. Oklahoma State 10-0

3. Alabama 9-1

4. Oregon 9-1

5. Oklahoma 8-1

6. Arkansas 9-1

7. Houston 10-0

8. Stanford 9-1

9. Clemson 9-1

10. Virginia Tech 10-1

- Joe Juliano

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TOP CHOICE

Southern California at Oregon, 8 p.m., 6ABC: Here is another chance for the Ducks to solidify their position in fourth place in the BCS, keeping them in contention for a spot in the national championship game. They showed incredible speed last week in putting up 53 points against previously unbeaten Stanford, with LaMichael James rushing for 146 yards. But the Trojans will be a threat because of the play of quarterback Matt Barkley.

PICK SIX

Nebraska at Michigan, noon, ESPN: The loser is eliminated from the Big Ten Legends Division race; look for an interesting duel between tailbacks Rex Burkhead of the Cornhuskers and Fitzgerald Toussaint of the Wolverines.

Wisconsin at Illinois, noon, ESPN2: The Badgers can set themselves up for their home-field showdown with Penn State next week for the Big Ten Leaders Division title with a win over the reeling Illini.

Southern Methodist at Houston, 3:30 p.m. (no television): The Cougars, one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the FBS, face an opponent with a winning record for only the second time in their 10 games.

Louisiana State at Mississippi, 7 p.m., ESPN: The Tigers appear to have it easy because the Rebels have suspended their starting quarterback and leading rusher, but they can't afford to look ahead to Arkansas.

Kansas State at Texas, 8 p.m., FX: The Longhorns are favored despite key injuries among their running backs, and the fact that the Wildcats have defeated them five times in their last seven meetings.

Oklahoma at Baylor, 8 p.m. (no television, available on ESPN3.com): The Sooners are having injury problems, with Ryan Broyles and Dominique Whaley out for the season, and must count on their defense to slow down Robert Griffin III.

- Joe Juliano
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