Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown - Week 6

There's no need for the deep sleepers or the top defensive players here. When it comes to the Heisman chase, it's mostly up to quarterbacks and running backs from the top teams, and the statistical monsters. Welcome to week two of the Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown.

2007 Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown

Week Six

By Pete Fiutak   

- Heisman Rankings Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Week 5

Let's cut through the garbage, the pomp, the circumstance, the PR BS, and the hype surrounding the greatest individual award in all of sports. The Heisman Trophy goes to the most celebrated quarterback or running back from a top BCS team or a top 25 non-BCS program, and while others will be acknowledged here if they have any prayer of potentially finishing in the top five, it'll take something extraordinary to get on this list. Let's not pretend the hot Sun Belt back or the dual threat MAC quarterback has an honest chance.

This isn't a ranking of the best players or top NFL prospects. This is an attempt to put the finger on the pulse of the Heisman chase. So without further ado, here are the current favorites AT THE MOMENT (and this will changed week after week with players moving in and out of categories

No Current Chance To Win It, But Deserves To Be In The Discussion

WR Michael Crabtree, RFr. Texas Tech
Last Week: 10 catches for 154 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Iowa State
He's a freshman, and he's a wide receiver, so one more strike and he's out, but the numbers have been too ridiculous to ignore. He's on the verge of having an all-timer of a season, but the real schedule now starts to kick in.

RB P.J. Hill, Jr. Wisconsin
Last Week: 21 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Illinois
He got hurt in the loss to Illinois, and was outplayed by Rashard Mendenhall, so the candidacy is teetering, but one huge game against Penn State would change that.

RB Steve Slaton, Jr. West Virginia
Last Week: 15 carries for 69 yards in the win over Syracuse
After being shut down in the loss to South Florida, Slaton needed a big game to get back in the hunt, and he didn't get it in the win over Syracuse. He's still alive to be a finalist, but the stats have to start coming again so he can get noticed.

QB Tim Tebow, Soph. Florida
Last Week: 12 of 26 for 158 yards and two touchdowns, and ran 16 times for 67 yards and a touchdown, in the 28-24 loss to LSU
With two straight losses, his chances to win the whole ball of wax are over, but if Florida wins out, and that includes the SEC title, he's in New York, and he's the probable front runner going into 2008.

QB Pat White, Jr. West Virginia
Last Week: 12 of 15 for 148 yards and a touchdown, and 14 carries for 89 yards and a score before getting hurt in the win over Syracuse
When he's in, he's still terrific, but now he's starting to get battered. He has no shot of winning, but if he leads the Mountaineers to the Big East title, he's a finalist. He has to get healthy first.

On The Radar, But The World Is Looking For More

QB John David Booty, Sr. USC
Last Game: 24 of 40 for 364 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions in the loss to Stanford
You'd think his candidacy would be dead after the problems against the Cardinal, but there are enough big games left to get back in the race if he can play through an injured finger.

QB Dennis Dixon, Sr. Oregon
Last Week: 31 of 44 for 306 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions, and ran eight times for 17 yards and a touchdown in last week's 31-24 loss to Cal
Oregon has to beat Washington State and Washington and Dixon has to put up big numbers, and then he has to go ballistic and beat USC or else he's out.

QB Graham Harrell, Jr. Texas Tech
Last Week: 36 of 43 passes for 425 yards and four touchdowns with an interception in the 42-17 win over Iowa State.
Everyone's waiting to see what he'll do against a good defense. It hasn't stopped Colt Brennan from being one of the main favorites, but Texas Tech quarterbacks never get any Heisman love.

WR DeSean Jackson, Jr. California
Last Week: 11 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns in last week's 31-24 win over Oregon
Right now, he's the signature player on the nation's number two team. It'll all come down to how he does in the other upcoming spotlight games.

QB Andre Woodson, Sr. Kentucky
Last Week: 23 of 40 for 227 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in the 38-23 loss to South Carolina.
While he wasn't horrible against South Carolina, the loss was a killer to his status. The stats won't matter if he pulls off a win over LSU this week.

The True Favorites

QB Colt Brennan, Sr. Hawaii
Last Week: 19 of 25 for 219 yards and a touchdown in the win over Utah State.
With five interceptions against Idaho, and a hurt ankle against Utah State, Brennan's campaign has been slipping, but everyone's paying attention. A few monster games will get him back in it, but he needs to rock this week against San Jose State.

QB Chase Daniel, Jr. Missouri
Last Week: 33 of 47 passes for 401 yards and two touchdowns, and ran 11 times for 72 yards and two scores in the 41-6 win over Nebraska.
The breakout performance against Nebraska wasn't noticed since it happened as the same time as USC's loss to Stanford and the Florida - LSU game. If he and Missouri beats Oklahoma, he's the favorite.

RB Darren McFadden, Jr. Arkansas
Last Game: 25 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown in the 34-15 win over Chattanooga.
Everyone assumes he's the best player in America, but running mate Felix Jones has been even more explosive. The big SEC games are coming up, and if McFadden goes nuts, he's everyone's number two.

QB Matt Ryan, Sr. Boston College
Last Week: 24 of 32 passes for 312 yards and four touchdowns in the 55-24 win over Bowling Green.
The second half schedule is brutal, and Ryan will have plenty of chances to make some big statements. As long as BC is a top ten team, Ryan will get the attention.

And The Current Leader In The Clubhouse Is ...

RB Mike Hart, Sr. Michigan
Last Week: 22 carries for 215 yards and three touchdowns in the 33-22 win over Eastern Michigan.
A default pick at the moment, Hart continues to carry the stunningly average offense. Where would the Wolverines be without him? The nation's second leading rusher (behind UCF's Kevin Smith) has six straight 100-yard games as he carries the team back into a decent season. He won't end up winning the Heisman, but at this pace, he probably finishes second.