Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown - Week 7

Who's still in the Heisman chase? At the midseason point, it's as open a race as ever with the big prize there for the taking. It'll all come down to the big games coming up, like Matt Ryan's nationally televised date at Virginia Tech next week. For now, check out the latest Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown.

2007 Brutally Honest Heisman Breakdown

Week Seven

By Pete Fiutak   

- Heisman Rankings Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Week 5 | Week 6

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

My Heisman Ballot
If it all ended today, I'd vote for ...
1. Michael Crabtree, WR Texas Tech
2. Matt Ryan, QB Boston College
3. Mike Hart, RB Michigan
4. Graham Harrell, QB Texas Tech
5. Brian Brohm, QB Louisville
6. Dennis Dixon, QB Oregon
7. Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma
8. Colt Brennan, QB Hawaii
9. Ray Rice, RB Rutgers
10. Andre Woodson, QB Kentucky

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

QB Brian Brohm, Sr. Louisville
Last Week: Brohm completed 28 of 38 passes for 350 yards and three touchdowns in the 28-24 win over Cincinnati
If Louisville makes any sort of a comeback run in Big East play, Brohm will get the attention as the one who's making it happen. He's taking over the Darren McFadden role as the superstar Heisman candidate doing everything he can for an average team.

RB Steve Slaton, Jr. West Virginia
TWO WEEKS AGO: 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
TWO WEEKS AGO: 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. A win over Kentucky this week would do wonders.

QB Pat White, Jr. West Virginia
TWO WEEKS AGO: 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

WR Michael Crabtree, RFr. Texas Tech
Last Week: Crabtree caught eight passes for 170 yards in the 35-7 win over Texas A&M
You know he's having a great season when eight catches for 170 yards is seen as a slight disappointment. He might not have gotten into the end zone against A&M, but he all but broke the game open with a big catch and run at the end of the first half to set up a touchdown.

QB Dennis Dixon, Sr. Oregon
Last Week: Dixon completed 21 of 28 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 16 yards and a score, in the 53-7 win over Washington State.
Dixon kickstarted his Heisman chances again after the loss to Cal. Now Oregon is the "it" team in the Pac 10, and Dixon is quickly growing into Player of the Year material. The big games coming up against USC, UCLA and Arizona State will make or break his chances to get to New York.

RB Darren McFadden, Jr. Arkansas
Last Week: McFadden ran 17 times for 43 yards in the 9-7 loss to Auburn.
It's over. He could still have a huge day against someone like LSU and maybe, maybe, sneak into the top five, but while almost everyone acknowledges that he's one of the best players in the country, the Hogs are 0-3 in SEC play and he's coming off a 43-yard day against Auburn.

RB Ray Rice, Jr. Rutgers
THURSDAY NIGHT: 39 carries for 181 yards in the 30-27 win over South Florida
From being out of the race to a fringe favorite in just two games, his 181-yard workmanlike day in the win over South Florida on national TV put him back on the map. Now he has to do it again in a win over West Virginia to really be a candidate.

The True Favorites

QB Colt Brennan, Sr. Hawaii
Last Week: Brennan completed 44 of 75 passes for 545 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions, and ran for a touchdown, in the 42-35 win over San Jose State.
It was a muddy track, he threw four picks, and he struggled at times, but Brennan pulled off a Heisman-caliber comeback to beat San Jose State, complete with a clutch overtime throw. He's being eclipsed by Texas Tech's Graham Harrell as the "numbers" candidate, but he's still having a whale of a season.

QB Graham Harrell, Jr. Texas Tech
Last Week: Harrell completed 30 of 37 passes for 425 yards and three touchdowns, and he ran for a score in the win over Texas A&M
Basically, he's doing what Colt Brennan is doing against better teams. Now he's rolling up Big 12 defenses, and the numbers are becoming too amazing to ignore. In a year when no one is stepping up in the Heisman chase, if he keeps leading Tech to win, he might be the obvious choice. If the Red Raiders somehow win the Big 12 South, he's the only choice.

QB Matt Ryan, Sr. Boston College
Last Week: Ryan completed 32 of 49 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in the 27-14 win over Notre Dame.
With South Florida's loss to Rutgers, BC will likely move up to the No' 2 spot in the BCS rankings, and could even go higher if Ohio State is upset by Michigan State. Ryan is the face of the team, and if he can come up with a brilliant performance in a win over Virginia Tech when the whole world is watching, he's guaranteed a spot in New York.

QB Andre Woodson, Sr. Kentucky
Last Week: Woodson completed 21 of 38 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions and a rushing touchdown in the 43-37 win over LSU
The stats might not have been amazing, but he's the one who led the way to a win over LSU. If he outduels Tim Tebow and beats Florida, then he could be the favorite for a few weeks. At the very least, the Heisman eye will be on him.

And The Current Leader In The Clubhouse Is ...

RB Mike Hart, Sr. Michigan
Last Week: Hart ran 21 times for 102 yards and a touchdown before injuring his ankle in the 48-21 win over Purdue.
The legend is starting to build, and the Heisman story is there. He guaranteed a win over Notre Dame. He carried the team out of the abyss and into the thick of the Big Ten chase. He's been a steady weekly producer despite having everyone in the stadium focusing on him. Now, he has to overcome a banged up ankle, and if he can gut it out and come up with a big game against Illinois on national TV, the little back with the big heart will be on everyone's ballot when the year is done. If Michigan wins out, ruins Ohio State's season along the way, and gets into the Rose Bowl, and if Hart continues to do what he's been doing, it'll be hard to vote for anyone else.