National championship, Heisman
Trophy races remain a puzzle

In 45 days, the 2004 regular season will be history and

we’ll know who is playing in the Orange Bowl for the national

championship.

Thus far, the season has presented too many mysteries and not

enough clues. Southern California and Oklahoma have remained No. 1

and No. 2 in both polls, but both teams have showed flaws.

The first week of the Bowl Championship Series standings

didn’t help clear up the national championship picture.

Thanks to a stronger showing in the computers, Miami debuted at No.

2, knocking Oklahoma to No. 3.

“It really makes no difference where anyone is ranked

today,’’ Sooners coach Bob Stoops said.

The Heisman Trophy race also is muddled. Oklahoma’s Adrian

Peterson is making a run at being the first freshman to win the

award. Purdue’s Kyle Orton, USC’s Matt Leinart and

Texas’ Cedric Benson also are in the running. OU quarterback

Jason White, the defending Heisman winner, has been steady, but not

spectacular.

There are seven undefeated teams heading into the home stretch

– USC, Oklahoma, Auburn, Miami, Wisconsin, Utah and Boise

State. And seven teams that were in The Associated Press preseason

top 25 are not ranked – Ohio State, Kansas State, Clemson,

Missouri, Maryland, Oregon and Minnesota.

TROPHY HUNTERS

Based on their play in the first half season, here are the winners

of the major awards:

Heisman: Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma

Davey O’Brien (quarterback): Kyle Orton, Purdue

Doak Walker (running back): Cedric Benson, Texas

Biletnikoff (wide receiver): Braylon Edwards, Michigan

Outland (interior lineman): Marcus McNeill, Auburn

Lombardi (lineman): Dan Cody, Oklahoma

Butkus (linebacker): Derrick Johnson, Texas

Thorpe (defensive back): Antrel Rolle, Miami

Nagurski (defensive player): Antrel Rolle, Miami

Groza (kicker): Mike Nugent, Ohio State

Guy (punter): Matt Payne, BYU

LOOKING AHEAD

The games that will help determine conference champions and

national title contenders:

Oct. 23: Fresno State at Boise State, Michigan at Purdue

Oct. 30: Oklahoma at Oklahoma State, USC at Washington State

Nov. 6: Oklahoma at Texas A&M

Nov. 13: Georgia at Auburn, Utah at Wyoming, Miami at Virginia

Nov. 20: Auburn at Alabama, BYU at Utah, Wisconsin at Iowa, Florida

at Florida State

Dec. 4: Big 12 Conference Championship Game (Kansas City, Mo.),

Southeastern Conference Championship Game (Atlanta), USC at

UCLA

HITS AND MISSES

Some of the highs and lows so far:

Team hits:

Wisconsin, Utah, Auburn, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Boise

State, Navy

Player hits:

Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma; Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M; Jason

Campbell, Auburn; Kellen Clemens, Oregon; Vernand Morency, Oklahoma

State; J.J. Arrington, California

Team misses: Clemson, Ohio State, LSU, Kansas State, Maryland,

Oregon, Rutgers

Player misses:

Charlie Whitehurst, Clemson; Darren Sproles, Kansas State; Chris

Rix, Florida State; Walter Reyes, Syracuse; Justin Vincent, LSU

Three best games

Miami 41, Louisville 38: The Cardinals walked into the Orange Bowl

and played the Hurricanes off their feet, taking a 24-7 first-half

lead. In the second half, a battered and bruised Brock Berlin

helped Miami score 34 points to rally to a season-saving

victory.

USC 23, California 17: The Golden Bears deserved to win. They

outplayed the Trojans on both sides of the ball, but special-teams

snafus led to 16 USC points. Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers was

outstanding, tying an NCAA record by completing his first 23

passes. But with a first-and-goal from the 9, Rodgers went 0-for-3

in trying for a game-winning touchdown.

Wisconsin 20, Purdue 17: One play, one fumble, one return for a

touchdown changed everything. Purdue appeared to be running out the

clock, and Kyle Orton appeared to be strengthening his grip on the

Heisman Trophy. But a fumble on a rollout was recovered by the

Badgers’ Scott Starks, who returned it 40 yards for a

game-winning touchdown that kept Wisconsin undefeated and handed

Purdue its first loss.

Wendell Barnhouse
Knight Ridder Newspapers

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