Andy

Uh, Rutgers sucks

Paul Maguire's an idiot, but he is absolutely right on. If that ball's on the ground just fall on it unless no one is anywhere near you.

There's a tendency to try and quantify all of this with stats and whatever. I just think the Heisman is won and lost based on those few big pressure games where the player plays----unless he simply blows it against lesser opponents. Troy has had 2 this year and shined in both. Quinn had 1 and didn't look all that great, for whatever reason. Even if he plays lights-out against USC, they aren't #2 and it won't be that huge mega-game that the Texas and Michigan games were for Troy Smith. Oh, that's a perfectly logical argument-but ND has played the better defenses and a better schedule, and I'm just responding to the statement that Ohio State had better in each of those. BTW, Quinn wasn't all that bad for a player running for his life the entire Michigan game (2 INT's weren't his fault, only 1 was a bad decision or bad throw). I do understand though that his game was not nearly as good as Smith's games-but I do think Soccers argument that ND has had no offensive line pretty much all year and yet Quinn has done this has credence also. Remember that year when Woodson won the Heisman over Peyton? Peyton was the favorite to win it, but then Woodson was having this great year-----and in the biggest regular season game, he comes up big again. I think Peyton takes it if not for that final big game (I think it was OSU too). For better or for worse, that's the Heisman in a nutshell. Tennessee fans still burn up over that one. I remember in 1999, Champ Bailey did everything Woodson did and statistically did it a lot better (many more PR yards, more INTs, more receptions).

There's a tendency to try and quantify all of this with stats and whatever. I just think the Heisman is won and lost based on those few big pressure games where the player plays----unless he simply blows it against lesser opponents. Troy has had 2 this year and shined in both. Quinn had 1 and didn't look all that great, for whatever reason. Even if he plays lights-out against USC, they aren't #2 and it won't be that huge mega-game that the Texas and Michigan games were for Troy Smith. Minor quibble: If USC wins today, they'll likely be No. 2 next week in the BCS.

Cal would obviously need to hang on to the football to beat USC. That message brought to you by: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d5/John-madden.jpg :wink:

I agree. Smith's pretty small, not all that tall, and not fast enough IMO to be a Vick/Young style QB in the NFL. It'll be interesting to see if he becomes a WR or something else.

I agree. Quinn will be a strong second (pending the ND/USC game), but Smith will win it easily.

Before the OSU/UM game I agreed with you. Quinn's stats are still better. More yards, more TD's, same # of INT's and Smith doesn't have the benefit of a bunch of rushing yards and TD's like he did last year. Quinn's been the better QB this year. And I'm not exactly one to hand out compliments to ND or their players very often. It's not a stats race---never has been. Quinn had a prime shot to show he was the Heisman favorite against Michigan in his own building, and they got slaughtered. Quinn looked overmatched at times. Smith has faced down two #2 challengers and looked real good against both of them. Smith is the clear Heisman winner IMO. I doubt the voting will be particularly close. Smith had 2 good games and a bunch of eh/crap games. Quinn had one bad game and a bunch of solid/good games. Do you know how many games Smith has been held under 200 yards passing? 6. Quinn? 0. Want to talk about who is more important to his team? It's Quinn and it's not even close. Quinn has to play well because ND's defense isn't that good. OSU has one of the top defenses in the nation. Coming into today, Notre Dame's defense has allowed 67.5 more ypg than OSU. Offensively, OSU has a far better running game than ND and is averaging 65.5 more rushing ypg than ND. Ohio State has a better team than ND and Smith doesn't have to do as much to keep his team in the game. Quinn is a better player, has better stats, and is more important to his team than Quinn is. To me, that means the Heisman winner should be from South Bend. And, as with many of my Brady Quinn posts, and to annoy ndistops, I have one more thing to say. Quinn is going to look good in Silver and Black next year. Strength. of. Schedule. I don't think Brady Quinn should win any Heismans, but strength of schedule (in which ND is ranked higher than OSU) is not the reason why.

You egomaniac OSU fans are all the same. :wink: Just kidding, you guys will probably romp, unless, as I suspect will happen, you guys play Michigan again.

These are getting a bit out of hand now... :D

Again??

Jarrett was the Biletnikoff finalist, so I'd go with him.

Even though ND's shot at the title game is probably out, I'd still prefer SC win.

I don't see indisputable evidence either way, so I'm calling it an incompletion.

Before the OSU/UM game I agreed with you. I suggest ND stop scheduling the annual 3-game swing against the academies. God love 'em (and I certainly do), but they aren't strong football programs and it takes the wind out of the sails when ND can't show what they've got against quality opponents late in the season. Plus Army is no way to prepare for USC. Come on now :wink: This was ND's first game against Army since 1998 and their first against AF since 2002. Army was the hastily added 12th game similar to Michigan and Ball State this year. (If BSU had pulled that off, ND would look in fantastic shape right now.) Wow, Cal takes the fumble back 80-some yards but it's called incomplete. Now it's under review. Total judgment call for me.

Before the OSU/UM game I agreed with you.

My (biased) ballot is Smith Quinn McFadden who cares after that (Steve Slaton's not even the best running back on his own team, that honor goes to his QB)

Rutgers misses a FG and now Cincy is driving into Knights territory.

The end of the OSU game just reminded me of how big a disappointment this season really has been. I should be happy with 10-1 right now, but it bugs me to no end that this season will end in the Sugar Bowl and with no Heisman for Brady Quinn. Not my vision of how 2006 was going to go.

Pack your bags for New Orleans, ND. There's no way in hell any poll will rank the Irish ahead of Michigan unless they obliterate a 1-loss USC next week by about 30.

ND goes up 41-3, and Brady Quinn will leave the field (assumedly) for the last time at ND Stadium.

Looking good so far. Now let's see Troy Smith throw some INTs. :wink:

Carl Gioia's going to cost ND a game at some point here.

For the 2nd time this year, ND is called for holding ON THE PUNT RUSH. Which is a penalty I've never seen called before this year.

So we now get to watch Minnesota in a bowl game? Oh, geez. ND about to score thankfully.