Colt McCoy torched Kansas for 396 yards and four touchdowns in Texas' 51-20 win on Saturday.
Last Week (45-0 W vs. Chattanooga): 11 carries, 102 yards, 2 TD
Season Stats: 205 carries, 1,399 yards, 12 TD, 25 catches, 225 yards, 3 TD
2. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas (2): It’s quite corny to say that Colt is charging hard down the home stretch, but it’s also quite true. He broke David Greene’s record for most wins by a starting QB in style, and he’s going into a favorable matchup against a Texas A&M pass defense that is 110th in the nation in passing yards allowed per game.
Last Week (51-20 W vs. Kansas): 32-41, 396 yards, 4 TD, 12 carries, 29 yards
Season Stats: 286-392, 3.024 yards, 23 TD, 9 INT, 193 rush yards, TD
3. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford (3): Stanford’s Pac-10 title hopes were cruelly crushed against rival Cal on Saturday, but Gerhart certainly didn’t do anything to knock himself down a notch. Unfortunately for him, the Cardinal were forced to throw more in the fourth, otherwise he would’ve logged more than 20 carries.
On a related note, I do question the decision to throw the ball on both first and second down inside the 15 on Stanford’s last possession, instead of handing the ball to Gerhart at least on first down. Cal had stopped him for short gains a number of times, but if he can go 61, then he can sure go 13. But I digress.
Last Week (34-28 L vs. Cal): 20 carries, 136 yards, 4 TD, 1 catch, 29 yards
Season Stats: 282 carries, 1,531 yards, 23 TD, 9 catches, 116 yards
4. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State (4): When you’ve grown accustomed to seeing three or more touchdown passes in someone’s stat line week in, week out, and then you only see one, it’s a little disappointing, isn’t it? Of course, even with just one touchdown pass from Moore, the Broncos still put up 52 points.
Last Week (52-21 W at Utah State): 15-29, 233 yards, TD
Season Stats: 218-329, 2,791 yards, 33 TD, 3 INT, rush TD
5. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida: Tebow had one of his best games of the season in Saturday’s stat-padder against Florida International. It might be too little, too late, but yes, he can still very much rack up big games on the stat sheet.
Last Week (62-3 W vs. Florida International): 17-25, 215 yards, 2 TD, 7 carries, 102 yards, TD
Season Stats: 145-223, 1,945 yards, 14 TD, 4 INT, 178 carries, 706 yards, 11 TD
6. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson (6): Spiller had a relatively quiet game against Virginia on Senior Day, but he will be assured of having a chance to showcase his worth on Championship Saturday, as the Tigers clinched the ACC Atlantic Division title on Saturday.
Last Week (34-21 W vs. Virginia): 19 carries, 58 yards, TD, 5 catches, 39 yards
Season Stats: 172 carries, 894 yards, 7 TD, 29 catches, 421 yards, 4 TD, 4 return TD (3 kick, 1 punt), TD pass
7. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State (7): I bet Rodgers wishes he could play against Washington and Washington State every week, after having back-to-back monster games against the Huskies and Cougars.
Last Week (42-10 W at Washington State): 24 carries, 165 yards, 2 TD, 5 catches, 39 yards
Season Stats: 239 carries, 1,313 yards, 19 TD, 67 catches, 436 yards, TD
8. Case Keenum, QB, Houston (8): He could hit 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns for the second straight season with a big day against Rice, and not only could he hit those marks on Saturday, but thanks to SMU’s loss at Marshall, the Cougars can clinch the C-USA West Division title against the Owls as well.
Last Week (55-14 W vs. Memphis): 29-39, 405 yards, 5 TD
Season Stats: 387-553, 4,559 yards, 36 TD, 6 INT, 3 rush TD
9. Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh (9): The Panthers were off last week, but we’ll get to see Lewis in prime time on Friday night on ESPN2 when Pitt takes on rival West Virginia in Morgantown.
Last Week: DNP
Season Stats: 224 carries, 1,291 yards, 13 TD, 17 catches, 142 yards, TD
10. Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech (10): Dwyer has to be looking forward to this week’s meeting with Georgia, not only because of the opportunity to kick the Bulldogs while they’re down, but also because he ran for 144 yards and two scores in the Jackets’ comeback win in Athens last season.
Last Week: DNP
Season Stats: 183 carries, 1,203 yards, 11 TD, 1 catch, 11 yards
11. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon (11): Since Jeremiah Masoli didn’t feel like sharing, James didn’t make a trip to the end zone against Arizona, but he did run for more than 100 yards for the sixth straight game to do his part in the Ducks‘ thrilling 2OT win in Tucson.
Last Week (44-41 W at Arizona): 19 carries, 117 yards
Season Stats: 190 carries, 1,310 yards, 11 TD, 11 catches, 128 yards
12. Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada (12): Kaepernick made his name known to the nation two years ago as a freshman when he produced a monster performance in an unforgettable 99-67, 4OT loss at Boise State. On Friday,
Last Week (63-20 W at New Mexico State): 5-11, 96 yards, 2 TD,
Season Stats: 139-231, 1,734 yards, 16 TD, 5 INT, 132 carries, 1,129 yards, 16 TD
13. Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan (15): Four touchdowns on the ground one week, four through the air the next. Not too many quarterbacks, BCS conference or non-BCS, can burn you like that.
Last Week (35-3 W vs. Ball State): 25-28, 344 yards, 4 TD, 14 carries, 59 yards, TD
Season Stats: 230-321, 2,533 yards, 22 TD, 5 INT, 151 carries, 626 yards, 14 TD
14. Bill Stull, QB, Pittsburgh (13): Stull hasn’t had any performances like the one he had vs. West Virginia last season (12-23, 156 yards, TD, 2 INT), but even if he does, it won’t matter if the end result is still the same one as the previous two seasons.
Last Week: DNP
Season Stats: 163-246, 2,115 yards, 18 TD, 5 INT, rush TD
15. Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech (NR): Virginia Tech falling out of ACC title contention hurt Williams’ chances to get a lot more love, but he’s kept running, running, running, and it could well land the Hokies in a BCS bowl if things shake out the right way.
Last Week (38-10 W vs. North Carolina State): 32 carries, 120 yards, 4 TD
Season Stats: 244 carries, 1,355 yards, 15 TD, 14 catches, 180 yards, TD
Dropped Out
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame (14): Is Clausen the best quarterback in the country? There’s a fine argument for that. But just as well as the close games were going the Irish’s way earlier in the season, they aren’t now. The difference between a Heisman (along with a BCS bowl and Charlie Weis’ job security) is miniscule, but the fact that previous statement is even in play says it all.
Last Week (33-30 L vs. Connecticut): 30-45, 329 yards, 2 TD, rush TD
Season Stats: 266-395, 3,382 yards, 23 TD, 4 INT, 3 rush TD
Honorable Mention
Danario Alexander, WR, Missouri: Talk about finishing with a flourish – over the last four games, Alexander has 42 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns.
Last Week (34-24 W vs. Iowa State): 11 catches, 173 yards, TD
Season Stats: 92 catches, 1,411 yards, 12 TD
Freddie Barnes, WR, Bowling Green: Another day, another big game for Barnes, who now has 72 catches for 1,038 yards and 12 touchdowns – in his last six games. It should come as no surprise that the Falcons are 5-1 in that stretch and in position to make the postseason in Dave Clawson’s first season.
Last Week (36-20 W vs. Akron): 12 catches, 179 yards, 2 TD
Season Stats: 129 catches, 1,482 yards, 14 TD, 2 rush TD
Donald Buckram, RB, UTEP: Buckram had another monster game on Saturday, but two fourth-quarter fumbles in Rice territory proved costly in UTEP’s narrow loss.
Last Week (30-29 L at Rice): 34 carries, 147 yards, 3 TD, 3 catches, 44 yards
Season Stats: 251 carries, 1,569 yards, 17 TD, 28 catches, 388 yards, 3 TD
Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas: I’m sure Les Miles would’ve loved to have Mallett’s arm in the waning seconds of LSU’s loss at Ole Miss, but alas, he’ll have to be concerned with trying to keep Mallett from continuing his hot stretch run.
Last Week (42-21 W vs. Mississippi State): 18-34, 313 yards, 5 TD, 2 INT
Season Stats: 193-328, 3,198 yards, 28 TD, 6 INT, rush TD
Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame: If only Clausen, Tate, and Michael Floyd could play some defense too, right? Tate racked up his eighth game with 100+ and his sixth with at least nine catches, but alas, it was not enough. However, the Biletnikoff Award could be some consolation, perhaps.
Last Week (33-30 L vs. Connecticut: 9 catches, 123 yards, TD, 1 carry, 12 yards
Season Stats: 83 catches, 1,295 yards, 12 TD, 24 carries, 171 yards, 2 TD
