Coming into the season, it was USC’s senior quarterback Matt Barkley’s Heisman to lose. Five games into the season, the Heisman Trophy was West Virginia’s senior quarterback Geno Smith’s to lose. Until Nov. 17 against Baylor, the Heisman Trophy was K-State’s senior quarterback Collin Klein’s to lose. What do all three of these guys have in common? They all lost their best chance to win the Heisman Trophy. 

The only one of those three that still has a shot is Klein, the player who I think is still very deserving of the prestigious award, not only for what he does on the field, but for how he carries himself off of the field.

The biggest threat to Klein hoisting the bronze statue? Texas A&M; quarterback Johnny Manziel. You can’t argue with what Manziel has done on the field. When it comes to statistics, he’s got no competitor in the country. 

Last season, Robert Griffin III had a great season, but what ultimately won him the Heisman Trophy was his key victory over Oklahoma. I think that the same case applies to Manziel this season. Take his stats, then add the impressive road victory against then-No. 1 Alabama, and I think that will ultimately be enough for Manziel to steal the trophy from Klein.

I am not going to sugarcoat this one. If Manziel wins the Heisman Trophy, it will leave a bad taste in my mouth. The Heisman Trophy should be about more than just what happens on the field, but also what happens off of it. 

If you Google the name Johnny Manziel, you can find a lot of information about the young star from Texas A&M.; But do you know what else you can find? A mug shot from when he was arrested and pictures of him in a Scoopy Doo outfit, posing with girls who are in lingerie. Why do I mention this? Is that someone who should get to represent the Heisman fraternity?

Klein and Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o are who I think are the two most deserving candidates. These are two players who exemplify the meaning of a Heisman Trophy winner both on and off of the field. 

Klein has a led the Wildcats to a 10-1 record with a chance to earn a BCS bowl bid this weekend if he can lead the Wildcats to a win over Texas. Te’o has been the anchor of Notre Dame’s superb defense which helped lead the Fighting Irish to a 12-0 record and a guaranteed spot in the BCS National Championship game. 

Neither Manziel nor Te’o play this weekend, but Klein does. There is said to be a number of voters who apparently won’t vote for a freshman or a defensive player, so, for them, Klein may already be the top choice. For anyone who doesn’t think it belongs to Klein, he has one more chance to win votes.

Football, Gameday