posted October 10, 2007 at 16:10 in NCAA F Articles

Nothing was bigger this weekend then the stunning upset of the Stanford Cardinal over the USC Trojans. Thus, nobody took a bigger hit in the BetUS.com Heisman Hopeful standings then John David Booty who now has a broken figure to boot. We have a new number one as some mysteriously begin to surface, concerning the other candidates.

Is McFadden really the best player in the country, or should we be paying more attention to his counterpart, Felix Jones? Is Tebow a better dual threat then Woodson? How important is it to have a good all-around career to win the Heisman? We explore these questions in this week’s Heisman Hopefuls.

1. Matt Ryan (QB) – Boston College Eagles

Ryan posted another monster performance against Bowling Green with 312 yards for four touchdowns and no picks. He has had a great career, which definitely catches the voters attention. He has caught breaks with the usual college powerhouses suffering losses as his Eagles remain perfect.

A savvy bettor should take a flier on Ryan in our NCAA futures. If he gets past ND and V-Tech with solid performances, he can expect a plane ticket to New York in the mail. Ryan has 1,857 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions on the year and is playing with poise and a solid positive energy that is infecting his entire team.

Next game: Boston College (-14) vs. Notre Dame

2. Darren McFadden (RB) – Arkansas Razorbacks

The Razorbacks beat up on Chattanooga with a 34-15 demolishing, but Felix Jones was the one who stole the spotlight. Jones 141 yards on 13 attempts with two scores stood out on the stat sheet compared to McFadden’s 122 yards and one score.

He is undoubtedly the best player in college, but Jones is posting similar numbers so it’s becoming more difficult to distinguish whether he is a product of the system in Arkansas or the Heisman favorite we all believe him to be. A huge performance will clear the air, but a mediocre game will blur the line even further. Stay tuned.

Next game: Auburn vs. Arkansas (-2.5)

3. Tim Tebow (QB) – Florida Gators

Similarly, the sophomore Tebow is making it difficult to override the Gators woes in the win-loss column. Tebow had three total scores this week and had 225 all purpose yards, cementing his title as best dual threat in the country. The back-to-back losses are going to sting, but Tebow did everything he could to keep his team in the game against the best in the country.

What will make the case for Tebow weaker then most is the “career aspect”. Hart and Ryan are seniors and McFadden is a junior. This is Tebow’s first year as the starter in Gainesville, and voters may lean towards a more experienced veteran. That is, of course, if the Gators tally more losses this year.

Next game: BYE WEEK

4. Michael Hart (RB) – Michigan Wolverines

What’s in a name, anyways? After opening the season on two historic losses, Michael Hart has literally put the Wolverines on his back and carried them to a 4-2 record while remaining undefeated in the Big 10. Hart rampaged through Eastern Michigan for 215 yards and three touchdowns. A tough test comes against the Boilermakers this weekend, where Hart will continue to play with a chip on his shoulder as he bears the load for Michigan once more. The tougher test will be getting Michigan back in to the AP rankings.

Next game: Purdue vs. Michigan (-5)

5. Andre Woodson (QB ) – Kentucky Wildcats

So much for showing up in primetime. The voters still seem to love Woodson, which should settle the nerves of his betting investors. But the loss to South Carolina had more attached to it then just the loss. While Woodson continues to post big numbers with 1,536 passing yards and eighteen touchdowns on the year, his numbers are deceptive.

He also has a mind boggling -101 rushing yards.While he only has two interceptions on the year, he coughed up the game-turning-turnover to Eric Norwood who ran it back for a touchdown. All sins will be forgotten if they manage to upset top-ranked LSU. If they lose, the sins will be further compounded for both Kentucky’s AP ranking and Woodson’s Heisman hopes.

Next game: LSU (-9.5) vs. Kentucky

NCAA football betting has started, and BetUS sportsbook already has tons of college football Futures betting available for those of us who can't wait. Bet on the Heisman winner, Conference and Divisional winners and, of course, the 2008 BCS National Championship winner. Bet NCAA Football Futures in our sportsbook today in the Future / props section!