The final Heismanpundit.com Straw Poll of the 2007 college football season has been tallied and, with just four days left before the award ceremony in New York City, the nine Heisman-voting members of the college football media who comprise the poll have picked Florida sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow to be this year’s Heisman winner.
Tebow edged out Arkansas junior running back Darren McFadden by just two points (23-21) but collected six first-place votes to McFadden’s three. Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan was third (four points) and Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel was fourth (three points).
If the poll’s results hold, Tebow will become the first sophomore to win the coveted trophy while McFadden could be the first two-time runner up since Charlie Justice of North Carolina in the late 1940s.
“What Tim Tebow did this season was amazing and historic,” said one voter. “To be the nation’s second-rated passer, AND run for more touchdowns than any player in SEC history, it’s as if he performed the feats of two different players – an All-American quarterback AND a really good running back. To me, that’s the definition of “outstanding.”
But support for McFadden was just as emphatic.
“I think he’s the best player in America, and that’s what the award criteria specifics,” said another voter. “It’s not “the best player on the best team in America.” In my mind, there is NO question McFadden is the best player in the nation.
“It’s not even close.”
We’ll find out who wins this Saturday, Dec. 8, at 8 p.m. ET.
This week’s poll results, with total points and first-place votes in parentheses:
1. Tim Tebow, Florida–23 ( 6)
2. Darren McFadden, Arkansas–21 (3)
3. Colt Brennan, Hawaii–4
4. Chase Daniel, Missouri–3
5. Pat White, West Virginia; Dennis Dixon, Oregon; Michael Crabtree, Texas Tech–1
For the second year in a row, Heismanpundit.com is conducting a Heisman straw poll each week during the college football season. The idea is to get a good sense of voter sentiment as the season progresses. There are nine Heisman voters canvassed from across the various Heisman voting regions and they vote for three players each week. The tabulations are calculated just like the actual Heisman vote, on a 3-2-1 basis, with three points for a first-place vote, two points for a second-place vote and one point for a third-place vote.
In a unique feature to the poll, a Heisman Trophy winner’s vote is occasionally added to the mix. The poll so far this year has included the votes of 2004 winner Matt Leinart of USC, 1995 winner Eddie George of Ohio State and 2000 winner Chris Weinke of Florida State.
The Heismanpundit.com Straw Poll Heisman voters
Tom Dienhart (The Sporting News)
Austin Murphy (Sports Illustrated)
Stewart Mandel (Sports Illustrated)
B.J. Schecter (Sports Illustrated)
Olin Buchanan ( Rivals.com)
Neal McCready (Mobile Register Guard)
Ted Lewis (New Orleans Times-Picayune)
Dick Weiss (New York Daily News)
J.B. Morris, ESPN.com
Sept. 24 Heisman Voter: Chris Weinke, 2000 winner, FSU
Sept. 6 Heisman Voter: Matt Leinart, 2004 winner, USC
Aug. 31 Heisman Voter: Eddie George, 1995 winner, Ohio State
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