ESPN College Football

Andrew Luck is constantly praised for his accuracy, football intelligence and leadership intangibles, but on Sunday at the NFL combine he proved that his athleticism rivals the top quarterbacks in the league.

Of the 14 quarterbacks who participated in the 40-yard dash, vertical jump and broad jump at the 2012 combine, only Luck and Robert Griffin III placed in the top four in all three events. Notably, Luck posted the top broad jump of all quarterbacks, and put up comparable numbers to Cam Newton’s combine in 2011.

Unlike Newton, Luck played in a pro-style offense in college that did not ask him to run consistently. But anyone who watched Stanford throughout Luck’s career could see that he has the athleticism and mobility to succeed at the next level.

Luck was one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the nation when throwing on the run. The average quarterback completes less than 50 percent of his passes when forced to scramble outside of the pocket, but last season Luck completed 63.6 percent of these passes. He was even better when passing outside of the pocket on designed roll-outs, completing 71.8 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and just one interception on such passes.

Inside of the pocket, Luck’s mobility helped him elude pass rushers and get the ball out quickly. Luck was sacked only 23 times in his career at Stanford, about once in every 50 drop-backs. Of quarterbacks that started at least 20 games since 2009, only Kellen Moore and Brandon Weeden were sacked at lower rates.

Luck chose to remain in the pocket on the majority of the time, but when forced to scramble he averaged 5.9 yards per attempt. Overall, Luck ran for 957 yards and seven touchdowns in his career. Additionally, he caught two passes for 24 yards, including one of the most athletic plays of the season -- a one-handed, sprawling catch down the right sideline against UCLA.

So while Griffin may have stolen the spotlight by running a 4.41 40-yard dash on Sunday, Luck proved that he is one of the top athletes at the quarterback position -- a fact that may be surprising to some, but not those that have watched him closely for years.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The offenses fizzled early, exploded late and the two marquee playmakers in the this game, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon, shined on the brightest stage. It was so good, 60 minutes couldn’t contain it. Here’s how it all went down, with Oklahoma State winning 41-38 over Stanford in overtime in the desert:

How the game was won: In the first overtime, after Stanford kicker Jordan Williamson missed a 43-yard field goal attempt (he previously missed a 35-yard attempt for the win as time expired in regulation), Brandon Weeden connected with Colton Chelf on a 24-yard pass down to the Stanford 1-yard line. Weeden took a knee to center the ball, setting up a 22-yard field goal that Quinn Sharp nailed.

Second guessing: Trailing 28-21, an interesting decision by OSU coach Mike Gundy to kick a 19-yard field goal rather than going for it on fourth-and-goal at the Stanford 1-yard line. Not saying it was the wrong call, but clearly it was the conservative one. Hey, they won.

Stanford player of the game: As good as Luck was, running back Stepfan Taylor was fantastic, carrying 35 times for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He made holes when they weren’t there and exploded through the ones that were.

Oklahoma State player of the game: Blackmon was everything the Cardinal thought he would be -- and a whole lot more. The wide receiver caught eight balls for 186 yards and three touchdowns. He was clearly the most athletic player on the field.

What it means: For two teams feeling more than a little disrespected for being left out of the national championship game, both showed why they there were among the nation’s elite this season. Oklahoma State was the benefactor of a couple of missed field goals, but fought their way back all game and proved to be the more clutch team in overtime. For the Cardinal, it’s a disappointing end to the Luck era -- one of the most successful stretches in school history.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Some first-half thoughts from the Fiesta Bowl.

Turning point: On fourth-and-4 at the Stanford 32, Brandon Weeden hit Justin Blackmon for 23 yards with less than a minute in the half, setting up first-and-goal. On third-and-goal at the 2, Weeden took it in himself to knot the score at 21-21. It was Weeden's first career rushing touchdown.

Stat of the half: After only 13 three-and-out drives all season, the Cardinal already have two in the first half.

Best player for Stanford: Linebacker Jarek Lancaster is having a fantastic game. He’s made several open-field tackles -- including two on critical third downs -- and been in on several others.

Best player for Oklahoma State: Blackmon became the first wide receiver to gain more than 100 yards on the Cardinal this season. Through the first 30 minutes, he has four catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns.

Best tackle of a teammate: Jeremy Stewart taking down Ty Montgomery on a kickoff that Montgomery thought about taking 5 yards deep out of the end zone. As Montgomery approached the line, Stewart brought him down. The form was questionable and it might have been helmet-to-helmet, but no flag was thrown.

Best fan-made sign in the stands: “Superman wears Andrew Luck socks.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- That's a little more like it. Both teams put together scoring drives that match their personalities.

The Cardinal went 87 yards on seven plays, using 4 minutes, 30 seconds of clock to cap the drive with a 24-yard touchdown run by Jeremy Stewart.

Oklahoma State answered with a four-play, 84-yard drive that took up just 1:11, ending with a 43-yard touchdown pass to Justin Blackmon.

The pair teamed up again on a 67-yard touchdown pass to tie the score.

Blackmon already has 110 receiving yards -- marking the first time this season the Cardinal has allowed a receiver to gain more than 100 yards.

About six minutes left in the quarter and OSU has regained the momentum after falling behind by two scores.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- A little different start than the Rose Bowl.

The lone touchdown was a 53-yard, play-action touchdown pass from Andrew Luck to Ty Montgomery.

Outside of that, we haven't seen too many offensive highlights (though Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor already has 61 yards on six carries).

This was the first time all season OSU had been held scoreless in the first quarter.

However, we've had plenty of defensive highlights from both teams.

Among the top defensive plays of the quarter:

• Terrence Brown picking off Brandon Weeden on his first pass attempt of the game. Justin Gilbert also grabbed his fifth interception of the year off of Luck at the end of the quarter. Though neither team could turn the interceptions into points.
• OSU's Richetti Jones sacking Luck on a crucial third down (just the 10th sack the Cardinal have allowed this season).
• Stanford linebacker Jarek Lancaster making an outstanding open-field tackle on Isaiah Anderson -- also on third down.

We're hours away. Grab your Tostitos and prepare for the Fiesta.

• Andrew Luck and the Cardinal are ready for what should be a classic game against Oklahoma State.
• The Luck-Brandon Weeden sidebar offers a rare matchup of marquee quarterbacks.
• Stanford's tight ends could be the difference-makers today.
• Stanford defenses braces for Oklahoma State's explosive offense.
• Stanford's transition from Jim Harbaugh to David Shaw has been smooth.
• Shaw kept it mellow on New Year's Eve.
• Oklahoma State writers go 4-0 in picking OSU over the Cardinal.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Fireworks are expected in the desert as the Nos. 3 and 4 teams in the country get together. Each boasts one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Both defenses are feeling a little disrespected with all of the chatter about offense. All the ingredients are there for a classic matchup.

Here’s a quick preview from the Stanford perspective.

WHO TO WATCH: Bet you thought I was going to say Andrew Luck. Sure, keep an eye on that guy. But really watch running back Stepfan Taylor. The hard-nosed runner has his second consecutive 1,000-yard season and he's done it while rotating with three other backs. Luck calls the plays and puts the running backs in the best position to do something once they've got the ball, and Taylor rarely disappoints. He explodes out of the hole with a compact frame that usually carries defenders an extra few yards and he rarely takes a negative play. He's shifty enough to make jump cuts, but powerful enough to go North and South. He's also sure-handed coming out of the backfield with 22 receptions and a pair of touchdowns.

WHAT TO WATCH: It’s got to be the Stanford secondary against Oklahoma State’s passing attack. Justin Blackmon is the best wide receiver the Cardinal have faced this year and by far quarterback Brandon Weeden’s favorite target. But it’s not just Blackmon. Weeden will spread the ball around to other receivers as well as running backs on swings and dishes in the flat. Head coach David Shaw already said they are willing to yield a few yards at a time in lieu of the 70-yard touchdown. When the Cowboys score (and they will), Shaw wants to make sure it’s because they earned it.

WHY TO WATCH: Now, we're going to talk about Luck. This will be his final collegiate game before jetting off to make his delayed NFL debut. He's the brightest quarterback in the country and one of the most heralded NFL prospects in decades. There will be plenty of chances to watch him work his magic over the next decade on Sundays. But one last chance to see him do it at the college level should be more than enough reason to watch the Fiesta Bowl.

PREDICTION: Stanford 38, Oklahoma State 35. If this game was played a week after the Notre Dame game, I’d put the outcome at Oklahoma State 42, Stanford 28. But I believe the month off helps Stanford more than it does Oklahoma State. The Cardinal used that time to get healthy on the offensive line, at the tight end spot, and to rejuvenate the legs of their multi-headed rushing attack. They are fresh and have the complete playbook at their disposal now that the Tree Amigos are at full strength. They are game-changers and difference-makers. And in this game, they will be the difference.

Justin Blackmon's athletic ability falls somewhere between brilliant and baffling. You know it. I know it. Stanford head coach David Shaw knows it. The Cardinal secondary knows it. Every NFL scout knows it.

So how do you stop Oklahoma State's prolific wide receiver? Ah ... a simple question with a nearly impossible answer.

That's the challenge facing the Stanford secondary when the Cowboys and Cardinal clash on Jan. 2 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Consider Blackmon's résumé this season:

• Six times he went over 100 yards in a game.
• Six times he had double-digit receptions in a game (113 on the year).
• Five times he went for more than 120 yards -- including a 205-yard performance against then-No. 14 Kansas State.
• Five times he had multi-touchdown games.
• He scored at least one touchdown in 10 of 12 games.

Pretty daunting stuff.

Stanford's secondary gives up a lot of yards, about 241 per game. Blackmon gets a lot of yards, about 111 per game. He also finds the end zone, with 15 touchdown receptions this year. However, this is where Stanford's pass defense takes a significant turn for the better. The Cardinal have only allowed 15 passing touchdowns all year. Break that down even further and you'll see that of those 15, only eight touchdowns were caught by wide receivers.

Still, Stanford's secondary gets a bad rap for the yards it yields (the most overblown stat in football, by the way) and its lack of interceptions. Safety Michael Thomas said he and his teammates don't deserve the reputation of being the weak link in Stanford's defense.

"We're not OK with that at all," Thomas said. "At the same time, besides going out and playing, what more can you do? You can't change anybody's opinion unless you go out and play. We get one last shot going against a talented group of receivers -- especially Justin Blackmon -- and we're going to try to make a statement this game to show we can play with the best receivers out there."

If you were paying attention this season, they've already shown it. Stanford has already faced six of the top 20 statistical wide receivers in the country this year: Robert Woods (USC), Michael Floyd (Notre Dame), Keenan Allen (Cal), Marquess Wilson (Washington State), Juron Criner (Arizona) and Noel Grigsby (San Jose State). Against the Cardinal, five of those six performed below their season average. Only Floyd matched (but did not exceed) his season average. Wilson and Grigsby failed to score and Woods, Floyd, Allen and Criner were held to one touchdown each.

Stanford's secondary is also yet to allow a 100-yard receiver this season. That's a major accomplishment the Cardinal defenders are hoping to complete.

"If we stop No. 81, we wouldn't have allowed a 100-yard receiver this season, and I don't know how many other secondaries can say that," Thomas said.

"What's different about him is while he plays physical, he plays bigger than his size and he plays faster than his speed. We've played some very dynamic athletes. This cat brings a whole new dimension. We feel like he plays as fast as he needs to play. There is no flaw in his game whereas other guys we could find something. This guy doesn't have any flaws. But all we can do is prepare for him like we did the rest of them."

Preparation, therein lies another problem. The Cardinal have no one on their roster who can simulate the way Blackmon plays.

"We’ve got about four guys wearing the No. 81 jersey," Shaw said. "It’s hard because we’re trying to practice at game tempo for our team, but there are not many guys in college football that can run full speed eight plays in a row, deep routes, and still come back and not even be out of breath. We’ve been rotating guys in and out because that’s so hard to emulate."

The closest offense Stanford has seen this season to Oklahoma State is Arizona. That's the game the players are going back and watching.

"That's really the only thing we can compare it to," Thomas said. "It's high-tempo, but not like Oregon. But they are like Arizona in terms of depth at the wide receiver position, one stud quarterback who can sit in the pocket and make throws. We're treating them like we did Arizona, but making some tweaks."

Just as Stanford's offense isn't all about Andrew Luck, OSU's receiving game isn't all about Blackmon. Quarterback Brandon Weeden commands the spread offense with precision and efficiency. Tracy Moore has a pair of 100-yard receiving games and four touchdowns. Josh Cooper has gone for more than 100 yards three times.

"They have a bunch of guys who can make plays," Thomas said. "And we'll have packages in place for all of them. But no matter what, you always have to keep your eye on No. 81."

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Despite the presence of Justin Blackmon, Brandon Weeden and an Oklahoma State passing attack that averages 386.2 yards per game, Stanford’s defense knows that the key to a good defense — no matter who is slinging and who is catching — starts with stopping the run.

“We are definitely concerned,” said defensive end Matt Masifilo. “I think they have a great running attack. The passing kind of overshadows the running game, but we are very aware of their ability to hit the big gaps with force.”

True, Oklahoma State runs a spread offense with a pass-first mentality. The Cowboys throw about 60 percent of the time. But Joseph Randle and Jeremy Smith make up quite the terrible twosome. Randle carries the bulk of the load with 1,193 yards, 23 touchdowns and an impressive 6 yards per carry on 198 attempts. Smith spells him nicely and has 645 yards, nine touchdowns and a 7.2 average on 90 attempts.

“They dominate the line of scrimmage,” said Stanford co-defensive coordinator Derek Mason. “They are big, strong, and establish the line of scrimmage. They do a good job of making sure they get to the second level. In pass [protection], the quarterback does a good job of getting it out. But they are underrated in the run game. Those guys get to the second level and what do they do, they break tackles.

“For us, we have to tackle. I have seen 3- and 4-yard runs turn into 10- and 12-yard runs. And when they get in the red zone, they smell the end zone. Their running game is as good as anybody we have faced all year long. The merit can be pushed to the pass game. But if you underrate what they do run-wise, you can be falling asleep at the wheel.”

Just how explosive can Oklahoma State’s runners be? As a unit, they have seven touchdowns this season of 30 yards or more, including four touchdown runs of 59 yards or more — two from Randle (62, 59), one from Smith (74) and a season-high 81-yard touchdown run from Herschel Sims. By contrast, Stanford has just one touchdown run longer than 40 yards this season.

“Traditionally, any defense, you always want to stop the run and make them one dimensional,” Masifilo said. “That’s the huge task, is making them one dimensional, stopping the run first and taking down the pass. It is a great opportunity and also a great challenge – one that will define the end of our season and also for a lot of us seniors.”

A little more on Randle; his 150 points represents the second best season in school history — second only to Barry Sanders' 234 points. His 23 rushing touchdowns are second only to Sanders' 37. That’s twice his name has been mentioned alongside Sanders, so he's gotta be doing something right.

Smith, meanwhile, was supposed to be a short-yardage, goal-line type of back. He has about 15 pounds on the speedier Randle — yet he rushed for 140 yards on just seven carries against Texas and 77 yards on three carries against Baylor.

Linebacker Chase Thomas said all of this talk about offenses is starting to get a little old.

“We kind of felt disrespected as a defense,” Thomas said. “I’m sure their defense did as well, saying it will be an offensive shootout. Every time they say that, our defense is always going to be mad. That’s part of the game. They see both teams put up great offensive numbers all through the season. So we are expecting them to say that. I think we were pretty good this year in the points allowed per game so I think we should be all right.

“I’m not saying they’re not going to score points. I’m just saying I prefer it be a low-scoring game because that means we are playing good defense.”

How do the high-profile quarterbacks in Monday's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl match up?

Stanford's Andrew Luck is a Mac. Plug him in and he's ready to go. No upgrades required. No drivers to install. He's got everything you need once you take him out of the box.

As for Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden, save your jokes and snide comments about his age. He can sling it. You know you're good when that's all people can come up with as a knock on your game.

Kevin Gemmell and David Ubben try out a few comparisons of the two quarterbacks. Read them here.

Catching up on the day's news.

• Fallout from the Fiesta Bowl probe coming down.
• Andrew Luck will take a little time off following the Fiesta Bowl before diving into draft prep.
• Former Yale coach Tom Williams, who resigned Wednesday, is a Stanford graduate and has coaching ties to the program.
• Here's the original New York Times story that initially got the Williams investigation underway. Williams also interviewed for the Stanford head-coaching position after Jim Harbaugh left.
• Stanford wide receiver Jordan Pratt and OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden laugh about their days as minor league teammates.

Catching up on Stanford's football team, Andrew Luck and Oklahoma State.

• David Shaw is looking to cap his first season as head coach with a BCS bowl victory.
• The Colts have a tough decision to make about the future of their franchise.
• It would not be wise for the St. Louis Rams to drop games to get back into the Luck sweepstakes.
• Vikings could also be in the hunt for Luck. Could we see a Luck/Toby Gerhart reunion in the Twin Cities?
• OSU coach Mike Gundy should be rewarded for his loyalty to the program.
• You've heard about it, but have you ever really learned about it? Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman takes you inside OSU quarterback Brandon Weeden's minor league baseball days.

First thoughts ...

The 2012 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, aka the January NFL Combine, could have as many as five first-round draft picks on the field when the Stanford Cardinal and Oklahoma State Cowboys meet on Jan. 2.

Four of them come from Stanford: quarterback Andrew Luck, offensive linemen Jonathan Martin and David DeCastro and possibly tight end Coby Fleener.

Oklahoma State boasts – hands down -- the nation's best wide receiver in Justin Blackmon. He has 113 catches, 1,336 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Cardinal have seen Blackmon-esque wide receivers this season -- Juron Criner, Michael Floyd, Robert Woods, etc. Big, fast, physical wide receivers who can use their bodies to create separation. But seeing players like Blackmon isn't the same as seeing Blackmon.

“The first time I saw him getting ready for Arizona, I put on the Oklahoma State game,” Stanford head coach David Shaw explained. “I’m trying to watch Arizona’s defense but I kept watching Justin. I had to go back to the sheet that had all of the heights and weight on it. Is he really that big? Can he be that big and that fast and that quick? A guy that will catch a 50-yard post and then come back again on the next play and it doesn't look like he's out of breath. He's a phenomenal athlete and an outstanding football player.”

The Cardinal have seen Weeden-esque quarterbacks before -- Nick Foles, Matt Barkley, etc.; quarterbacks with arms who can deliver with pinpoint accuracy. But seeing quarterbacks like Brandon Weeden isn't the same as seeing Weeden.

Oh yeah … did I mention they have Blackmon?

“That guy wearing No. 81 is something special,” Shaw said. “And the combination of those two guys is formidable. It has been. They have other guys. They have good running backs and other wide receivers that make big plays also. But Justin Blackmon I think is a special, special player. Being who I am, that's where my eye gravitates towards when I watch a team like this. I studied receivers for so long in the NFL. This guy is ideal. He's what you're looking for.”

We have a month to pore over statistics, scrutinize every position and every individual battle. But my first thought is that this is an incredibly even matchup.

• Both teams have marquee quarterbacks.
• Both teams have strong passing games – a clear edge to Oklahoma State’s receivers and a clear edge to Stanford’s tight ends.
• Both teams have strong running games, though the Cardinal are a little more balanced and methodical.
• Both have defenses that have taken their share of criticism, but ultimately make plays when they need to.

Of all of the BCS bowl games, this is the headliner. It might not be for the national championship -- both teams had a shot at it, though Oklahoma State has the bigger gripe -- but at first glance this looks to be the most entertaining game on the docket. If my DVR has space for only one of the BCS bowl games, this is the one I'd record.

“I think this game is going to be great for college football,” Shaw said. “I think it's going to be exciting. It has a lot of what you're looking for ... You've got one of the best teams in the nation, won their conference. Have an outstanding quarterback, outstanding receiver and an outstanding system; an opportunistic defense that gets turnovers and plays at a fast tempo with a lot of speed.

“Then you have this little team from the West Coast that runs the football with a prototypical quarterback with a balanced offensive attack and attacking style defense. I think it's going to be exciting. I think it's going to be one of the best bowl games this year.”

Question from reporter: Do you think it will be better than the national championship?

Shaw, with a laugh: “I didn't say that.”

Question from reporter: Will it be higher scoring?

Shaw, with a bigger laugh: “I didn't say that, either.”

Shaw doesn’t have to say it. We’re all thinking it.

Stanford Cardinal (11-1) vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-1)

Jan. 2, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Stanford take by Stanford blogger Kevin Gemmell: Welcome back to the BCS. The Cardinal return after smoking Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl last season -- many thinking it was the final game for coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Andrew Luck.

Harbaugh left, Luck stayed. And he turned in a Heisman-worthy season, throwing 35 touchdowns to nine interceptions, including a perfect 26-0 touchdown-interception ratio in the red zone.

With a trio of top-flight tight ends -- headlined by Coby Fleener -- Luck has proved why he's considered the No. 1 NFL prospect. But he's not the only top draft pick on the team. Offensive tackle Jonathan Martin is considered one of the two best left tackles in college football and guard David DeCastro is the best interior lineman in the country.

The tight ends -- Fleener, Zach Ertz and Levine Toilolo -- have accounted for more than half of Luck's 35 passing touchdowns on the season.

But what makes Stanford go is its balance. Stepfan Taylor had his second straight 1,000-yard season, and he did it platooning with Tyler Gaffney, Jeremy Stewart and Anthony Wilkerson.

Defensively, Chase Thomas leads a front seven that is one of the best in college football. The loss of inside linebacker Shayne Skov in the third game of the season was a blow to the defense, but youngsters Jarek Lancaster and A.J. Tarpley have filled the void nicely -- steadily improving every week.

---

Oklahoma State take from Big 12 blogger David Ubben: The Cowboys are best known for their offense, and for good reason. Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon are one of the nation's best pass-catch combos, and between Blackmon's physical nature and Weeden's accuracy, they're a nightmare for defenses.

Making matters more difficult is Joseph Randle, who has quietly had one of the best seasons of any running back in the Big 12. He's racked up 1,193 rushing yards with 23 (!) rushing touchdowns. Only three players in college football have more TDs. The first-year starter might be the Cowboys' secret weapon.

Defensively, the raw numbers aren't great for the Cowboys, but those rumors you've heard? They're true. The defense is a lot better than most give it credit. The Cowboys have an efficient defense that plays well when it counts, and ranks second nationally with a plus-20 turnover margin. Tough to beat that.

Quinn Sharp and Justin Gilbert make things interesting on special teams, too. Sharp leads the nation in touchbacks, is one of the Big 12's best place-kickers, and would be one of the nation's best in punting average -- if he had enough attempts. Gilbert is a dangerous return man who already has four touchdown returns in his first two seasons.

It's getting down to the wire. As many as three different players have had the opportunity to seize it and pull ahead from the pack in the last two weeks, but no one has. Here are the latest ESPN.com results, as always, followed by my ballot.

1. Andrew Luck, quarterback, Stanford: Back atop my ballot (11th time in 13 weeks) after a very steady performance in an emotional rivalry game. He overthrew a few balls to start the game and his receivers couldn't keep their feet on the rain-soaked field, but he was 16-of-21 (76 percent) for 216 and two touchdowns from the second quarter on. His performance against Cal was smooth, calming and efficient -- exactly what the Cardinal needed coming off the Oregon loss.
2. Trent Richardson, running back, Alabama: With LaMichael James fading in the USC loss, Richardson is once again the top running back on my ballot. Showed a nice balance of power and shiftiness in totaling 175 yards on the ground in the Crimson Tide's victory over Georgia Southern. It was his third-highest output of the season and his highest yards-per-carry average since the middle of October. All in all, a strong week.
3. Case Keenum, quarterback, Houston: Has been and continues to be the stats guy -- though he only threw one touchdown last week against Southern Methodist -- the first game all season he's had just one passing touchdown. It was also his third-lowest passing total of the season. But that in no way negates what a special season this has been for Keenum and Houston.
4. Montee Ball, running back, Wisconsin: Since Wisconsin lost back-to-back games in the middle of the year, Ball has been making a statement. In the past three games, he's rushed for 613 yards, seven touchdowns and an average of 7.6 yards per carry. And Wisconsin has been leaning on him more, giving him the ball a season high 38 times in last week's road victory over Illinois. However, he probably doesn't have enough time or momentum to catch Luck or Richardson.
5. Robert Griffin III, quarterback, Baylor: Played his way back in to the conversation with a phenomenal performance against Oklahoma. He threw for 479 yards and tossed four touchdowns, leading Baylor to its first-ever victory over Oklahoma. But like Ball, probably not enough chances to make a late-season push against players who have been more consistent.

Dropped

• Brandon Weeden, quarterback, Oklahoma State: Doesn't matter if you are at home or on the road, you can't throw three picks and lose to an unranked team when the national championship game is in your grasp.
• LaMichael James, running back, Oregon: I'm still a huge James fan, but with the time he missed because of injuries, he couldn't afford a mediocre game the rest of the way.