Young
Favored to Win Heisman
Now that the 2005 season is
hitting the home stretch, the race to win the
Heisman Trophy has become much clearer with
three candidates from the nation's two top-ranked
teams leading the way. Although the USC Trojans
are on tops in the polls, for the first time
all season a USC player is not the favorite
to take home this year's Heisman. Instead, college
football's most prestigious award has moved
in favor of the leader of second-ranked Texas,
as Longhorns quarterback Vince Young is now
the clear frontrunner to win the Heisman Trophy,
according to leading Internet sportsbook PinnacleSports.com.
The
largest sports betting site on the Internet,
PinnacleSports.com originally opened betting
on the Heisman Trophy on August 24 and listed
last year's winner, USC quarterback Matt Leinart,
as the overwhelming favorite to become only
the second repeat winner in NCAA history. Throughout
the season, PinnacleSports.com has listed Leinart
or his backfield teammate Reggie Bush, as the
favorite to be named college football's best
player. However, following his career-best four-touchdown
pass performance against Kansas last weekend,
the tide has turned, and Vince Young has now
become the bookmaker's favorite to win the 2005
Heisman Trophy at 10/13 odds. As recently as
last week, PinnacleSports.com favored Reggie
Bush to win the Heisman, but now lists the USC
running back with the second-best odds at 3/2.
The odds that Leinart will join Archie Griffith
as the only two-time winner of the prestigious
award are now a slight long shot at 4/1.
"Although
both Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush are again
enjoying stellar seasons, Vince Young is undoubtedly
the most dangerous player in the country with
the ability to score on the ground or through
the air on any given play," said Simon
Noble of PinnacleSports.com. "Having already
accounted for 30 total touchdowns and over 3,000
total yards, Young has clearly established himself
as the most complete offensive player in the
nation. With two USC players in contention for
the award, we feel it's likely that Bush and
Leinart will split Heisman votes, giving Young
an even bigger edge to become the first Texas
quarterback to win the award."
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