Heisman stock takes hit

NEW YORK – Good thing the Heisman Trophy isn’t given out until December.

In just a few hours on another topsy-turvy Saturday in college football, just about everyone whose name has been mentioned in the same breadth with the famous bronze statue saw his stock go soaring or sinking, often along with his team’s fortunes.

Taylor Martinez and Denard Robinson scampered onto the Heisman scene with their electrifying ability to run, but both quarterbacks were standing still on the sidelines as their teams fell. Martinez was ineffective in No. 5 Nebraska’s 20-13 loss to Texas, while Robinson got hurt during the third quarter and didn’t return to Michigan’s 38-28 loss to No. 15 Iowa.

Ryan Mallett could commiserate. The gunslinger sustained a concussion in the first half of No. 12 Arkansas’ 65-43 loss to No. 7 Auburn, and was gone long before it was decided.

“It was just a normal hit you put on every quarterback,” said the Tigers’ Nick Fairley, who delivered the blow. “No different than any other one.”

While that trio of quarterbacks watched their hardware hopes plunge from the sidelines, Ohio State’s Terrell Pryor was playing at the bitter end against No. 18 Wisconsin.

Among the front-runners even before the season, Pryor was just 14 of 28 for 156 yards passing and ran for 56 yards against the Badgers. His interception in the closing minutes sealed the top-ranked Buckeyes’ 31-18 loss at Camp Randall Stadium.

In fact, just about the only quarterback whose stock went the right direction on Shake-up Saturday was Cameron Newton, the 6-foot-6, 250-pound quarterback for Auburn.

He ran for 188 yards, threw for 140 and accounted for four touchdowns against Arkansas, helping the Tigers (7-0) to their best start since going undefeated in 2004. And he’ll get another big stage next weekend, when the Tigers take on No. 9 LSU.

“I don’t have an opportunity to watch everybody in America,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said, “but No. 2 (Newton) is one spectacular football player.”

So is Boise State’s Kellen Moore, who didn’t hurt his Heisman hopes, either.

Moore completed 14 of 16 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns before putting on a cap and headset to signal plays in the second half of a 48-0 romp over San Jose State.

It’s the kind of spotless performance he’ll need every week if No. 3 Boise State wants to keep alive its BCS title hopes – and Moore his Heisman chances – against a weak WAC schedule.