Voted Onto the Island

Reggie Bush stood before a roomful of reporters here after last year’s Heisman Trophy announcement and made a statement that sounded more like simple fact than bold prediction.

“I’ll be back next year,” said Bush, who had finished fifth in balloting.

True to his word, Bush is back in Manhattan, and USC’s dynamic junior tailback is regarded by many as the favorite to become the 71st winner of the most prestigious award in college sports.

USC quarterback Matt Leinart, the 2004 Heisman winner, and Texas quarterback Vince Young also were invited to attend tonight’s nationally televised show from the Nokia Theater in Times Square.

All three also will be on the field when top-ranked USC plays second-ranked Texas in the Jan. 4 Rose Bowl, this season’s bowl championship series title game.

Bush, who has rushed for 1,658 yards and leads the nation in all-purpose yardage with an average of 217.6 a game, said this week that he was not being cocky when he made his statement last year after finishing behind Leinart, Oklahoma running back Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma quarterback Jason White and Utah quarterback Alex Smith, Bush’s teammate at Helix High in La Mesa who was the first pick in this year’s NFL draft.

“I just knew the type of person I am,” Bush said. “The competitive nature was going to come out in me to come back and win it.”

If Bush wins, it would mark only the fourth time that a school has produced consecutive Heisman winners. Yale’s Larry Kelley won in 1936, Clint Frank in 1937. Army’s Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis won in 1945 and 1946, respectively, and Ohio State’s Archie Griffin, the only two-time recipient, won in 1974 and 1975.

Bush also could become the seventh USC player to win the Heisman, tying the Trojans with Notre Dame for the all-time lead. And he would be the fifth USC tailback to win. Mike Garrett started the tailback trend when he won in 1965, O.J. Simpson continued it in 1968, and Charles White (1979) and Marcus Allen (1981) made it a tradition. In 2002, Carson Palmer became the first USC quarterback to win, and Leinart took home the statuette last year.

Bush vaulted to the forefront of Heisman discussion this season by scoring three touchdowns in USC’s 34-31 victory at Notre Dame on Oct. 15. After several quieter performances, he re-emerged as the favorite by amassing 513 all-purpose yards in a 50-42 victory over Fresno State. Last week, he rushed for 260 yards and two touchdowns in a 66-19 victory over UCLA that gave USC its second consecutive perfect regular season.

On Thursday, Bush won the Walter Camp player-of-the-year award and the Doak Walker Award, emblematic of the nation’s top running back.

But Bush, whom many regard as the possible No. 1 pick in the NFL draft if he turns pro as expected, has made no secret of his desire to join the elite fraternity of Heisman winners. Wisconsin’s Ron Dayne, the 1999 winner, was the last running back to win the award.

“It would mean everything,” said Bush, who has scored 18 touchdowns and is averaging nearly nine yards a carry. “I wouldn’t be honest if I said I didn’t want to win it.”

When Leinart announced that he would return for a final season of eligibility, he gave himself a chance to join Griffin as the only two-time Heisman winners.

Leinart has passed for 3,450 yards and 27 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Against Notre Dame, he made two of the biggest plays of the year in college football, calling an audible that resulted in a 61-yard pass to Dwayne Jarrett to set up the game-winning touchdown, then scoring that touchdown on a one-yard sneak with a push from Bush.

Leinart was overcome by emotion and played poorly in the first half against UCLA, but rallied in the second half and improved his record to 37-1 as a starter.

Afterward, he said he would be happy to pass the Heisman torch to Bush.

“He’s been the greatest player in the country this year,” said Leinart, who accepted the Johnny Unitas Award as the nation’s top senior quarterback Friday night in Louisville. “It was an honor winning it last year and getting that hug from Reggie, and I’m just excited to get back to New York and give him his hug.”

Young, however, could spoil the evening for the Trojan contingent.

The elusive junior led Texas to a 12-0 record and its first berth in the BCS championship game. He is ranked first nationally in passing efficiency and has thrown for 2,769 yards and 26 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

Young’s touchdown pass with less than three minutes left gave the Longhorns an early-season victory at Ohio State. He also amassed 506 total yards in a comeback victory over Oklahoma State.

On Thursday, Young won the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback and also won the Maxwell Award, presented to the nation’s outstanding player.

According to the Associated Press, Young said the Maxwell Award “means a whole lot because people doubted me about being a quarterback and thought I should have been moved to another position. I wanted to show the world how good a quarterback I could be.”

Whether Young was good enough to overcome Bush’s electric season in the minds of Heisman voters will be revealed tonight.

“Last year, I was kind of like the new guy -- the kid on the block and trying to make my mark in college football,” Bush said. “This year, I’m coming back for a second time and everybody’s a little bit more familiar with me.”

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Trophy stash

If Reggie Bush or Matt Leinart wins today’s award, USC will tie Notre Dame with seven Heisman Trophy winners:

Schools with three or more winners:

*--* NOTRE DAME (7)

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1987, Tim Brown; 1964, John Huarte;

1956, Paul Hornung; 1953, John Lattner; 1949, Leon Hart; 1947, John Lujack;

1943, Angelo Bertelli.

*--* USC (6)

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2004, Matt Leinart; 2002, Carson Palmer; 1981, Marcus Allen; 1979, Charles White; 1968, O.J. Simpson; 1965, Mike Garrett.

*--* OHIO STATE (6)

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1995, Eddie George; 1975, Archie Griffin; 1974, Archie Griffin; 1955, Howard Cassady; 1950, Vic Janowicz; 1944, Les Horvath.

*--* OKLAHOMA (4)

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2003, Jason White; 1978, Billy Sims;

1969, Steve Owens; 1952, Billy Vessels.

*--* ARMY (3)

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1958, Pete Dawkins; 1946, Glenn Davis; 1945, Doc Blanchard.

*--* MICHIGAN (3)

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1997, Charles Woodson; 1991,

Desmond Howard; 1940, Tom Harmon.

*--* NEBRASKA (3)

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2001, Eric Crouch; 1983, Mike Rozier;

1972, Johnny Rodgers.

Source: www.heisman.com Los Angeles Times

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Bowl lineup

*--* BOWL (PAYOUT) SITE WHEN TV , LINE NEW ORLEANS ($750,00) Arkansas Lafa Dec. 20, 5 p.m. ESPN State (6-5) vs. Southern Miss. yett (6-5) e, La. S. Miss by 17 GMAC ($750,000) Texas El Paso (8-3) Mobi Dec. 21 5 p.m. ESPN vs. Toledo (8-3) le, Ala. Tole do by 3 LAS VEGAS ($750,000) California Las Dec. 22 5 p.m. ESPN (7-4) vs. Brigham Young (6-5) Vega s Cal by 6 1/2 POINSETTIA ($750,000) Colorado San Dec. 22 7:30 p.m. ESPN2 State (6-5) vs. Navy (7-4) Dieg o Navy by 2 1/2 FORT WORTH ($750,000) Kansas (6-5) Fort Dec. 23 5 p.m. ESPN vs. Houston (6-5) Wort h Kans as by 3 HAWAII ($750,000) Nevada (8-3) vs. Hono Dec. 24 5:30 p.m. ESPN Central Florida (8-4) lulu Neva da by 2 MOTOR CITY ($750,000) Memphis (6-5) Detr Dec. 26 1 p.m. ESPN vs. Akron (7-5) oit Memp his by 6 CHAMPS SPORTS ($862,500) Clemson Orla Dec. 27 2 p.m. ESPN (7-4) vs. Colorado (7-5) ndo, Fla. No line INSIGHT ($750,000) Arizona State Phoe Dec. 27 5:30 p.m. ESPN (6-5) vs. Rutgers (7-4) nix Ariz . St. by 11 1/2 MPC COMPUTERS ($750,000) Boise Bois Dec. 28 1:30 p.m. ESPN State (9-3) vs. Boston College e, (8-3) Idah o Bois e St. by 1 ALAMO ($1.65 million) Michigan San Dec. 28 5 p.m. ESPN (7-4) vs. Nebraska (7-4) Anto nio Mich igan by 12 EMERALD ($750,000) Georgia Tech San Dec. 29 1:30 p.m. ESPN (7-4) vs. Utah (6-5) Fran cisc o Ga. Tech by 8 HOLIDAY ($2 million) Oregon (10-1) San Dec. 29 5 p.m. ESPN vs. Oklahoma (7-4) Dieg o Oreg on by 3 MUSIC CITY ($780,000) Minnesota Nash Dec. 30 9 a.m. ESPN (7-4) vs. Virginia (6-5) vill e Minn esot a by 3 SUN ($1.575 million) UCLA (9-2) vs. El Dec. 30 11 a.m. Ch. 2 Northwestern (7-4) Paso UCLA by 3 1/2 INDEPENDENCE ($1.2 million) South Shre Dec. 30 12:30 p.m. ESPN Carolina (7-4) vs. Missouri (6-5) vepo rt, La. S. Caro lina by 3 1/2 PEACH ($2.35 million) Miami (9-2) Atla Dec. 30 4:30 p.m. ESPN vs. Louisiana State (10-2) nta No line MEINEKE ($750,000) South Florida Char Dec. 31 8 a.m. ESPN2 (6-5) vs. N.C. State (6-5) lott e, N.C. N.C. Stat e by 6 LIBERTY ($1.5 million) Tulsa (8-4) Memp Dec. 31 10 a.m. ESPN vs. Fresno State (8-4) his, Tenn . Fres no St. by 7 HOUSTON ($1.2 million) Texas Hous Dec. 31 11:30 a.m. ESPN2 Christian (10-1) vs. Iowa State ton (7-4) TCU by 3 1/2 COTTON ($2.5 million) Texas Tech Dall Jan. 2 8 a.m. Ch. 11 (9-2) vs. Alabama (9-2) as Texa s Tech by 2 1/2 OUTBACK ($2.85 million) Iowa (7-4) Tamp Jan. 2 8 a.m. ESPN vs. Florida (8-3) a, Fla. Flor ida by 3 GATOR ($1.6 million) Louisville Jack Jan. 2 9:30 a.m. Ch. 4 (9-2) vs. Virginia Tech (10-2) sonv ille , Fla. Va. Tech by 7 1/2 CAPITAL ONE ($5.312 million) Orla Jan. 2 10 a.m. Ch. 7 Wisconsin (9-3) vs. Auburn (9-2) ndo, Fla. Aubu rn by 10 1/2 FIESTA ($14-17 million) Notre Dame Temp Jan. 2 2 p.m. Ch. 7 (9-2) vs. Ohio State (9-2) e, Ariz . Ohio St. by 3 1/2 SUGAR ($14-17 million) West Atla Jan. 2 5:30 p.m. Ch. 7 Virginia (10-1) vs. Georgia (10-2) nta Geor gia by 8 ORANGE ($14-17 million) Penn State Miam Jan. 3 5 p.m. Ch. 7 (10-1) vs. Florida State (8-4) i Penn Stat e by 8 ROSE ($14.998 million) USC (12-0) Pasa Jan. 4 5 p.m. Ch. 7 vs. Texas (12-0) dena USC by 7

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