Bush is the boss

I wrote earlier in the week that it's not fair to Vince Young (or Matt Leinart, really) to say that Reggie Bush locked up the Heisman Trophy with his performance over Notre Dame.

But while it remains basically a three-man race, Bush has juked his way to the top of the heap.

IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT

Reggie Bush (Jr., RB/KR/PR, USC)
Last week: 265 all-purpose yds (160 rushing, 3 rush TD), in 34-31 win at Notre Dame
Season totals: 206 all-purpose yds/game (leads nation), 11 TD
Next: at Washington, 3:30 p.m. ET

USC has a ton of talent, but Bush clearly is the best player on the field every time the Trojans play. He may not always have the best stats on the team (sometimes it's LenDale White) or make the clutch throw under pressure (like Matt Leinart), but the Notre Dame game further proved that Bush is the most unstoppable Trojan of them all. And he does lead the nation in all-purpose yards per game.

Just because Leinart won the Heisman last year doesn't mean he's the most deserving this year.

Matt Leinart (Sr., QB, USC)
Last week: 17-of-32 (53%), 301 yds, 2 INT in 34-31 win at Notre Dame
Season totals: 161 rating (leads Pac-10), 125-of-198 (63%), 1947 yds, 12 TD, 5 INT
Next: at Washington, 3:30 p.m. ET

I can't believe Leinart fell to No. 2 considering the beautiful fourth-down pass he threw to keep alive USC's winning drive and his subsequent touchdown run. But he got a little help from Bush on that run, anyway.

Vince Young (Jr., QB, Texas)
Last week: 25-of-29 (86%), 336 yds, 2 TD; 58 rush yds, 3 TD in 42-17 win vs. Colorado
Season totals: 171 rating (4th in nation), 93-of-138 (67%), 1357 yds, 12 TD, 5 INT; 413 rush yds, 5 TD
Next: vs. Texas Tech, 3:30 p.m. ET

Geez, Young plays the best game of his career and still can't move up. But if Young is No. 3, there's a looooong drop to No. 4.

STILL IN THE FRONT SEAT

These three players still hope they'll be making the trip to New York in December.

Brady Quinn (Sr., QB, Notre Dame)
Last week: 19-of-35 (54%), 264 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT in 34-31 loss to USC
Season totals: 156 rating, 143-of-225 (64%), 1885 yds, 14 TD, 4 INT
Next: vs. BYU, 2:30 p.m. ET

Quinn had another fine performance in an incredible game, nearly dethroning a team that had 27 straight wins.

Laurence Maroney (Jr., RB, Minnesota)
Last week: 43 rushes, 258 yds, 1 TD in 38-34 loss vs. Wisconsin
Season totals: 208 rushes (leads nation), 1133 yds (leads nation), 8 TD
Next: vs. Ohio State, Oct. 29

Against Wisconsin, Maroney put up the kind of numbers than some backs do in a month or a whole season.

Cody Hodges (Sr., QB, Texas Tech)
Last week: 44-of-65 (68%), 643 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT in 59-20 win vs. Kansas State
Season totals: 172 rating (3rd in nation), 192-of-268 (72%, 2nd in nation), 2461 yds (leads nation), 22 TD (leads nation), 5 INT
Next: at Texas, 3:30 p.m. ET

Six hundred forty-three yards and five touchdowns. I can't imagine doing all that in one game. Every week it gets better.

Now let's see what happens against the Longhorns on Saturday.

AND IN THE BACK SEAT

These players are jockeying for a place in the front seat – but at least they're in the car.

DeAngelo Williams (Sr., RB, Memphis)
Last week: 33 rushes, 198 yds, 2 TD in 35-20 win at Houston
Season totals: 156 rushes, 1083 yds (leads nation in yds/gm), 10 TD
Next: vs. East Carolina, 3:30 p.m. ET

Another nearly 200-yard rushing day, but with Bush and Maroney playing like this, it's not helping his cause.

Drew Stanton (Jr., QB, Michigan State)
Last week: 26-of-36 (72%), 340 yds, 1 TD in 35-24 loss at Ohio State
Season totals: 184 rating (leads nation), 125-of-174 (72%, leads nation), 1806 yds (10.4 yds/attempt leads nation), 15 TD, 3 INT
Next: vs. Northwestern, noon ET

Huge numbers, tough loss – just like he had against Michigan.

Omar Jacobs (Jr., QB, Bowling Green)
Last week: 18-of-34 (53%), 187 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT in 27-7 win at Buffalo
Season totals: 166 rating, 143-of-235 (61%), 2000 yds (3rd in nation in ypg), 20 TD (T-2nd in nation), 5 INT
Next: vs. Western Michigan, 4 p.m. ET

Jacobs is fighting not to get kicked out of the car at this point, with the fine years higher-profile quarterbacks are enjoying.

D.J. Shockley (Sr., QB, Georgia)
Last week: 15-of-30 (50%), 296 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT in 34-17 win at Vanderbilt
Season totals: 156 rating (leads SEC), 89-of-154 (58%), 1464 yds, 11 TD, 4 INT
Next: vs. Arkansas, noon ET

He's winning, leading the SEC in passing efficiency and has a lot of big games left to impress the voters.

Marcus Vick (Jr., QB, Virginia Tech)
Last week: Did not play
Season totals: 177 rating (2nd in nation), 73-of-107 (68%), 1043 yds, 10 TD, 2 INT
Next: at Maryland, Thurs. 7:30 p.m. ET

The Hokies are third in the country, and Vick's second in the country in passing efficiency.

Brodie Croyle (Sr., QB, Alabama)
Last week: 22-of-37 (59%), 234 yds, in 13-10 win at Mississippi
Season totals: 155 rating, 98-of-163 (60%), 1345 yds, 9 TD, 2 INT
Next: vs. Tennessee, 3:30 p.m. ET

Drew Olson (Sr., QB, UCLA)
Last week: 31-of-43 (72%), 338 yds, 5 TD, 1 INT in 44-41 OT win at Washington State
Season totals: 154 rating, 133-of-198 (67%), 1612 yds, 15 TD, 3 INT
Next: vs. Oregon State, 7 p.m. ET

Another week down, another week undefeated for these two, and it didn't come easy for either.

AND KEEP AN EYE ON ...

Maurice Drew (Jr., RB, UCLA)
Last week: 109 rush yds, 78 rec yds, 2 TD in 44-41 OT win at Washington State
Season totals: 1049 all-purpose yds, 14 TD (T-2nd in nation), 30.7 yds/punt return + 3 TD (leads nation)
Next: vs. Oregon State, 7 p.m. ET

Drew has found the end zone more than once in five straight games. He'll be a guy to watch in the season-ending game against USC.

Brian Calhoun (Jr., RB, Wisconsin)
Last week: 23 rushes, 110 yds, 3 TD in 38-34 win at Minnesota
Season totals: 199 rushes, 959 yds (4th in nation), 14 TD (T-2nd in nation)
Next: vs. Purdue, 3:30 p.m. ET

Calhoun has scored in every game this season and leads the nation with 1283 yards from scrimmage.