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In what was the closest Heisman race in the history of football, but running back Mark Ingram from Alabama was the winner of the 2009 Heisman Trophy.
He edged Stanford's Toby Gerhardt by only 28 points with Colt McCoy finishing third and Ndamukong Suh finishing fourth.
The 5-foot-10, 215 pound running back has rushed for 99 or more yards in eight of his last nine games.
He has 1,542 yards rushing, 15 rushing touchdowns, and 322 yards receiving and three touchdowns.
He helped lead the Alabama Crimson Tide to a National Championship berth, and ironically, with a history of championships and All-Americans and great players that came from Alabama to star in the NFL, Mark Ingram is the first Alabama player to win the Heisman Trophy.
He spoke wonderfully, despite his tears of joy, of the people who helped him. His coaches, his teammates, his teachers, his family, and he even spoke highly of his new friends that were his competition.
He said that he has made friendships with them that he will cherish forever.
Mark Ingram will play against the University of Texas Longhorns, January 7th for the National Championship, and the Longhorns will feature Colt McCoy, the third place finisher, as their quarterback.
However, forget the competition. Let's celebrate the success of this young man, who was not at all a wrong choice for this prestigious award.
Congratulations Mark. You earned it.
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One of the few absolute things I can say that I've learned throughout my time as a writer is that every team needs at least a decent quarterback.
He doesn't have to be elite though. Take the Pittsburgh Steelers for example. The Steeler fans may not agree with this assessment, but Ben Roethlisberger is not a top five quarterback in the NFL.
He's always had a tremendous defense to keep it close and and he is most successful when the running game works. He won the Super Bowl when he had the worst performance by a quarterback ever, except for Tony Eason in Super Bowl XX.
In Greg McElroy's case, he is not an elite quarterback. He is not a guy who you would say is irreplaceable. Ask any honest fan if they would rather Greg McElroy or Colt McCoy under center, they will say McCoy.
However, he can be a "Big Ben" Roethlisberger if he just doesn't screw it up.
The few times where he has to make a play, he will have to make that play or eventually they will lose.
Let's look at some evidence to prove my point.
Take a look at the Tennessee game. The Tide is holding on by a thread with a 12-10 lead and McElroy has not made any plays to help seal the game.
He has completed 18-of-29 for 120 yards, but no touchdowns and thankfully no turnovers. He made a few good plays, but overall he has not executed the way a quarterback for the Crimson Tide needs to.
Defensive tackle Terrence Cody had to block a second field goal in order to keep the Tide from crashing.
Greg McElroy got lucky, but what if he plays that way against Florida?
I've watched the Tide with earnest, and I really like how the team is set up. Strong elite defense with a great young running back and an elite receiver, but I've always made a 'hmmm' sound whenever I evaluate Greg McElroy.
He's a good guy, but he doesn't fit the mold of the past Alabama quarterbacks like Bart Starr and Joe Namath, both of whom are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and won Super Bowls.
The game rests with him though because eventually, when this team plays Florida for the SEC title game, Florida will attack star running back Mark Ingram and force Greg McElroy to step up.
Florida has another one of the elite defenses in college football, and if Greg McElroy cannot handle them then Alabama may have to settle for the Sugar Bowl or another big BCS game.
Why settle though when Alabama could go to the Championship game?
This team could take on Texas. Any team can take on any team on any given day in this world of college football. We just saw USC lose to Stanford, to Stanford!
If USC can be knocked out of a chance to play in the Rose Bowl then Alabama certainly can upset Florida and whoever plays opposite them in the Championship game, most likely Texas.
McElroy is showing improvement now with this last win over Mississippi State. He threw for 192 yards and two touchdowns on 13 completions in a 31-3 blowout.
He certainly has gotten better. You can even forget the numbers and just watch the film and you'll see how he's more of a commander in the pocket now.
Is he as good as Tim Tebow? Absolutely not. Can the Tide beat the Gators with an improved McElroy? Absolutely yes.
No one man makes a team, but he certainly can help a strong team go over the top. This team's inner equation adds up to championship caliber quality, but the test is whether or not McElroy can manage the game against a tough opponent.
Whether or not he is the final puzzle piece is up to him and his performance.
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I'm from Texas and I wear Texas orange and white just like all the rest of you who are utterly disgusted by my article's title.
However, I'm a sportswriter first and as a sportswriter, I have to agree with Texas being placed at number three in the rankings. I'm not surprised by the flipping of Alabama and Texas at all.
First off, who has Texas beaten worth mentioning? Texas Tech? Please, they should have rubbed it in by 20 points. Tech didn't have Michael Crabtree or Graham Harrell attacking Texas this time. Texas didn't truly avenge the last second loss of last year in my eyes.
UTEP, Louisiana-Monroe, Colorado, and Wyoming?
I'm sorry. I must have dozed off for a minute. What was I talking about?
What else is there? Hmmm... how about the fact that the Longhorns aren't showing the same spark as last year.
Just watching Colt McCoy last year was wonderful. He had eight interceptions over the entire year, but he already has six this year.
The Longhorns are winning little games with big errors along the way. How is a team that is supposed to win the National Championship supposed to play?
The return game is excellent, defense is great, but offensively, I don't see anyone who is really being a star other than Jordan Shipley.
Off the top of my head, the only offensive player the Longhorns lost was Quan Cosby. I'm sorry, but this team should be lazy because of his absence.
I said it and I mean it. They almost look lazy out there at times. They act as if the National Championship will be handed to them, and I expected the exact opposite. I expected them to come out with a chip on their shoulders the size of Mount Rushmore.
They haven't impressed me this season. Maybe they can really show how good they are against the Sooners this Saturday.
Now, what about Alabama?
The Tide is as high as a tsunami, and I think it won't crash very soon. This Alabama team is just amazing. Nick Saban knows how to play college football, and he's good at teaching it.
The Tide, in the first week of the season, took out Virginia Tech with a score of 34-24. Now, ten points in Texas' case was not a lot, but in Alabama's it was because Virginia Tech is still ranked fourth in the nation, and Alabama beat them week one.
Again, week one! The first week of the season is supposed to be tune-up games for big schools. They want to put their team against an inferior group, and blow them out of the water to build confidence in the players and to see what errors need to be corrected before they face the big competition.
Oklahoma decided to be cocky and took on Brigham Young and lost Sam Bradford and the game in the process because they weren't gelling.
However, Nick Saban had his team better prepared than Bob Stoops, and despite having a brand new quarterback and running back, the Tide still defeated a very good team.
Then, this past Saturday, the Tide really impressed me. I finally had one of their games come on my TV, and I made sure to watch it.
Alabama versus Ole Miss. Supposed to be a great game with great rivals. The Rebels had lost the previous five meetings by a combined total of 13 points.
The idea was that this would be the year they got it done because eventually Alabama is going to lose of those close games. All Ole Miss needed in those situations were a first down here, a stop here or a little more time on the clock. They were those kind of games, so I sat down and waited.
The first quarter was almost up before the Tide scored on a 25 yard field goal. It was a game where you were constantly wondering when the big play was going to happen.
This is college ball, the big play is supposed to happen. The ridiculous 89 yard touchdown run or the great inbounds catch by the wide receiver. The game looked almost like an NFL game for a bit because of how hard it looked for the offenses to get anything going.
Greg McElroy looked okay, but he was inaccurate and inconsistent at times. Mark Ingram was the offense, and you can't win a game with a running back alone. You need help from the defense or quarterback.
The Tide defense was incredible; holding Ole Miss to negative rushing yards in the first half. Ole Miss's lead rusher was the quarterback Jevan Snead with 44 yards.
How sad is that?
The Tide dominated the Rebels from start to finish, and held them to three points in a 22-3 win.
So much for those close game predictions.
Ole Miss is a very good team, and the Tide won it easily in the end with five turnovers, four interceptions and a fumble recovery.
My eyes don't deceive me nor does the fact that I was born a Texan blind me. The Tide is a better football team than Texas right now. Texas needs to step up and show its true might against Oklahoma, who will be out to ruin their season since they have no real chance at the National Title.
Until then, Alabama deserves its number two ranking, and if Florida had not beaten LSU, but some other medium team, I'd want Alabama at number one.
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Hello, for those of you who don't know me, my name is James Williamson, proud member of the state of Texas and Dallas Cowboy Community Leader of this marvelous Web site.
Now, why am I writing a college article? Simple, the more you can write about, the better chance you have of succeeding in this world as a writer. I don't intend to stop until I get a paying writing job and I'll probably still won't stop because I want to get better.
Now, why would I like Alabama and not say Texas or A&M or even Texas Tech?
Well I do like those schools, but something also draws me to Alabama. First off, my very good friend Emily (can't say last name) is a proud member of the University of Alabama since she moved away from Texas.
Thankfully, there is Facebook and we still keep in touch. Last year, she constantly put on her Facebook status, "Roll Tide Roll," and it got my attention.
Let me tell you something, when Emily likes something, it has to be good. Emily has never been a bandwagon person. She's got impeccable taste which is why I'm her friend.
She is a unique, sweet girl with an infectious smile that spreads all over to the depressed, the suicidal, and the Scrooges. You can't help but smile back.
For her to talk about the Tide and actually be involved in the school's program, it has to be good.
Is that it? No, I'm an NFL nut who probably could write a book or teach a class on the NFL with glasses at the rim of my nose like a professor.
Alas, there is no such job. What a pity.
Anyway, the NFL's glorious history is packed with members of that red ocean. From so many positions, it is amazing how successful that school is when you look at the history.
When I think of Alabama, I think of Super Bowls because more Alabama quarterbacks have won Super Bowls than any other school including Notre Dame.
"Okay, in the huddle today, we have the 'Snake' at quarterback. The kid from Alabama."
That "Snake" is Ken Stabler who led the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the 1976 season. This after winning the 1965 National Championship and leading Alabama to an undefeated season the following year.
His greatest moment though, was in the Iron Bowl, where he had the the "Run in the Mud" touchdown. The play covered 47 yards in the soaked field for a touchdown in a 7-3 victory over rival Auburn.
Think that's big? Listen to his predecessor's achievements.
The man who gave credibility to the entire AFL and led the greatest upset in NFL history also was from Alabama, where he won the championship in 1964.
"Broadway Joe" Namath made the guarantee heard around the world and backed it up with a Super Bowl MVP performance in Super Bowl III.
He made the NFL take these teams like the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers, and Oakland Raiders seriously. One cannot stress enough the importance Joe Namath had on the history of the NFL.
Let’s not forget, the guy who had won the two Super Bowl MVPs before Namath. Lets not forget one of the most underrated quarterbacks of all-time named Bart Starr who went to... you guessed it, Alabama.
To go along with those Super Bowls, he has three NFL titles as well.
Ken Stabler is generally considered to be one of the greatest snubs for the Hall of Fame while Starr and Namath will have bronze heads in Canton, Ohio forever.
However, Alabama did not go unnoticed this year for the Hall of Fame when Derrick Thomas was posthumously inducted this past month. He holds the record with the most sacks in one game with seven. He had 123 sacks total with 41 forced fumbles, 19 fumble recoveries, three safeties, and four defensive touchdowns in his career.
Many teams had to dedicate an entire offensive line to keep this guy from killing them in the backfield, and it still failed at times.
With all those great quarterbacks that come out of there, there has to be some success at the key positions that protect quarterback, the offensive line!
Two Hall of Famers were linemen at Alabama, Dwight Stephenson and John Hannah at center and guard respectively.
Stephenson was Dan Marino's most trusted man and a staple on a line that consistently was at the top of the league in fewest sacks allowed. Four first team All-Pro and five Pro Bowl selections are definitely worth mentioning.
John Hannah is one of the top five guards of all time in terms of his seven first team All-Pro selections and nine Pro Bowls.
Even Crimson Tide product Chris Samuels, a six time Pro Bowler, is still playing for the Washington Redskins.
Marty Lyons was a defensive lineman for the New York Jets and a member of the New York Sack Exchange defensive line that led the league in sacks with 53.5 in 1981.
Looking at the running backs, you'd think they weren't very good, but recently, Shaun Alexander was an MVP for the Seattle Seahawks and a very good back.
Then there is Le'Ron McClain who is just a nightmare at fullback and he led the Ravens in rushing last year, which for a fullback is like Haley's Comet.
What amazes me also is the quality linebackers they produced.
We've gone over Derrick Thomas, but there is Cornellius Bennett who was a major defensive player for the 1990s Bills that went to four straight Super Bowls.
E. J. Junior was a Pro Bowler for the St. Louis Cardinals (before they moved to Arizona), and he was a starter for nine years.
Then there is the best of them all, Lee Roy Jordan, the greatest middle linebacker in the history of my favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys chose him as a pioneer in the 1961 draft after he had won the championship under the Bear Bryant.
Lee Roy Jordan was the hardest worker Dallas had. He gave it all and more every time he played and every time he practiced. He, along with Chuck Howley and Dave Edwards, made of the finest linebacking corps of all time.
He won a Super Bowl with Dallas in 1971, and it is an injustice that he is not in the Hall of Fame. I cannot understand what the voters have against players like him. He was undersized, but he punished those who underestimated him. He is tied for third all-time in interceptions (32 of them) by a linebacker and the two ahead of him are outside linebackers, not middle.
So, he has the most interceptions by a middle linebacker, a feat he shares with Nick Buonoconti. Buonoconti is in the Hall of Fame, so I cannot understand why Lee Roy Jordan has not been able to wear that gold jacket.
Not convinced about Alabama though? What if I told you that many NFL experts don't think Jerry Rice is the greatest receiver of all-time?
A lot of experts think Alabama's Don Hutson was the greatest receiver of all-time because he really was the first real wide receiver who could run faster than every one and was the first player to require double coverage.
Alabama is great at the collegiate level as well.
The Alabama team last year was a spectacular team that lost only to the eventual champion Florida Gators, and then lost in an upset in the Sugar Bowl to Utah, a team that didn't lose a single game all season.
They beat good teams with ridiculous numbers. Auburn (36-0), Clemson (34-10), Georgia (41-30), LSU (27-21), Tennessee (29-9), so they were a team to reckon with even though everyone was talking about Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida.
They have a lot of the same team back for 2009 except for Andre Smith, Glen Coffee, and John Parker Wilson on offense. They have a new running back in Mark Ingram and a new quarterback in Greg McElroy, who is a guy they think can get the job done for them.
Julio Jones has got the camera on him at the wideout position. He exploded onto the scene with 58 catches for 924 yards. He may not have had a lot of touchdowns, but Alabama has a good goal-line offense where they can run it in on the five- yard line.
He didn't miss a game as a freshman and was SEC Freshman of the year as well as a first-team Freshman All-American.
They lost Rashad Johnson at safety, but they still have a very good defense overall with guys like Terrence Cody at nose tackle, and Lorenzo Washington and Brandon Deaderick at ends.
In the linebacking corps, the Tide has Cory Reamer, Rolanda McClain, Eryk Anders, and Dont'a Hightower in the mix and together they are a tough group to tangle with.
Finally, backing them up in the secondary are the two corners, Javier Arenas and Kareem Jackson who are both very good players with Justin Woodall, a linebacker-sized safety, and replacing Rashad Johnson is Robby Green.
Overall, the Tide seems like it is coming to a high point now. It may be low at times, but it has its high points.
So, how can I not root for a team like that? I have a personal autograph from the Bart Starr, so I'd have to be crazy to not cheer for a team like that.
Emily, I got three words for you.
ROLL TIDE ROLL!
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