Alabama’s Mark Ingram widens lead in Heisman Trophy poll

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Alabama’s Mark Ingram holds a commanding lead in the latest HeismanPundit.com Heisman Poll released on Tuesday.

The sophomore running back, coming off a 99-yard rushing performance against Tennessee, collected 56 points and nine first-place votes in the weekly survey of 13 Heisman voters from around the country. This is the second-straight week for Ingram atop the poll.

Despite Ingram’s surge, many voters remain unsure of a clear leader.

“I have no explanation for my ballot,’ said one voter. ‘I have no rhyme or reason for my ballot. The Heisman Trophy should change its name to the Who’sman Trophy. It has become the award nobody wants to win. I put Mark Ingram No. 1 on my ballot just because. I still have McCoy and Tebow in my Top 5 just because. I feel like the lonely girl sitting by the phone waiting for someone to ask me to the prom. I’m sitting here alone in my office cubicle with an empty ballot waiting for a worthy candidate to emerge.”

USC quarterback Matt Barkley received one point.

The HeismanPundit.com Heisman Poll is made up of 13 Heisman voters from across the country. They vote for five players each week. Tabulations are made on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis, with five points awarded for a first-place vote, four points for a second-place vote and so on. Last year’s final Heismanpundit poll was the most accurate in the country, picking five of the top six finishers in the Heisman vote, including the winner.
Members of the panel include: Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel, Teddy Greenstein and Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune, Olin Buchanan and Tom Dienhart of Rivals.com, Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman, Bruce Feldman of ESPN.com, J.B. Morris of ESPN the Magazine, Austin Murphy, B.J. Schecter and Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated, plus Dick Weiss of the New York Daily News.
Chris Huston of HeismanPundit.com coordinates and also votes in the poll.

1. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama--56 points (9 first-place votes)
2. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame--26 (1)
3. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas--25
4. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida--23 (1)
5. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska--15 (1)
6. Golden Tate, WR, Notre Dame--10 (1)
Case Keenum, QB, Houston--10
8. Jacquizz Rodgers, RB, Oregon State--8
Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State--8
10. Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee--4

Others receiving votes: Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia--3; CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson--2; Ryan Williams, RB, Va. Tech--2; Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State--1; Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh--1; Matt Barkley, QB, USC--1