If Notre Dame can start the season 4-0 then, sure, anything is possible, including a true freshman holding the statuette at season's end.

Clarett didn't play in Ohio State's squeaker win against Cincinnati Saturday at Paul Brown Stadium (he's recovering from minor knee surgery), but his impact has been undeniable. He already has 477 yards in three games, is averaging 7.6 yards per carry, has seven touchdowns and never seems to get tired. It took arthroscopic surgery to get him out of the lineup (Lydell Ross filled in nicely with 130 yards).

No freshman or sophomore has ever won the Heisman Trophy, though you could have made a case, a strong one, for Georgia's Herschel Walker in 1980 (all Walker did was lead the 'Dawgs a victory over Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl and the national championship as a true freshman). Heck, you could have made the case again in 1981 when he rushed for 1,891 (171.9 yards per game) and scored 20 TDs. Instead, Walker finished third and second, respectively, in the often quirky Heisman voting.

Walker got his Heisman as a junior, but the same can't be said of Virginia Tech's Michael Vick, who finished third as a redshirt freshman in 1999, but probably deserved better. The same goes for San Diego State freshman Marshall Faulk, who finished ninth in the 1991 balloting, and Marshall sophomore Randy Moss, who was penalized by his university's conference address, his class status and the pedigree of the top two vote getters, Michigan's Charles Woodson and Tennessee's Peyton Manning.

I'd talk about the voting injustices done to Army sophomore Glenn Davis in 1944, but it's hard to get indignant about a guy who briefly dated Elizabeth Taylor just when she was just entering her drop-dead gorgeous phase. Plus, I wasn't even alive in '44 (or in '54, just in case you're wondering).

Still, it's hard to understand how Mr. Outside didn't do better in the 1944 balloting as a sophomore (he finished second to a future dentist, Ohio State's Les Horvath). And it says something about teammate Doc Blanchard that Davis couldn't win as a junior, when he averaged a mind-boggling 11.5 yards per carry (still an NCAA record) as Army won the national title.

Anyway, the point is this: freshmen and sophomores have gotten stiff armed by the bronze statuette too many times.

19. Soapbox Moment -- Part II
There are 922 Heisman voters. Some of them are yahoos who wouldn't know Byron Leftwich from Manwich. Some of them are geezers who watch about two games a year, but only if "Rockford Files" isn't on. Some of them are former Heisman winners. Some of them are hacks, which has its share of yahoos and geezers. And some of them are actually well-meaning, conscientious observers of the college game.

	He's only a freshman, but Ohio St. RB Maurice Clarett (157 ypg) is a Heisman contender.

For the first time since Herschel was steamrolling Bill Bates into the ground, these 922 voters might make Heisman history. It's early -- most teams have only played three or four games -- but a few things are obvious:

The stone-cold Heisman locks of August now have some competition. What was supposed to be a two-man race between Florida quarterback Rex Grossman and Miami quarterback Ken Dorsey has expanded to include all sorts of candidates, including Clarett.

If you didn't know about Clarett a few months ago, you do now. Just ask Texas Tech, or Kent State or Washington State; they can show you the bruise marks.

Clarett apparently hurt the knee during the first quarter of Ohio State's Sept. 14 win against Wazzu, which means he gained most of his 230 yards that day with a tear in his meniscus. Through three games he's averaging 157 yards. Keep that up and who knows what happens when it comes time for voters to fill out their Heisman ballots.

No dummies, the Ohio State sports information department people met with coach Jim Tressel last week to discuss a possible Heisman campaign. At the very least, they want to talk about pushing the kid for All-American status.

Said Steve Snapp, Ohio State Assistant Athletic Director for Athletics Communications (pause, to take breath): "We've given it a little thought. It's so early. You'd like to have a couple more weeks to see how he does. But my thinking is, Why not? Why not now?' If the kid is good enough. . . I think there's something magical about a throwback kid."

It's not like Clarett delivers ice blocks on his shoulders like Wheaton's Red Grange, but we get the idea. Clarett runs like an old-school back. At 6-foot, 230 pounds he can afford to.

So could he win? I asked 14 Heisman voters, including the great Herschel Walker, if they'd have any problem putting a freshman (translation: Clarett) No. 1 on their ballot. It was unanimous: no problem at all.

A sampling of responses:

"I would do it in a heartbeat. He's amazing."

"He's the best player in the country right now."

"Absolutely I'd vote for him."

"You've got to keep an open mind. I voted for Michael Vick."

Here's to free elections.

18. Bread Basket Update
What's more red (actually, scarlet) these days: Nebraska's uniforms or the faces of Nebraska fans?

You can steam oysters on the foreheads of some Cornhusker followers, who simply can't understand why their beloved Nebraska team looks so, well, Baylor-ish at times. Dating back to late last season, the Cornhuskers have given up 62 points against Colorado, 37 against Miami and most recently, 40 against Penn State.

Three ranked opponents. Three blowout losses. And if Nebraska isn't careful, Iowa State and Seneca Wallace could drop NU to 3-2 this Saturday.

As usual, Cornhusker fans are keeping the struggles in perspective. All they want is defensive coordinator Craig Bohl to leap from a very tall silo, and head coach Frank Solich to resign and then unseat Tom Osborne in Congress. That way, maybe the legendary Osborne will return to the Memorial Stadium sidelines.

Nebraska's defense isn't as pitiful as it looked against Penn State, but it still has its share of weaknesses. The offensive line is no longer stocked with 11th-year seniors. The quarterback has potential, but is new. Recruiting has tailed off. There's no dependable passing attack to bail out the running game. And let's face it: there hasn't been a Nebraska-type of I-back since Ahman Green puttered around Lincoln.

If -- and we wouldn't want to play the Cyclones at Ames -- NU can get by Iowa State, the schedule softens for a few weeks: McNeese State, Missouri, at Oklahoma State. After that, three of the next four games are against Texas A&M at College Station, against Texas and against Kansas State at Manhattan. The regular season finale is against another early season underachiever, Colorado.

17. Bobblehead Byron
What Marshall lacks in TV exposure, it makes up for in schtick. My very own Byron Leftwich bobblehead doll arrived in the mail last week and it's a beaut. The only thing missing is a Virginia Tech lineman bearing down on him.

The school's booster organization, The Big Green Club, is footing the bill for 5,000 of the little Byrons. The sports information department gets 1,100 to send to media outlets around the country (650 have been sent so far) and the other 3,900 are being sold for $20 a pop.

You don't just get a bobblehead, you get packaging that highlights all the key details about Leftwich's career. Smart.

Will it matter come Heisman time? Nope. Either Leftwich has the passing numbers, or he won't. But you've got to give Marshall credit for trying.

Isn't that right, Byron? (Byron is nodding up and down. . . yes.)

By the way, Marshall beat first-year Mid-American member Central Florida this past Friday night. Central Florida president John Hitt made lots of friends in the league last July when he called the MAC the "Midwestern Conference." And UCF has made little secret of its desire to join a bigger, more prestigious conference when it can.

At 0-3, perhaps Central Florida should concentrate on winning a game first.

16. Mac Attack
Utah's Ron McBride is generally a no-nonsense, old-time sort of coach who will never be accused of being a political science major. When he thought USC was big-timing the Utes in pre-Las Vegas Bowl team activities last year, he said as much. And when he thought the officials blew an apparent game-tying, last-minute touchdown catch at Arizona Sept. 14, he said so.

And more.

And more after that.

First, he said Pac-10 referee Jim Fogltance, who lives in Tucson (home of the Wildcats) and was part of that night's officiating crew, was nothing less than an Arizona homer.

"He's a big-time UA guy," McBride told the Salt Lake Tribune. "He lives there, and has always been a big supporter of theirs. He's a big booster. I don't know what in the hell he's doing, doing the game."

He also ripped several other calls made during the game. In short, McBride won't be bringing a Bundt cake by the officials' locker room anytime soon.

Problem is, back judge Mike Aaronian, not Fogltance, made the controversial call. And enough already with the conspiracy theory. It's insulting and it accomplishes nothing, except make McBride sound like a sore loser.

Pac-10 commissioner Tom Hansen and Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson have discussed the situation. The game tapes arrived at the Pac-10 offices last Tuesday and reviewed.

"My personal feeling was the call was correct," said Hansen, who added, "it was a very close call."

Hansen, who attended the game with the league's supervisor of officials, wasn't through. On McBride's critical remarks: "His comments are the reason why the Pac-10 doesn't permit public comment on the officiating."

On McBride's comments concerning Fogltance's allegiances: "That was particularly offensive. [That] had no part in that decision whatsoever."

He's right, of course. It was a bang-bang play, at full speed, with the game in the balance. Maybe it was a touchdown, maybe it wasn't. Whatever it was, it wasn't homerism.

McBride has since semi-apologized for his remarks. And as fate would have it, Utah's game against Michigan Saturday also was decided in the waning moments. This time McBride couldn't say a peep, as Wolverine safety Julius Curry stepped in front of receiver Josh Lymon (no relation to the "West Wing" policy maker) for the game-saving interception.

15. Mack Attack
When it comes to the running game, don't mess with Texas.

Longhorns coach Mack Brown was peeved about UT's net 27 yards rushing in the season opener against North Texas, that he spent the next two weeks running his offensive line, fullbacks and tailbacks ragged.

"We ran every play in practice until we got it right," said Texas offensive guard Tillman Holloway.

The result? Cedric Benson ran for 208 of Texas' 271 rushing yards against North Carolina. Of course, Benson said he took it as an "insult" that Carolina's defense was more geared to stop the Longhorns' passing game than rushing attack.

Not everyone was so amazed by the strategy. Said Holloway: "If I saw us two weeks ago, I would have probably done the same thing they did."

That was then. Against Houston this past Saturday, the Longhorns put together another impressive ground game. This time Benson had 160 yards of UT's 233 rushing yardage.

14. Longshots
Only two undefeated teams remain out of the 28 in non-BCS-affiliated leagues: Air Force and Bowling Green (ta-da, they share the same nickname -- Falcons). Wouldn't it be great if one of them could somehow stay undefeated and make it semi-interesting come BCS selection time? If Air Force did it, that means victories against Cal, Utah, BYU, Notre Dame and Colorado State, among others.

Doubtful, but fun to consider.

13. Player Of The Week

Florida QB Rex Grossman

	Rex Grossman hurt Tennessee both passing and running the ball in Saturday's win over the Vols.

Forget the two interceptions he threw against Tennessee. Instead, remember the 20 completions -- many of them in a downpour -- for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Grossman played tough, played hurt, played smart, played with the swagger that has been missing for much of the season. He took about a million hits, but still found a way to slip tackles or make the absolute perfect throw at the perfect time. It was as impressive of a performance as we've seen in a few seasons. We weren't the only ones who thought so. UT coach Phillip Fulmer, who apologized to Tennessee fans, said afterward that Grossman won the Heisman Saturday.

Runners-up: