I can't remember a year where the race for the coveted Heisman Trophy was so up in the air and wide open.

Right now, I would give the edge to Miami RB Willis McGahee. He has posted impressive rushing totals and has been a key performer in every game, and he's effectively filled the void at RB after Clinton Portis decided to move on to the NFL even though he had eligibility still remaining.

	Miami RB Willis McGahee has rushed for 1,188 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

While Portis obviously made the right decision, immediately making an impact with the Denver Broncos, McGahee has brought back memories of Edgerrin James, who was explosive as a two-year starter with the Hurricanes in 1997-98.

In nine games, McGahee has rushed for 1,188 yards and scored 17 TDs, averaging an impressive 6.3 yards per carry. He's also third on the team with 18 receptions for a whopping 17.7-yard average, proving that he's a multidimensional performer with tremendous all-around ability.

Second on my Heisman list is USC senior QB Carson Palmer. One of the top pure passers you will ever come across, Palmer has improved his decision-making this season, dissecting defenses with his precision passing and rocket arm.

Against Stanford on Saturday, Palmer completed 22-of-32 passes for 317 yards and four TDs.

Palmer figures to end up as an early first-round draft choice, right up there with the elite players in the draft.

With Byron Leftwich's current injury status and the fact that Marshall hasn't played a schedule anywhere close to that of USC's (which was one of the most difficult in the country), I elevated Palmer ahead of Leftwich on my Heisman list this week.

Leftwich, though, is still No. 1 on my draft Big Board. He's thrown for nearly 3,000 yards this season, completing 66.8 percent of his aerials with 19 TD passes and seven interceptions.

Another QB deserving serious Heisman Trophy consideration is Iowa's Brad Banks. The highly ranked Hawkeyes are 10-1 heading into Saturday's final regular-season game at Minnesota, with the awesome performance by Banks proving to be a key to their success.

Banks has thrown for 2,269 yards, completing 60.6 percent of his aerials, and has an amazing TD-to-interception ratio (23-4). Banks has also rushed for 348 yards and three TDs.

Besides McGahee, other RBs heavily in the Heisman race should be Colorado's Chris Brown and Penn State's Larry Johnson. Brown has been unstoppable this season. Not only has he rushed for 1,617 yards and 17 TDs while averaging 6.5 yards per carry, but he's also ripped off six carries of 50 or more yards (a new Colorado record).

And how about his performance in the red zone? As it turns out, Brown has been as good as it gets in this area, rivaling the totals of the NFL's leading red-zone back, Kansas City Chiefs RB Priest Holmes. Thus far, Holmes has 41 carries for 151 yards and 12 TDs in the red zone, while Brown has 44 carries for 177 yards and 12 TDs in the red zone.

Penn State RB Larry Johnson also has to be in the Heisman mix. A rugged 6-1, 220-pounder who shows a great deal of intensity on each carry, Johnson has posted outstanding numbers in just about every game this season.

In the consistency department, he has few peers. Johnson has rushed for just over 1,400 yards, averages an eye-catching 6.9 yards per carry and has rushed for 12 TDs. He's also hauled in 38 receptions for an 8.7-yard average and three TD receptions.

Miami's Ken Dorsey, the QB for the defending national champion, certainly figures to be at or near the top of the list with most voters. Keep in mind, Dorsey is 35-1 as Miami's starting signal-caller, with 79 career TD passes and 24 interceptions.

While Dorsey has been solid this season and came through with key completions at crucial points in a number of games, the fact remains that he was just 20-of-45 with two interceptions against Florida State. Against Florida, Dorsey completed just 16-of-32 passes and was intercepted three times. And against Boston College and Tennessee, his completion percentage was about 50 percent.

So while Dorsey is a proven winner and a tremendous manager of the Hurricanes' offense, I view McGahee as the team MVP for the way he has performed on a game-by-game basis this season.

KENTUCKY'S PINNER IN FIRST-DAY DRAFT MIX
In a one-for-the-books finish, LSU pulled out a miraculous victory over a stunned Kentucky squad that appeared to have moved to 7-3 on the season. Instead, coach Guy Morriss' Wildcats now must deal with one of the toughest losses ever witnessed at any level of football.

LSU quarterback Marcus Randall threw a desperation 75-yard touchdown pass (tipped by defenders) to WR Devery Henderson as time ran out to give the Tigers an amazing 33-30 victory.

Not to be lost in such a stunning finish was yet another solid performance turned in by Kentucky's underrated senior tailback, Artose Pinner. A strong, compact, determined all-purpose back, Pinner carried the ball 28 times for 140 yards. With a strong finish and impressive workouts leading up to the NFL draft, Pinner has the potential to be a late first-day pick.

This week, the Wildcats host 2-8 Vanderbilt, then conclude their season on the road against Tennessee on Nov. 30. Remember, Kentucky is ineligible for postseason bowl action this year.