The race for the Heisman Trophy is nearing the finish line and while other leading candidates like FSU's Chris Weinke, Purdue's Drew Brees and TCU's LaDainian Tomlinson are done for the regular season, Oklahoma's Josh Heupel gets one more chance on national TV to show why he deserves the award.

We asked our coaches if the Big 12 title game gives Heupel an advantage in the Heisman race and this is what they said:

Mike Gottfried A lot of the Heisman votes may be in before Josh Heupel plays in the Big 12 Championship. It's like the presidential election this year with all the wondering about which games to count. Unfortunately for Sooner fans, Chris Weinke has probably already won it. Heupel is a very good quarterback who's had a very good year, but it may not be enough. It could be argued that a conference title game might give the guys who play in it an edge in the Heisman race, but there are teams who play early games, too. Games like the Kickoff Classic factor into whether certain players become candidates or not. It could be argued that early games are an advantage. Ultimately, we hope the best man wins; and hopefully when he plays doesn't matter.

Bill Curry By playing again this week, Josh Heupel gains an advantage in the vaunted Heisman race because every football-crazed, steely-eyed, stat-spewing, self-styled expert -- including all Heisman voters -- will be riveted to the remote so as to dissect the desultory Oklahoma offense. Heisman voters will not deign to observe the SEC Championship, since neither Florida nor Auburn has a bona fide candidate for the big enchilada this year. They may tune in the Army-Navy game during a commercial break in honor of Roger Staubach, who was the last player from that rivalry to take home the prize in 1963. There are no other "big" games this week. But by playing again this week, Heupel suffers a disadvantage in the coveted Heisman race because every one of the aforementioned characters will be looking to dissect the lackluster Oklahoma offense. They will watch with the fine focus of a magnifying glass, hoping to justify their opinion, be it positive or negative, of the southpaw from South Dakota. The stark truth is no different than it was at the beginning of the season when Chris Weinke and Michael Vick were getting extra games (although Vick's game against Ga. Tech game was cancelled by a lightning storm). Heupel must perform, and at this late date perhaps he must perform a bit better because of the last two weeks' prosaic numbers. In the final analysis, Heupel may not be able to close the deal on the Heisman this Saturday, but he can certainly lose it if he is outplayed by Jonathan Beasley. You may remember Beasley; he is the guy who had better stats than Heupel going into their last confrontation. The ever-dangerous K-State Wildcats, having been left out of the election too many times in the recent past, will be no picnic in this football version of a recount!

John Mackovic Anyone in contention for a major honor in college football has the greatest advantage when he has the opportunity for the viewing public to watch him play; and the more often, the better. And the later, the better. All things being equal, Josh Heupel had a tremendous advantage over Chris Weinke and Drew Brees because he played two games after them and both were nationally televised. With the voting this year expected to be as close as that of Dade County, all the players wanted that last shot at playing a tremendous game in their final appearance. Weinke was his usual cool and precise self against the Gators, and Florida State won easily. Purdue was playing for the Rose Bowl and Brees did not let them down as he guided the Boilermakers safely into the house. Heupel was playing Texas Tech in a less descript game and not many people took notice of his numbers or performance. This year's race for the Heisman is much like a U.S. Open golf championship. The course is set up tough, and it may be best to shoot a good score and let others go after it. Weinke and Brees are in the clubhouse, watching to see Heupel play the finishing holes. The 16th was Texas Tech; a long but otherwise uneventful par four. A good par to get, and Heupel made it happen. No. 17 was Oklahoma State; a treacherous par three with trouble lurking on every side of the green. It was Bob Simmons' last game, on an eerie late November night in Stillwater, with orange and black everywhere. Chalk that one up as a bogey; the Sooners kept a one-stroke margin but Heupel slipped into a tie with Weinke. Now comes the finishing hole; No. 18, the Big 12 Championship game. This is a demanding, exciting par five. There'll be wind blowing over the tops of trees from the west...just like in Arrowhead. There'll be soft and wet turf with some casual water lies...just like Arrowhead. The green is severely guarded with bunkers and a narrow creek in front that defies you to knock it on in two shots?just like Kansas State. Oklahoma can afford to lay up and play it safe with a one shot lead, but Heupel needs to go for the green in two and ensure at least a birdie to win the Heisman.