Missouri

1. Chase Daniel

Missouri, quarterback, Sr.

Previous ranking: 1st

2007 Heisman voting: 425 votes (4th).

2008 stats: 5 games, 119 of 156 passing for 1,665 yards, 15 TDs, 1 INT; 15 rushes for 74 yards, 0 TDs.

2007 stats: 14 games, 384 of 563 passing for 4,306 yards, 33 TDs, 11 INTs; 109 rushes for 253 yards, 4 TDs.

Last game (52-17 victory at Nebraska, 10/4): Daniel claimed a Nebraska player spit on him before the game.

But all that really matters is by time the game was over, Daniel had chewed up and spit out the Cornhuskers.

Daniel completed 18-of-23 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns without a pick in leading the Tigers to their first win in Lincoln since 1978. The 35-point defeat also marked Nebraska’s worst home loss in 53 years.

The performance only solidified Daniel’s spot at the top of the Heisman race, though he still has plenty of work ahead of him.

Next game (vs. Oklahoma St., 10/11): The Cowboys may be unbeaten but their list of conquests is definitely subpar.

Even with that their defense has been rather middling, ranking 51st overall and 51st against the pass.

There is no reason for this not to be another big day for Daniel and it will be important that it is, for whoever prevails between Texas’ Colt McCoy and Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford could get a huge bump with a strong performance.

Daniel needs to make sure his effort is just as impressive, even if the competition is not.

Schedule/results: vs. Illinois at St. Louis (W, 52-42); vs. SE Missouri (W, 52-3); vs. Nevada (W, 69-17); vs. Buffalo (W, 42-21); at Nebraska (W, 52-17); vs. Oklahoma St. (10/11); at Texas (10/18); vs. Colorado (10/25); at Baylor (11/1); vs. Kansas St. (11/8); at Iowa St. (11/15); vs. Kansas at Kansas City (11/29).

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