Maxwell Pundit (aka the Blog Heisman) Final Vote

Time to cast our final ballot for Maxwell Pundit (put together by ND blog RakesofMallow). Here are my final 5 choices after the end of the bowl season. Please keep in mind I voted based on not just the bowl game, but the entire season:

Ian Johnson, RB, Boise State: By now every college football fan America know what Ian and his team-mates against a solid Oklahoma team in the Fiesta Bowl. He ended up rushing over 1,700 yards and 25 TDs this past season, including the great performance in the most riveting game of this bowl season.

Colt Brennan, QB, Hawaii: I included him in my last list for top-5. And he justified with a spectacular performance against ASU in the Hawaii bowl (passing for 559 yards and 5 TDs). His end of season numbers are just astonishing with over 5,500 yards (almost 10 yards per attempt, a mind boggling 72.6 percent completion, and 58 TDs (12 picks). As I mentioned before he put up these numbers against all kinds of competition including throwing for over 350 yards against a stingy Crimson Tide defense in Alabama. He belongs here. Clearly one of the best players in 2006-07 season.

Ray Rice, RB, Rutger: Ray Rice and Rutgers had an almost storybook season. They suffered a heartbreaking loss in the Big East championship game (against West Virginia), and got banished to some bowl game in Texas out of the view of national audience. However, Rice finished off an incredible season helping his Scarlet Knights whoop up on KSU. He also had a spectacular bowl game rushing for over 170 yards, which was a reflection of his over all body of work.

Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State: Well Smith probably had the most disappointing game ever by a Heisman trophy winner in a national championship game. He was a total bust. However, given he did have a great regular season, putting up one great performance after another, it's hard to drop him out of this list.

Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas:Just like Troy Smith (and Mike Hart) another guy who had an incredible regular season, but not so great bowl game.  However, this is another pick based on McFadden's over all body of work.  If you followed Arkansas games this year, you'd have hard time arguing against the assertion that McFadden is one of the most electrifying and exciting offensive weapon in the country.

Those were the 5 names. They were in a list of 10 names on a watchlist, we submitted to Rakes via email before the bowl game. Here are the other five who we will consider as honorable mention from BN for Maxwell Pundit:

Mike Hart, Michigan
Brady Quinn, Notre Dame
Justin Hickman, UCLA
La Marr Woodley, Michigan
Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech

As always if there are others who are worthy of top-5 mention, please let me know in this thread.

GO BRUINS.