By Marcus Reid

Unlike many Super Bowls in the past, Super Bowl 47 had many intriguing storylines behind the game itself. The story of Ray Lewis’ last game dominated most headlines, but there were many additional underlying naratives:

Both future Hall of Fame veterans Ed Reed and Randy Moss were looking to won their first ring.

Collin Kaepernick became the first to lead the Niners to a Super Bowl since legends Joe Montana and Steve Young.

Coaches and brothers John (right) and Jim shake hands following their Super Bowl face-off.

He also entered the game owning the record for most postseason rushing yards by a quarterback, and he did so in only two games.

Both head coaches were competing for the Lombardi trophy for the first time….and they are brothers.

So this Super Bowl was full to the brim with hype (Get it? Full to the brim? Because it’s a bowl? Oh, forget it). And that was before the contest even began. Throw in the actual football play at hand, and the entertainment increased. You had wild throws go for huge third down conversions. You had the first interception by a Niner QB in the Super Bowl ever (mind you that San Fran has competed in the game and won five times). You had play fakes end in destructive hits. You had massive brawls. You had opponents jawing back and forth. You had a blackout during what initially appeared to be one of the quickest Super Bowls in a while. You even had some uncensored commentary from the MVP, for those who watched the postgame. To say that this Super Bowl met expectations is an understatement. And how can one forget about the always anticipated Super Bowl commercial roster? (Crème is the best part of an Oreo, and I will assemble the most slept-on team ever in my Hyundai to prove that I’m right)

After brawls, Beyoncé, and blackouts, the Ravens escaped a furious comeback from the Niners to win 34-31.

The Heisman Trophy is presented to the best college football player in the nation every year

With the 2012 NCAA football regular season in the books, it is certainly heating up in intensity. So much is on the line. For some teams, the next step was winning conference championship games and heading home with the trophy in hand. The last stop is a bowl game, preferably a notable BCS bowl, or maybe even the BCS Championship. With most teams wrapped up in conference play near the conclusion of the season, every game matters.

In order for teams to perform well, individual players have to step up and assume leadership. Some have risen to the occasion in a very impressive fashion, providing leadership in tough games or providing big-time plays that spark the entire unit. Even when the odds don’t agree, these individuals ensure that their performances help their respective team’s chances of coming out on top at the end of the day increase. This is what separates Heisman nominees from the rest.

For those who do not know, the Heisman trophy is awarded to the most outstanding player in all of college football. Several factors contribute to the selection of the nominees, most notably the overall team success and the player’s performance. The newly-established HS Student Expert Poll that consists of high schoolers across the country. During Week 10 of the college season, the young analysts in the committee have brought their intelligence together to construct a solid image of the Heisman picture. Each student expert’s picks are below, along with ESPN’s Heisman projection.

Here is a summary of the predictions:

By Week 10, it appeared that Klein had a solid grasp on the Heisman race with Manti Te’o, Kenjon Barner, and AJ McCarron as his main competition. The majority of analysts were quite impressed with the Kansas State’s quarterback’s play. Student analyst and Stratford Academy junior Lucas Bowden reasoned, “[Klein] basically carries his team every week. He can score by passing and runs the ball effectively as well, making him even more of a threat.” Klein’s ability to efficiently pass and be, as Huntingtown junior Will Buff put it, “a beast on the ground too” made him a favorite for the Heisman. Manti Te’o’s presence in the Notre Dame defense could not be ignored either, especially by opposing offenses. “He’s all over the field, making key tackles and interceptions all the time,” Buff said when asked about the linebacker’s impressive season. Junior Jacob Valdez of Rio Rancho HS and several ESPN analysts believe Te’o has a great chance at the Heisman, even as a defensive player. “He is one of the best linebackers to ever be in the (Heisman) race,” Valdez claimed. “I think he will win in the end because he is the most athletic of the group and is just an all-around bad a**.”

Kenjon Barner, my 2^nd place pick, seemed to be roaring up the Heisman charts. His explosive running and playmaking skills had him soaring above all other college backs. Rio Rancho junior Jordan Liesse saw Barner as the engine of the high-octane Oregon offense. “Barner has for 100+ yards in four straight games and has 974 yards on the season,” she said. “He has led Oregon’s offense, which has been phenomenal this season.” If the Ducks continued their dominating play, Barner’s case for Heisman would be a quality one to consider.

AJ McCarron was also a top consideration around this point of the season, however his recognition probably had the most dependency on the success of

McCarron had an almost flawless start to the year, making him a viable Heisman candidate. However, his success did not carry over into the final few games.

his program. Coming off a BCS National Championship, Alabama was thought to be unbeatable, as they were destroying teams for the first part of the season.

What McCarron lacked in explosiveness and excitement he made up for in precision and decision-making. Buff, Bowden, and Liesse placed McCarron 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th respectively due to his efficiency and lack of mistakes. I thought McCarron was overhyped, and believed Texas A&M’s QB Johnny Manziel (my 5^th pick) or USC WR Marqise Lee deserved more credit than him. Nevertheless, the Crimson Tide were rolling, hence McCarron fielding 4 top three votes.

One must consider the success of a player’s respective team when analyzing these projections. At the time, McCarron’s, Barner’s, Miller’s, Klein’s, and Te’o’s teams stood undefeated, so each player’s ability and skillset were more recognized due to success. However, only two of these teams, Te’o’s Notre Dame and Miller’s Ohio State, remained undefeated at season’s end. Due to this trend, one would be reasonable in assuming some of the previously touted candidates dropped off in the rankings. This was apparent when ESPN released their end of season Heisman projections. The top 5 with their respective votes are below:

It does not take a sports analyst to notice that the Heisman race had been shaken up. A lot. The fluctuation in the Heisman predictions closely corresponds to the jumbling of the BCS Standings. While Manti Te’o, Collin Klein, and Braxton Miller all managed to retain their spot in the top 5, surprising outcomes in critical games led to the rise of some unheralded stars and the downfall of over-hyped players.

The game that seemingly had the most impact was in Week 12 between then-No. 15 Texas A&M at then-No. 1 Alabama. McCarron and the Crimson Tide were able to escape a close one against the LSU Tigers a week prior, but were unable to top Johnny Manziel and the Aggies, falling 24-29. Freshman Manziel was outstanding against the top-notch ‘Bama defense, accumulating 345 total yards and throwing 2 TDs. This performance only reinforced his outstanding rookie campaign, as he finished the year with 3419 passing yards, 1181 rushing yards, and a whopping 43 total touchdowns. And to think four weeks prior to the end of the season only two people even mentioned this guy for Heisman. Huntingtown junior and sports analyst Jordan Vermillion seemed crazy when he declared Manziel as his Heisman winner. Now he rightfully deserves the nickname Visionary Vermillion.

Another newcomer to the race is wideout Marqise Lee. I personally saw him as a sleeper candidate when picking my top 5 in late October, as his talent was overshadowed by a dismal season by USC and their highly-touted quarterback Matt Barkley. Lee was the rock of the very inconsistent Trojans; he had nine 100+ yard games, amassing 1680 yards on the year. The playmaking stud also reeled in 14 scores and dashed for a return touchdown as well. Although USC’s season has tanked, Lee’s legitimacy for Heisman contention has risen sharply.

Unlike Manziel and Lee, a few candidates suffered from inconsistency against tougher opponents, particularly Kenjon Barner and AJ McCarron. Barner seemed to be building his Heisman resumé after a monstrous 321 yard, 5 TD performance against USC. However, the explosive back became a lot less lethal, accruing a mere 131 yards and no scores against California and Stanford. Barner

Barner, whose explosive start put him near the top of Heisman lists, took a backseat to many other competitors near the end of the season.

bounced back in the season finale, racking up a 198 yard/2 score stat line at Oregon State, but his lack of production in a devastating loss to Stanford dashed the back’s Heisman hopes along with Oregon’s chances at a national championship. AJ McCarron proved to be mortal in back-to-back tough matchups against LSU and A&M. McCarron looked less than stellar in Baton Rouge, only gaining 165 passing yards with a 51.9% completion rate. If it weren’t for a game-winning touchdown drive in the final moments of the game, McCarron’s chances at a Heisman and another national title would have diminished. While Alabama’s shot at a SEC and national title are still in the air, any hope of a Heisman for AJ went down the drain after being outdueled by Manziel. ESPN analysts concluded Alabama’s incredible defense was the source of the Crimson Tide’s success, as McCarron did not receive a Heisman vote at the end of the regular season.

This year, only the top three candidates, Klein, Te’O, and Manziel, were invited to the Heisman ceremony. The 78^th Annual Heisman Memorial Trophy Presentation was held on Saturday, December 8^th. History was guaranteed. Manziel could become the first freshman ever to win the award. Te’O might be the first defensive player

Johnny Manziel, also known as Johnny Football, became the first freshman to hold the award.

to kiss the trophy, and Klein had the opportunity to be the first to bring the Heisman to Kansas State. Nevertheless, only one could claim the prize. And this time around, the elders had to respect the apprentice, as redshirted freshman Manziel won the award, narrowly beating Te’O. The young Aggie is the third running quarterback to win the Heisman in as many years, following Cam Newton in ’10 and Robert Griffin III in ’11.