Tebow gets chance to win 2nd Heisman

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By Ralph D. Russo

NEW YORK – Tim Tebow will go for two against a pair of talented quarterbacks from the Big 12 when the Heisman Trophy is handed out Saturday night.

Sam Bradford from Oklahoma and Colt McCoy from Texas joined Tebow as Heisman finalists announced Wednesday.

The last time all the Heisman finalists were quarterbacks was 2001, when Nebraska’s Eric Crouch won the award and quarterbacks held the first six spots.

Tebow, the rugged and multitalented junior from Florida, was the first sophomore to win the Heisman last year and is trying to become the second player to win it twice.

Archie Griffin won the Heisman as a junior in 1974 for Ohio State and again in 1975.

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Tebow’s Gators will play Bradford and the Sooners in the BCS national championship game Jan. 8 in Miami.

Tebow became the first college football player with 20 touchdown passes and 20 rushing touchdowns in 2007, carrying a Florida team that finished 9-4.

This season, Tebow’s stats were down, but his play has still been stellar. He is fifth in the nation in passer rating (176.7) with 28 touchdown passes and only two interceptions. He hasn’t been asked to run as much this season, but still has 564 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.

Most importantly, the Gators are 12-1 and a victory away from their second national title in three seasons.

Tebow made a strong final case to win another Heisman, leading Florida’s 14-point fourth quarter and comeback victory in the Southeastern Conference title game against Alabama last Saturday.

Bradford has directed the highest scoring team in major college football history, leading the nation in passer rating (186.3) and TD passes (48) while throwing for 4,464 yards. The Sooners have scored 702 points and became the first college team in 89 years to reach 60 points in five consecutive games when they won the Big 12 title 62-21 over Missouri last Saturday.