As we head into the final stanzas of the season, the man who claimed the spot at the top following the Texas game remains there, while four challengers - two completely unheralded in this poll even two weeks ago - begin a climb towards the top.  Judgment Day/Armageddon/"We are blue, you red..." will have a lot to do with whether Troy Smith reclaims some of the votes he's been losing or gets passed by some of the leaders of other title contenders.

Due to Thanksgiving and a great suggestion by Pete, MaxwellPundit will be taking next weekend off, meaning that your next assessment of the award picture will come after both Michigan/Ohio State, Notre Dame/USC and LSU/Arkansas have all taken place.  We'll do another vote after conference championship weekend and then another after bowl season to crown the true Player of the Year.

Your esteemed voters this week in MaxwellPunditry:

DawgSports
SundayMorningQB
Deadspin
ConquestChronicles
BurntOrangeNation
MGoBlog
BruinsNation
TrojanWire
RockyTopTalk
The Morning After
UDubDish
Rakes of Mallow

1) Troy Smith, Dual-Threat-Leaning-Towards-Passer-Quarterback, The Ohio State University

" After a week filled with rumors about a broken finger on his throwing hand, the real Troy Smith returned to the Scarlet and Grey just in time to tune up hapless Northwestern 54-10 after what amounted to a week off mentally against Illinois. 200 total yards and 4 TDs in a shortened day under center for #10 are just about the statistics to which we've grown accustomed over the past ten weeks. Troy can salt away the Maxwell by putting on his annual maize-and-blue surgery clinic Saturday at The Shoe." - The Morning After

" Don't know what to do with him. The numbers say the unified front willing to deem Smith Most Outsanding Player since just after the Texas game is overrating him for lack of other quality options, and SMQ and other Maxwell voters are following the hype for the same reason, but man lives not by statistics alone; SMQ could not justify McFadden, Woodley or Calvin Johnson below - originally slotted ahead of Smith - if he did. The guy's just been money and better at every important juncture, save Penn State, when even amidst probably his worst game until Illinois a couple weeks ago he delivered his personal play of the year in the rain and muck. Tiny, barely perceptible little fissures are beginning to show in the wall of unanimity advancing Smith's unparalleled merits, and nobody's compared him to Vince Young for a few weeks, but this all will be corrected if OSU wins and he doesn't look terrible (which is probably redundant) Saturday. If OSU loses, unless Smith is amazing in the loss (an oxymoron this time), consider his campaign done." - SMQ

If Troy Smith plays well against a Michigan defense that killed everybody not from Ball State all season, this award is pretty much his.  More important question: does a victory assure Smith this award?  If Pittman and Wells somehow puncture the impenetrable front line of the Wolverine defense while Smith looks like his Penn State/Illinois version, what happens then?  However, since Smith has owned Michigan throughout his career, I doubt Saturday will hurt his campaign.

2) Brady Quinn, Programming Set for Revenge Against Southern Cal; Calibrating Versus Army, University of Notre Dame

" I've been ranking Ohio State's Troy Smith as the nation's top signal-caller out of sheer muscle memory, but, because I promised to give the Fighting Irish the benefit of the doubt in the midst of the wave of good feelings that followed Georgia's 37-15 thrashing of despised rival Auburn, I decided to give Quinn a look, as well . . . and here is what I found: Smith has thrown for 2,191 yards, 26 touchdowns, and four interceptions in 2006, while the Notre Dame quarterback has passed for 2,786 yards, 29 touchdowns, and four interceptions during the Golden Domers' first 10 outings. Not only are Quinn's season numbers better overall, but the male-model-turned-system-Q.B. has been on a tear since a loss to Michigan that appears increasingly forgivable. In his last seven starts, the man named Brady has thrown 23 touchdown passes and just one pick. In the month of November, the South Bend golden boy has completed 37 of his 54 attempts for 553 yards, eight touchdowns, and no interceptions. I don't care if he does play for Notre Dame, I can't ignore those kinds of numbers, so Quinn has succeeded Smith as the top quarterback on my ballot." - DawgSports

"Quinn had mistake free performance as threw for 4 TD's against Air Force all he does is continue to produce as he has put some sloppy play early in the season behind him." - ConquestChronicles

Quinn's preseason Heisman formula looked like this: Pick up some nice wins early, stockpile great numbers against the cannon fodder in the middle of the schedule and then defeat Southern Cal on national television at the end of the regular season.  Part One sorta worked - wins over Penn State, Georgia Tech and the thriller in East Lansing; Michigan = oops- and Part Two has gone exceedingly well, as Quinn looks calm, cool and collected.  All of these good feelings from voters will flit away if he's anything less than perfect against the Trojans.  Win that, and there's a slight chance of avenging the Michigan game...

3) LaMarr Woodley, He Who Will Have Tasted the Blood of Both Men Above Him Before the Weekend Is Over, University of Michigan

"For the second straight week, the Wolverine drive-killing machine put up pretty pedestrian numbers, registering just two tackles and receiving half-credit for a tackle for loss which cost the opposition a single skinny yard, but I suspect that is attributable primarily to opposing offenses doing what they can to neutralize Woodley the way other teams found it necessary to double-team David Pollack, thereby freeing up his teammates to do the hard work of freedom for him. Even after a pair of statistically lackluster outings, the Michigan defensive end has a season-long tally of 25 solo stops, 15.5 tackles for loss covering 123 yards, 11 sacks covering 111 yards, four forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries covering 54 yards. Simply stated, Woodley sets the pace for the nation's top-ranked rush defense." -DawgSports

"Quiet couple of games, statistically. One of a handful of guys averaging a full sack per game, none of the others for more lost yards than Woodley's total, and none of them playing for a defense allowing less than 30 yards rushing per game. Again, most teams allow at least one 30-yard carry in every game. Remains a symbol of his unit's dominance." SMQ

Let's say Woodley continues his trend of big-time quarterback destruction against Troy Smith Saturday, then embarrasses Chris Leak or John David Booty in the BCS Title game - you've got to give it to him, right?  His only problem may be that teams will pay way more attention to him than the other members of the Michigan defense, meaning the unit will continue to succeed despite Woodley looking through constant double-teams with a big, scary frown on his face.

4) Darren McFadden, Dual-Threat-Leaing-Strongly-Towards-Runner-Single-Wing-Back, University of Arkansas

"Strong, fast, quick, unstoppable at the moment. What are Arkansas' chances at home against USC if McFadden's healthy? Over 1,200 total yards following three straight huge rushing games, in which he proved his value on top of his carries by drawing the lion's share of defensive attention from the shotgun on the Razorbacks' terrifying speed sweep/option/draw/whatever sets whether or not he keeps the ball. Plenty productive regardless the attention; pretty much doing whatever he wants with obscenely talented impugnity."- SMQ

'll let my immediate post-game exercise in minimalism speak for me here:

Ground Hog Day

Second Quarter, 12:36 remaining: Darren McFadden 17 yard TD run.

Second Quarter, 6:51 remaining: Darren McFadden 12 yard run-fake, TD pass.

Second Quarter, 2:46 remaining: Darren McFadden five yard TD run.

If McFadden is still scoring when I wake up in the morning . . . .

-RockyTopTalk

Just awesome the last few weeks, and voters recognized that.  Plays two quality rush defenses in LSU and Florida - barring the Mississippi State upset - and could potentially carry his Razorbacks into the national title game.  Despite the fact a Rocky Top win would have further helped Irish title chances on Saturday night, I couldn't help rooting for the Arkansas offense because they're deliriously fun to watch.  Just give it to your best three players and let the magic happen.  It seems simple to stop, but that's when McFadden is floating touchdown passes or blasting up the gut for twenty yards.

5) Ray Rice, Potential American Folk Hero, The State University of New Jersey
"Rice, no relation to Jerry we presume, had over 100 yards and two scores in Rutgers' biggest win since the invention of the Jersey Shore.
To not include him on this list would be a crime. An organized crime..." - UDubDish

"
Undefeated... Rutgers? I know... I can't believe it, either. One thing I can easily believe is that Greg Schiano's Scarlet Knights would've never overcome that 25-7 deficit without the heroics of big number 27 in the backfield. Gaining 75 of his 131 rushing yards in a fourth quarter to complete an improbable comeback over a top-five opponent? That, my friends, is what a player of the year candidate does." The Morning After

"The latest entry in BN's ballot. If you are a college football fan, I am sure you have heard of this name by now. He has been lot of people's radar the whole season. However, after his last performance - 131 yards rushing (5.95 avg.) and 2 TDs against Louisville - Rice is a player we should all get to know. His season numbers are pretty impressive. 1334 yards, 15 TDs, averaging 5.44 yards a carry. Rice is a long shot at this point. But he has more than earned himself a slot in the top-5 players in the country as Rutgers continue to have their dream season." - BruinsNation

Could a Rutgers Scarlet Knight win Player of The Year?  Possibly, although it's going to take some huge numbers and an undefeated Rutgers season.  Two big national games left with West Virginia and a potential BCS (Championship?!) Bowl, although Rice will need to take care of business in a big, sexy way against Cincinnati and Syracuse first.

Overall Standings: