Heisman race historic, and maybe historically close

Daniel Uthman, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

The Heisman Trophy race is shaping up to be one of the closest in the award's 78-year history.

On the day the Heisman Trust announced Texas A&M redshirt freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel, Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te'o and Kansas State senior quarterback Collin Klein as the three finalists for the award, the final survey of 37 USA TODAY Sports Media Group voters Monday revealed a dead heat between Manziel and Te'o.

Manziel received 85 points in the final survey compared to 84 for Te'o. Klein was third with 36, the only other player with a two-digit point total.

Te'o learned of his finalist status while signing autographs prior to the Nagurski Award ceremony in Charlotte, N.C. "I can't wait to get to New York!" he said.

A victory by Manziel or Te'o would be a historic moment for the award, which never has gone to a freshman or a linebacker.

"Manziel was more of a difference maker than Te'o," said columnist and voter Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press. "A&M had an outstanding season, considering it joined the toughest football conference in the country and produced the single biggest victory this season, a win at No. 1 Alabama. Notre Dame benefited from a woefully overmatched Big Ten this season."

Bob Kravitz, voter and columnist with The Indianapolis Star, said, "Te'o is the heart and soul of the best defense on the best team in college football. If ever there was a right time to vote for a defensive-only player, this is it. Without Te'o, Notre Dame isn't sniffing the national championship game."

The closest vote in Heisman history was 2009, when Alabama running back Mark Ingram won with 1,304 points, 28 better than runner-up Toby Gerhart, a Stanford running back. The next closest was 1985, when Auburn's Bo Jackson won with 1,509, 45 more than Iowa's Chuck Long.

"Manziel had the best season by a quarterback statistically and he did it against three top 10 teams," said voter Keith Sargeant of the Home News Tribune in East Brunswick, N.J. "Plus, he had his Heisman moment against an Alabama team that's playing for a national championship."

Columnist and voter Bryce Miller of the Des Moines Register said, "Te'o is the heart and soul of the undefeated Fighting Irish — a team in the title game. They had two great road wins (even with USC's Matt Barkley out). Te'o has seven interceptions this season — one off the national lead — against better competition with a brighter weekly spotlight.

"The Aggies finished 2-2 against ranked teams (though hard to argue beating then-No. 1 Alabama), while Notre Dame survived week after week (adding wins against Michigan and Stanford)."

As finalists, Manziel, Te'o and Klein each are invited to the award ceremony Saturday in New York.

The final survey of USA TODAY Sports Media Group members with official Heisman votes indicate a likely photo finish between Manziel and Te'o.

Rank Player 2012 statistics 1st 2nd 3rd Total 1 Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M 3,419 passing yards, 24 TDs;

1,181 rushing yards, 19 TDs 19 11 6 85 2 Manti Te'o, Notre Dame

103 tackles, 7 interceptions

17 15 3 84 3

Collin Klein, Kansas State

2,490 passing yards, 15 TDs;

890 rushing yards, 22 TDs

1 8 17 36 4 Braxton Miller, Ohio State

2,039 passing yards, 15 TDs

1,271 rushing yards, 13 TDs

2 4 8 5 Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois 2,962 passing yards, 24 TDs

1,771 rushing yards, 19 TDs 1 1 3 6 Montee Ball, Wisconsin 1,730 rushing yards, 21 TDs 2 2 Marqise Lee, USC 1,680 receiving yards, 14 TDs 2 2 8 Ka'Deem Carey, Arizona 1,757 rushing yards, 20 TDs 1 1 AJ McCarron, Alabama 2669 passing yards, 26 TDs 1 1

Manziel received two more first-place votes, but Te'o closed the gap with a big surge in second-place mentions. Manziel was named on all but one ballot and Te'o on all but two.

Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein checks in third and remains in the discussion. He picked up a first-place nod thanks to a strong final performance Saturday against Texas.

Nobody else got double-digit points, with Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller leading a group of six other players to be named on ballots.

Contributing: Thomas O'Toole, George Schroeder and Eddie Timanus. Schroeder reported from Charlotte, N.C.