Peterson, Wolfe Exit Heisman Race

Saturday was a bad day for halfback Heisman hopefuls.

Adrian Peterson of Oklahoma and Garrett Wolfe of Northern Illinois performed poorly yesterday, leaving a clear two-man race for the Heisman -- Ohio State's Troy Smith and Notre Dame's Brady Quinn.

Peterson rushed for 179 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but broke his collarbone and will miss the rest of the season. Peterson is no stranger to the disabled list, with season-ending injuries both of his previous years with the Sooners. Without Peterson, Oklahoma will have difficulty advancing through its Big XII South schedule unscathed.

Wolfe exited the race due to inefficiency. Overhyped by ESPN, Wolfe carried for only 42 yards against conference foe Western Michigan. In order to stay a contender, Wolfe would have needed to step up every single weekend. A performance this poor by a player in a mid-major conference is the kiss of death to Heisman voters.

This exodus of running back talent leaves Steve Slaton (West Virginia), Mike Hart (Michigan), and Ian Johnson (Boise State) as the top backs in the country. But in all fairness, 2006 is now officially the year of the quarterback. Good luck to Troy and Brady on their campaigns.