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SPORTS ZONE 1: The 2003 Heisman Trophy

It what could become one of the most controversial Heisman Trophy decisions in recent college football lore, Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jason White took home the prestigious award Saturday night, beating Pittsburgh receiver Larry Fitzgerald by 128 points. White, who threw 40 touchdown passes and eight interceptions this past season, won the award despite a poor outing against Kansas, in the final regular season game of the year. Lucky for White, however, over 50% of those voting had turned in their Heisman ballots prior to the Kansas v. Oklahoma game. Indeed, among those turning their ballots in afterwards, White took a stark second to Fitzgerald. Nevertheless, White’s accomplishments cannot be easily diminished, as he is leading a motivated Sooners team to the Sugar Bowl, this year’s Championship Game, against a #2 ranked LSU.

The Heisman is awarded each year based on a voter-to-points system. Each voter lists their top-three choices, in order, on their ballots, and points are awarded to players based on these results. (Three points are awarded for a first-place vote, two for a second, and one for third.) The system allows an individual to accrue points, and possibly even win, without ever receiving a first place vote. White, the first Oklahoma player since Billy Sims in 1978 to win the Heisman, had 319 first-place, 204 second-place, and 116 third-place votes.

Among the other notable athletes nominated for the award, Eli Manning, quarterback for Mississippi and Chris Perry, running back for Michigan, took third and fourth, respectively, in the voting, though they were well distanced behind White and Fitzgerald.

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