With the college football season now at its midpoint, the picture is becoming clear on what teams are the national championship contenders.

It?s also time to start talking Heisman and who the main contenders are for college football?s most conspicuous individual award.

This year?s Heisman belongs to University of California, Los Angeles, halfback Deshaun Foster.

On a weekend when college and pro football was as action-packed and exciting as any in recent memory, Foster was arguably the weekend?s top performer with 301 yards rushing against the University of Washington, a team that traditionally boasts a stout defense.

To date, Foster has led his team to a 5-0 record and a No. 4 ranking in the Associated Press poll. The UCLA offense is one that is predicated on Foster?s success running the ball. And it?s no coincidence the defense is giving up more than 14 fewer points per game because Foster has been healthy and durable this season.

Foster is to UCLA what Terrell Davis was to the Denver Broncos in the NFL before his anterior cruciate ligament injury, or what the red stapler was to Milton in the movie “Office Space” before Lumberg took it.

Come December, Foster will probably line up and take a handoff from the Downtown Athletic Club in New York. He?ll become the first back since University of Wisconsin alumnus Ron Dayne (1999) to win the distinction.

Others still alive in the hunt include David Carr, whose brilliant passing has been the main reason for leading California State University, Fresno, to a surprising undefeated season, and offensive machine Woodrow Dantzler of Clemson.

Last week The State Hornet ran a house advertisement for quarterback Ryan Leadingham?s Heisman campaign. Needless to say, his Heisman hopes fizzled after this weekend?s 20-0 shutout loss to Montana State University.

And don?t get your hopes up for the Hornet quarterback winning the hardware in seasons to come, not even if he throws 75 touchdowns per year.

What Leadingham does have in common with Foster, Carr and possibly Dantzler is a chance to join them at the “next level.”

Leadingham does not have the national exposure of the aforementioned names, but he does have the size, poise, field vision, mobility and just enough arm strength to possibly warrant a second day selection (rounds 4-7) by an NFL team if he continues to show marked improvement over the next couple seasons.

In the meantime, though, the focus will be on improving the second half of this season, where the real test lies for every football player?s toughness, durability and desire regardless of whether they?re in a national championship or the Heisman race.

Mitch Zehnder is a columnist for the State Hornet and is a journalism major. For any comments, questions and suggestions, e-mail [email protected]