Alabama Crimson Tide fans like to say their team is about winning championships, not Heisman trophies. Thanks to Mark Ingram they can accomplish both this season.
The tough running back turned tearful after winning the 75th Heisman Trophy on Saturday night in the closest vote in the award's 75-year history. Ingram won by 28 points, ahead of Stanford's star running back Toby Gerhart. Next, he'll try to lead the most storied program in the South to a national championship against the Texas Longhorns, led by 2 time Heisman finalist Colt McCoy.
Ingram received 227 first-place votes and 1,304 points. Gerhart got 222 first-place votes and 1,276 points, while Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, last season's runner-up, received 203 first-place votes and 1,145 points. Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who took home a number of awards, was fourth and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman two years ago, was fifth.
In what was billed as the year of the quarterback, with Tebow, McCoy and last year's Heisman winner Sam Bradford, all returning to college, Ingram and Gerhart emerged as the Heisman front-runners at midseason.
Ingram has been the backbone of Alabama's offense, rushing for a school-record 1,542 yards, gaining 6.2 yards per carry and scoring 18 touchdowns. His only poor game, a 30-yard rushing performance against Auburn on Nov. 27, came at the worst time and in front of a national television audience. But with the Tide playing in the biggest game of the season, a No. 1 vs. No. 2 SEC championship against Florida, Ingram had one more chance to impress voters, and he delivered.
In his final chance to make a case for the Heisman, facing Florida's then-top-ranked defense, Ingram ran through the Gators for 113 yards and scored three touchdowns to punctuate his season. The win sent the top-ranked Crimson Tide to the BCS national title game against McCoy and No. 2 Texas on Jan. 7 at the Rose Bowl.
Few college football teams can match Alabama's history of success. The Crimson Tide dominated the SEC for decades. With six AP national championships (only Notre Dame and Oklahoma have won more). But at Alabama, it's a coach who has towered over the program more than any player. Bear Bryant led some of college football's greatest players, from Joe Namath to John Hannah, Ken Stabler to Ozzie Newsome, but never had a player even finish in the top three of the Heisman voting over his more than three decades at Alabama. Also, no major college program had won more games without a Heisman winner than Alabama.
Mark Ingram can take his place among Alabama's greats and the Paul W. Bryant Museum is finally complete with the only football trophy it did not have in it's 117 year history.
Peace and Much Love To Ya :)
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