Stanford star running back Toby Gerhart continued his magical run Monday with an invitation to the Heisman Trophy presentation ceremony.
The unprobably star will join former winner and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow along with Colt McCoy, Mark Ingram and Ndamukong Suh at the ceremony in Manhattan on Saturday.
"I am most pleased that my efforts along with those of so many others this year have put Stanford football back on the national map," Gerhart told the Associated Press.
Gerhart ran for more yards (1,736) and scored more touchdowns (26) than any player in the nation.
If there is a favorite, it seems to be Ingram.
Hesimanpundit.com, which polls 13 voters throughout the season, had Ingram on top of its latest results. But good news Stanford fans, Gerhart was a close second.
It didn't hurt that his final game of the season against Notre Dame was on national television.
In that game, which Stanford won, Gerhart ran for 205 yards and scored three touchdowns. He also threw a touchdown pass himself. The broadcast ended with his famous coach at mid-field declaring to the world that Gerhart should get the trophy.
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This year's Heisman race is considered to be wide open with no clear cut frontrunner. And perhaps a sign of things to come, this year's ceremony was the first time since 2004 that five players were invited to New York. That year a Pac-10 quarterback named Matt Leinart won the award.
This was to be a year when star quarterbacks were expected to dominate the Heisman race, two running backs and a defensive tackle made as good a case to win college football's most prestigious award as any of the marquee passers.
