Sporting News, The: Essay question: can Seneca still win?

A crane that could move a county looms impossibly high over Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla. To many who witnessed Oklahoma's 49-3 emasculation of Iowa State here last Saturday, Cyclones quarterback Seneca Wallace could climb to the top of that crane before he could lift himself back into the lead of the Heisman Trophy race.

But just as the Sooners can fix up their old, broken-down stadium, Wallace can reconstruct his Heisman image. All it will take are 10 wins and a Big 12 North title. If Wallace somehow can squeeze that much from himself and his fervently believing teammates, the trophy will be his.

Wallace won't win because of his statistics, not after a thwarting display against the Sooners in which he had zero first-half passing yards, was intercepted three times and went three-and-out more often than Michael Jordan at a blackjack table. His Heisman hopes stand on two pillars: his unmatched ability to make breathtaking plays and the complete credit he is given by writers and broadcasters for every Cyclones victory.

Is the credit deserved? Those who fear Iowa State's aggressive Heisman campaign has become a distraction to the team would say no, but they wouldn't mean it. The Cyclones have a couple of players, such as receiver Lane Danielsen and defensive tackle Jordan Carstens, who could line up for anybody. Overwhelmingly, though, they're middle-of-the-roaders whose thith in a peerless quarterback and a passionate coaching staff is helping them overachieve.

If there is a team suited to bounce back emotionally from a 46-point loss and the figurative beheading of its leader, it's the Cyclones. Wallace might be even-keeled to a fault; just in case he needed a boost, his teammates gave it to him after the OU game by looking every interviewer in the eye and swearing their quarterback wouldn't stay down for long.

Wallace can atone for the Sooners' Norman conquest by winning this weekend at Texas. But to say it's a must-win--for Wallace's Heisman case or the team's title quest--is an exaggeration. Two bigger gaines come later, against North Division rivals Kansas State and Colorado. Both games will be on the road, completing the most difficult conference schedule of any contending team in college football. But Colorado, the biggest threat to ISU in the North, still must face Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Nebraska. The Cyclones, at 6-2 with five games to go, are in the race to stay.

Is Wallace? "I don't give a hoot about the Heisman," is how he assessed his chances an hour after the Oklahoma game ended. "If (this performance) damages it, it damages it. Go on to the next game."

Oklahoma didn't allow Wallace a single Heisman highlight, and Texas, which is similarly fast on defense, won't want to, either. After a game in which he was off-kilter from the start and lost confidence with every failed series, Wallace must make some magic, Longhorns be damned. He will be, after all, the most gifted athlete on the field, one unforgettable play from making a believer of anyone who thought his chances were demolished.

MIX and MATCH

Pair the Heisman Trophy contender with what he must accomplish to win the bronze bauble.

Contenders

A. Iowa State QB Seneca Wallace

B. Ohio State RB Maurice Clarett

C. Miami QB Ken Dorsey

D. NC State QB Philip Rivers

Requirements

1. Finish with an unbeaten record

2. Shut up and keep racking up 100-yard games

3. Engineer a big road win

4. Produce a signature play

Key: A-3; B-2; C-4; D-1.