Southeastern Conference football fans typically do not have an all-time favorite pro team, being that college football in the South captured the irrational devotion of the populace before the NFL was a gleam in George Halas‘ eye. Most people end up with tepid support of the most local team, or historically, where the latest stud(s) has been drafted. The jorts-clothed, Trans Am-driving north-central Florida denizens are not unlike everyone else, and have said in a unified voice to former quarterback Tim Tebow, “We can’t quit you.”

Tebow has left. No more stories about circumcising Filipino boys and Bible verses on eye black on “College GameDay.” Or so we hope. He’s gone off to Denver as the latest rookie signal caller in the Mile High City. But it just ain’t over. Florida fans, support your Tebow. A heady Broncos fan has started up TebowTees.com, which can be pretty creative when it comes to T-shirt designs. We’re angling for this one:

Bart Starr. Joe Namath. Kenny Stabler. Lee Roy Jordan. Cornelius Bennett. Derrick Thomas. David Palmer. Shaun Alexander. None of these heroes of Alabama football won the Heisman Trophy. For a program that has 12 national championships and 22 Southeastern Conference titles, the other major accomplishment in college football was something that had been lacking from the Tide trophy case for years. No longer.

Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram added one of the more incredible accomplishments of the team this year, becoming Bama’s first-ever Heisman winner, and the third consecutive sophomore to take home the award. The win was the closest in the history of the award, 75-Heismans deep. For the first time in years, stiffarmtrophy.com got the final lineup wrong. It had Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in third, ahead of Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, but in fact the two flipped positions in the final results.

1. MARK INGRAM, RUNNING BACK, ALABAMA
Votes: 1,304 (227)
2. TOBY GERHART, RUNNING BACK, STANFORD
Votes: 1,276 (222)
3. COLT MCCOY, QUARTERBACK, TEXAS
Votes: 1,145 (203)
4. NDAMUKONG SUH, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, NEBRASKA
Votes: 815 (161)
5. TIM TEBOW, QUARTERBACK, FLORIDA
Votes: 390 (43)

Perhaps the most memorable part of the ceremony was Ingram totally losing it when he went on the dais, having to take a few seconds to compose himself. It was only about a minute or two into the acceptance speech that the 2009 winner was able to get himself together enough to roll through the rest of his thank-yous.

“I’m a little overwhelmed right now,” Ingram said at the podium. “I’m just so excited to bring Alabama their first Heisman winner.” Afterward, the super sophomore told the assembled media, “I was overwhelmed, really excited, just the fact that I’m the first Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Alabama and doing this for my family. It hasn’t been easy for us.”

Alabama football is an emotional endeavor, so most of us who slagged on Tebow for crying during the SEC Championship Game gave Ingram a pass. Double standards are the spice of life in sports.

This season, Ingram put up 1,542 rushing yards on 249 attempts for 6.2 yards-per-carry and 15 touchdowns, despite being extremely limited in action against the patsies of the Tide schedule. He also has 30 receptions for 322 yards, for 10.7 yards-per-catch and three touchdowns.

Ingram wins

Ingram’s interview with ESPN’s Chris Fowler

There’s only one step left: beating Texas in Pasadena in the BCS National Championship Game. If Alabama can do that, and there is significant thought to believe that it’s possible, 2009 could go down as one of the greatest years in the 117-year history of Crimson Tide football.

With two weeks left, and Alabama staring at a trip to Auburn and the SEC Championship Game, Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram still isn’t letting go of first place in the Heisman Trophy race. Against UT-Chattanooga, he was pulled with 10 minutes left in the second quarter, but still put up 102 yards rushing on 11 carries with two touchdowns.

The other major contenders, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, can’t seem to make the jump to force Ingram out of the top spot. Considering the next two games for Ingram are big ones, and Ingram tends to perform on an exceptional level in big games, could spell the end of the race. However, the Tide need to keep winning. A big showing against Auburn on Friday and besting Florida’s tough run defense would sew it up.

HeismanPundit.com
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama, 58 (10)
2. Colt McCoy, Texas, 40 (1)
3. Toby Gerhart, Stanford, 33 (1)
4. Tim Tebow, Florida, 20
5. C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 13

ESPN.com Heisman Watch
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama, 73 (13)
2. Toby Gerhart, Stanford, 47 (1)
3. Colt McCoy, Texas, 32
4. C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 24
5. Kellen Moore, Boise State, 20 (1)

CBS Sports Heisman Watch
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama, 44 (3)
2. Toby Gerhart, Stanford, 34 (1)
3. Colt McCoy, Texas, 28 (1)
4. Kellen Moore, Boise State, 10
5. C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 6

Of course, Sports Illustrated isn’t doing anything to help the matter, laying the dreaded SI jinx by putting Ingram on the cover and giving him a five-page feature in the magazine.

Alabama running back Mark Ingram is moving even closer to becoming the Crimson Tide’s first Heisman Trophy winner, after his performance against Mississippi State during the past weekend. He had 19 rushes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Without a doubt, the totals won’t look as good this Saturday versus UT-Chattanooga. In the other patsy games, Ingram put up 56 and 91 yards, respectively. Also, head coach Nick Saban will want to save his starters for the Auburn game the day after Thanksgiving.

Season totals, through 10 games
Rushing: 194 attempts, 1,297 yards, 10 touchdowns
Receiving: 25 receptions, 225 yards, 3 touchdowns

Both HesimanPundit.com and the ESPN Heisman Watch are giving Ingram more points, but what was a one running back, two quarterback race is more of a mixed affair.

HeismanPundit.com
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama, 59 (10)
2. Colt McCoy, Texas, 35 (1)
3. Toby Gerhart, Stanford, 33 (1)
4. C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 23
5. Tim Tebow, Florida, 16

ESPN.com Heisman Watch
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama, 72 (12)
2. Toby Gerhart, Stanford, 42 (1)
3. C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 37
4. Tim Tebow, Florida, 24
5. Colt McCoy, Texas, 23

CBS Sports Heisman Watch
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama, 47 (4)
2. Toby Gerhart, Stanford, 34 (1)
3. Kellen Moore, Boise State, 21
4. Dion Lewis, Pitt, 12
5. C.J. Spiller, Clemson, 9

In about 27 hours and 30 minutes, Carolina will enter the buzzsaw known as the Florida Gators. How much does it suck for the Gamecocks to have to play Florida and Alabama in the same season that both teams are competing for the national championship? Hoo-wee.

We’re not big fans of the Gators. Actually, if you wear orange, we’re probably going to hate you. Auburn, Tennessee, Florida, Clemson — nothing good comes out of anything that has orange. However, we like St. Tebow. Why? The man wins. And he’s a beast on the field. Tebow’s not nicknamed “the baby rhino” for nothing. He will fuck your day up.

So, two years ago, when Teebs was making the run as the only sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, a couple Florida students who called themselves “Tebow’s Anonymous” put a parody of Soulja Boy‘s “Crank Dat” up on YouTube. It, eh, is very, very, very NSFW. And damn funny.

Alabama running back Mark Ingram is still on pace to win the Crimson Tide’s first Heisman Trophy as the team prepares to claim its 10th win of the season, a 7 p.m. ESPN tilt against Mississippi State. In his game versus LSU, Ingram ran for 144 yards on 22 carries for 6.5 yards-per-carry. It was his third-best YPC game of the year, behind North Texas (11.4) and Carolina (10.3). Ingram also caught five passes for 30 yards. He would be the second sophomore to win the award, following Florida quarterback Tim Tebow in 2007.

HeismanPundit.com
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama — 55 (9)
2. Case Keenum, Houston — 29 (1)
3. Colt McCoy, Texas — 28 (2)
4. Tim Tebow, Florida — 24
5. C.J. Spiller, Clemson — 16

ESPN Heisman Watch
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama — 65 (10)
2. Case Keenum, Houston — 40 (1)
3. Tim Tebow, Florida — 31 (1)
4. Colt McCoy, Texas — 28 (1)
5. C.J. Spiller, Clemson — 26

CBS Heisman Watch
1. Mark Ingram, Alabama — 54 (4)
2. Case Keenum, Houston — 46 (2)
3. Colt McCoy, Texas — 22
4. Toby Gerhart, Stanford — 9
5. Ryan Matthews, Fresno State — 7

We’re as surprised as anyone else, but Alabama running back continues to lead the race for the Heisman Trophy, according to two widely-watched handicapping polls. Over the weekend, Ingram rushed for 99 yards on 18 carries for 5.5 yards-per-carry, no touchdowns and one fumble. It was his first lost fumble in his time at Alabama.

Still, he’s doing OK. After eight games, Ingram has 1,004 yards rushing on 153 carries for 6.6 yards-per-carry and eight touchdowns. He also has 186 yards receiving from 19 catches for 9.8 yards-per-reception and three touchdowns.

The HeismanPundit.com poll, which has been pretty accurate since it started, goes like this:

1. Mark Ingram, 56 (9)
2. Jimmy Clausen, 26 (1)
3. Colt McCoy, 25

ESPN.com’s poll also has Ingram with a significant lead.

1. Mark Ingram, 57 (7)
2. Jimmy Clausen, 43 (4)
3. Tim Tebow, 41 (3)

With the bye week, Ingram will probably lose ground. Notre Dame takes on Washington State, who the Irish should destroy, Texas gets Oklahoma State, it’s toughest opponent for the rest of the season, and Florida goes to the Cocktail Party versus a Georgia team that has shown little in the way of defense all year.

However, if Ingram can put up the numbers he should with a the week off, the Crimson Tide could see its first Heisman winner.

If you watched the Florida-Tennessee game on Saturday (and if you didn’t, what’s your problem?), you saw two beasts of the Southeastern Conference meet in the red zone. It was gorgeous. When you tune in to watch football, you want to see gladiators in battle. And, let’s face it — if we didn’t have football, we would have already declared war on Canada and Mexico simultaneously. Just, you know, for kicks.

Somebody needs to hang a flat-screen in MoMA and have this running on a constant loop.

Flordia quarterback Tim Tebow seemingly can do anything. Going into his senior season, he has two national title rings and a Heisman Trophy. Unless something truly bizarre happens, his leadership of the Gators will put them in the national championship game with one of the most preseason-ballyhooed squads in the history of college football. Then, he spends his spare time ministering to criminals and assisting with giving health care to the poor overseas.

But, everybody needs an ad campaign, right? Can’t go wrong there. Our thanks to fellow Tide fan @MrPelicanPants for pointing this out.

The final day of SEC Media Days gave us Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier and LSU head coach Les Miles. And a couple coaches with losing records at teams that wear orange, whoever they are. Unfortunately, Miles was not wearing a hat.

All the talk was about Spurrier and his ballot for the All-SEC team, which was filled out by his director of operations. As everyone knows by now, the ballot was the only one that did not have Florida quarterback Tim Tebow on the first team offense. Spurrier apologized and said that he fixed it.

When all this came up Wednesday, I guess, in the Thursday morning paper, I read, Some guy did not vote for Tim Tebow. Who was that? Our director of operation filled it out, brought it in to me one day. I looked at it quickly. I said, “That’s fine.” I signed off on it.

I called him. I said, “Certainly we had Tim Tebow.” He said, “Well, actually, coach, we had Jevan Snead.” He said something about we already had 10 Gators, maybe get another guy. I said, “That’s bad.” But it’s my fault. I take full responsibility. I messed that up. I apologized to Tim Tebow. We screwed it up pretty badly. I’m embarrassed about it. I feel bad about it. That’s the way it happened.

I’ve called Charlie Bloom. I said, “Can I change our selection from South Carolina and put Tim Tebow in?”

He said, “Yes.”

I was able to put Tim Tebow in today, so it’s unanimous.

I know some of you may think that’s maybe not right, but we made a mistake there. I made a mistake. Tim Tebow is not only the best quarterback in this league, I think he’s the best in the country. I think he’s the best football player in the country. What he’s done there, I believe he and Danny Wuerffel will go down in history as the two best quarterbacks, maybe the two best to ever play college football. That’s how good he is.

I admire and respect him. I apologize to him. He should have been on that ballot. We messed up. I messed up. I’m trying to correct it best I can. But I messed it up. I take full blame for it. That’s the way it happened. That’s the way it happened. We’ll try to move on. I still feel very badly about what happened there.

Miles didn’t address this…
And college men from LSU
Went in dumb – come out dumb too
Hustlin’ ’round Atlanta in their alligator shoes
Gettin’ drunk every weekend at the barbecues
…but said that if the season started today, he would start Jordan Jefferson at quarterback.

And now, interviews.

Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier

Carolina linebacker Eric Norwood

Carolina wide receiver Moe Brown

LSU head coach Les Miles

Auburn head coach Gene Chizik

Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin

EDSBS‘ and The Sporting News‘ Spencer Hall

The Birmingham News‘ Kevin Scarbinsky and Ray Melick