The Associated Press

There are plenty of contenders for the national title game. What about for the Heisman Trophy?

IN THE RUNNING?

• Chris Brown, Colorado (6-3), RB: 1,406 rushing yards, 6.5 yards per carry, 14 TDs • Maurice Clarett, Ohio State (10-0), RB: 1,019 yds., 6.2 ypc, 13 TDs • Quentin Griffin, Oklahoma (8-0), RB: 950 yds., 6.7 ypc, 6 TDs • Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech (6-4), QB: 356-525, 3,557 passing yards, 31 TDs, 10 INTs • Byron Leftwich, Marshall (6-2), QB: 223-334, 2,980 yds., 19 TDs, 7 INTs • Ben Roethlisberger, Miami U. (7-3), QB: 232-of-354, 2,720 yds., 22 TDs, 12 INTs • Chris Simms, Texas (8-1), QB: 162-284, 2,061 yds., 14 TDs, 9 INTs • Ken Dorsey, Miami (8-0), QB: 134-244, 2,020 yds., 20 TDs, 8 INTs • Jared Lorenzen, Kentucky (6-3), QB: 148-255, 1,870 yds., 20 TDs, 3 INTs Source: ESPN.com

While unbeatens Oklahoma, Miami and Ohio State will try to stay in the title chase Saturday, star players from each team can boost their chances to win college football's top individual prize.

All three teams are on the road, with running back Quentin Griffin leading No. 1 Oklahoma (8-0) against Texas A&M (5-4), quarterback Ken Dorsey and No. 2 Miami (8-0) taking on Tennessee (5-3), and freshman running back Maurice Clarett and No.3 Ohio State (10-0) visiting Purdue (4-5).

Griffin, Oklahoma's smallest player at 5 feet 8, has made the biggest Heisman impact of late.

"He's gaining momentum and is really playing in a great way right now," Sooners coach Bob Stoops said.

Griffin has 487 of his 950 yards in his last three games - against Top 25 teams Texas, Iowa State and Colorado.

Dorsey, despite a 34-1 record as a starter, has not lived up to his preseason hype. But he has come through every time the Hurricanes have needed him.

In last week's ragged 42-17 win over Rutgers, Dorsey sparked a 28-point fourth quarter with two quick TD passes, and he engineered two fourth-quarter touchdown drives to pull out a 28-27 victory over Florida State.

Clarett has missed two games because of injury, against Cincinnati and Minnesota, but has scored 13 touchdowns. He has run 165 times for 1,019 yards this season, for an average of 6.2 yards.