By CRAIG HANDEL
The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press

NEW YORK CITY - Now that they didn't win the Heisman Trophy, University of Miami tailback Willis McGahee and quarterback Ken Dorsey can get back to what they've really been working for all season - winning a second straight national championship.

The incentive is there now, big time. After nearly being shut out for all of the postseason awards, the Hurricanes can use that perceived snub to gain an edge for the Jan. 3 Fiesta Bowl matchup against Ohio State.

While Southern California's Carson Palmer won the award, McGahee finished fourth and Dorsey fifth. Last year, Dorsey came in third.

"The pressure is off," McGahee said.

That may be more true than he'll ever know. Based on the past quarter century of Heisman history, winning the top individual award often hasn't translated into winning the top team honor.

Since 1974, Heisman Trophy winners' teams are 11-16 in bowl games. In fact, players like Nebraska's Eric Crouch (2001), Florida State's Chris Weinke (2000), Miami's Gino Torretta (1992) and Vinny Testaverde (1986), Nebraska's Mike Rozier (1983) and Ohio State's Archie Griffin (1974, 1975) saw their teams lose in bowl games that cost them possible national championships.

"It's that right there," Dorsey said. "I think almost in a way it's good for Willis and myself not to have the added pressure (while) going to a bowl game, a national championship game. I think that will help us. Even though I finished dead last in the Heisman voting, I'm still going to the Fiesta Bowl last I checked."

While it didn't surprise people that Palmer won, the margin of his victory did. His 242 first-place votes and 1,328 total votes were more than the combined votes of McGahee (101; 660) and Dorsey (122; 643).

"I was very surprised," McGahee said. "I thought it would be a close race.

"But there's no disappointment. I didn't expect to win."

While expressing happiness for Palmer and gratitude to the Heisman Trophy officials, Dorsey took a swipe or two at the national media. He added the burden of living up to high acclaim wore on him this season. While Dorsey felt lashing out wouldn't be a good example to youths who see him as a role model, Palmer admitted not being on television often was a good thing. Unlike Dorsey, he didn't have to deal with the constant scrutiny or game-by-game analysis.

"I think the expectations coming into the season were definitely high," Dorsey said. "I would imagine in some people's minds I didn't fulfill those expectations. I didn't throw for 5,000 yards, or have a 75 percent completion percentage."

Among Miami players, only center Brett Romberg came away with hardware, the Rimington Award. After joking how he always has to clean and shine Dorsey's various honors, Romberg now has one of his own. But the fact that he may be the only player receiving a trophy is going to light a fire under a team which uses any slight to rally around.

Wednesday, it's back to the practice field. It's where Dorsey is most comfortable. It's where he can start toward defending that national championship. And with another great performance, it's where he can earn a third straight bowl MVP trophy.

"That means the most, the national championship, the biggest venue in college football," Dorsey said. "We want to go out, and to be perfectly honest, we feel there's almost a level of respect we have to earn."

Heisman jinx

Since Archie Griffin won the first of his two awards in 1974, Heisman Trophy winners are 11-16 when leading their team in bowl games:

Year .. Winner .......... Bowl result

2002: Carson Palmer, USC ???

2001: Eric Crouch, Nebraska lost to Miami 37-14 in Rose Bowl

2000: Chris Weinke, Florida State lost to Oklahoma 13-2 in Orange Bowl

1999: Ron Dayne, Wisconsin beat Stanford 17-9 in Rose Bowl

1998: Ricky Williams, Texas beat Mississippi State 38-11 in Cotton Bowl

1997: Charles Woodson, Michigan beat Washington State 21-16 in Rose Bowl

1996: Danny Wuerffel, Florida beat Florida State 52-20 in Sugar Bowl

1995: Eddie George, Ohio State lost to Tennessee 20-14 in Hall of Fame Bowl

1994: Rashaan Salaam, Colorado beat Notre Dame 41-24 in Fiesta Bowl

1993: Charlie Ward, Florida State beat Nebraska 18-17 in Orange Bowl

1992: Gino Torretta, Miami lost to Alabama 34-13 in Sugar Bowl

1991: Desmond Howard, Michigan lost to Washington 34-14 in Rose Bowl

1990: Ty Detmer, BYU lost to Texas A&M 65-14 in Holiday Bowl

1989: Andre Ware, Houston didn't play in postseason

1988: Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State beat Wyoming 62-14 in Holiday Bowl

1987: Tim Brown, Notre Dame lost to Texas A&M 35-10 in Cotton Bowl

1986: Vinny Testaverde, Miami lost to Penn State 14-10 in Fiesta Bowl

1985: Bo Jackson, Auburn lost to Texas A&M 36-16 in Cotton Bowl

1984: Doug Flutie, Boston College beat Houston 45-28 in Cotton Bowl

1983: Mike Rozier, Nebraska lost to Miami 31-30 in Orange Bowl

1982: Herschel Walker, Georgia lost to Penn State 27-23 in Sugar Bowl

1981: Marcus Allen, USC lost to Penn State 26-10 in Fiesta Bowl

1980: George Rogers, South Carolina lost to Pittsburgh 37-9 in Gator Bowl

1979: Charles White, USC beat Ohio State 17-16 in Rose Bowl

1978: Billy Sims, Oklahoma beat Nebraska 31-24 in Orange Bowl

1977: Earl Campbell, Texas lost to Notre Dame 38-10 in Cotton Bowl

1976: Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh beat Georgia 27-3 in Sugar Bowl

1975: Archie Griffin, Ohio State lost to UCLA 23-10 in Rose Bowl

1974: Archie Griffin, Ohio State lost to USC 18-17 in Rose Bowl