By John Nestor

Baylor's Robert Griffin III appears to be the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy after finalists for the award were announced.

The outstanding Baylor quarterback will be joined in New York by Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck, Wisconsin running back Montee Ball, cornerback Tyrann Mathieu of LSU and Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

The presentation of the 77th annual Heisman Memorial Trophy Award will take place Saturday in New York.

Griffin has helped put Baylor football on the map. The Bears are 9-3 this season, their first nine-win season since 1986.

Griffin leads the nation in passer rating (192.3), and has thrown for 3,998 yards and 36 touchdowns. He has also run for 644 yards and nine touchdowns. He will look to become the school's first Heirman winner as Baylor's Heisman history is limited to Don Trull, who finished fourth in 1963 and Larry Isbell, who finished in seventh place in 1951.

Luck entered the season as the Heisman frontrunner and pretty much lived up to the billing, throwing for 3,170 yards and a school-record 35 touchdowns while being named the Pac-12 offensive player of the year.

Ball has rushed for 1,759 yards and 32 touchdowns to lead the Badgers to their second straight Rose Bowl.

Just a sophomore, Mathieu was named the SEC's defensive player of the year while making 76 tackles and two interceptions, and returning a pair of punts for touchdowns.

Richardson ran for 1,583 yards and 20 touchdowns for Alabama, which will meet Mathieu and the Tigers in the BCS title game.

If history is any indication, things look good for Griffin.

Heismanpundit.com, which has successfully predicted the past four winners with a straw poll of 13 voters, had Griffin as its top vote-getter on Monday. Luck was second and Richardson third.

Stiffarmtrophy.com, which compiles ballots from voters who make their choices public and has predicted the past nine winners, had Griffin winning by a comfortable margin over Luck, with Richardson third.

"I'm extremely proud and, Baylor Nation, we're in there now we just have to go try to snatch it," Griffin said. "Hopefully the vote turns out our way, but being invited is an honor. It's not all that we want, but it's a starting spot."

 

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Baylor's Griffin and Stanford's Luck Headline Heisman Finalists