Oklahoma quarterback could win 2nd straight Heisman

NEW YORK -- Jason White has a chance to join Archie Griffin as a two-time Heisman Trophy winner.\nWhite, the Oklahoma quarterback who won last year's Heisman, was chosen Wednesday as one of five finalists for college football's most prestigious individual title.\nJoining White for Saturday's award ceremony in New York will be his Oklahoma teammate Adrian Peterson, Southern California teammates Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush, and Utah quarterback Alex Smith.\nAmong Heisman contenders who did not make the top five were Texas running back Cedric Benson, Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell and California teammates Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Arrington.\nGriffin, Ohio State's great running back, won the Heisman in 1974 and 1975 and is the only two-time winner.\nWhite was the favorite for last year's Heisman and beat out Pittsburgh wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and Mississippi quarterback Eli Manning. This time, the race appears too close to call. White and Leinart, USC's quarterback, have put up similar numbers while leading their teams to 12-0 records and a matchup in the Orange Bowl for the national championship.\nWhite comes to town after passing for 2,961 yards and 33 touchdown, and in a much better mood than last year. A week before the '03 Heisman ceremony, the Sooners were upset by Kansas State 35-7 in the Big 12 title game and White had his worst game of the season.\nThis season, White threw three touchdown passes in Oklahoma's 42-3 rout of Colorado in the league title game.\nThe presence of Peterson, a freshman, helped White produce another fine season but may hinder the quarterback's chances of matching Griffin's two Heismans. Peterson ran for 1,843 yards and 15 touchdowns, and produced his best games against the Sooners' toughest opponents.\nNo freshman has ever won the \nHeisman.\nWhite, a sixth-year senior, has a Heisman vote and said he planned to pick Peterson No. 1 on his ballot.\nOklahoma coach Bob Stoops can't decide between the two either.\n"These guys are tremendous. You see it every week. They complement each other with great running and passing -- and it's made a major difference this year, the fact that we're strong in both," Stoops said.\n"But a lot of these guys have helped them. So I wouldn't be the one to choose. It wouldn't be fair."\nUSC has a similar situation with Leinart and Bush. They complement each other, but also could draw attention away from each other when it comes to the voting.\nLeinart has thrown for 2,990 yards and 28 touchdowns, with only six interceptions. He is the Trojans' steady leader.\nThe versatile Bush is their spectacular home-run hitting running back.\nBush's 15 touchdowns have come running, receiving and on returns. He has also thrown a TD pass.\n"I think I might have shaken up the votes a little bit," he said after running for 204 yards, including TD runs of 81 and 65 yards, in USC's 29-24 season-finale win at UCLA.\nLed by Smith, Utah became the first team from a mid-major conference to reach the BCS this season. The versatile junior has passed for 2,624 yards and 28 TDs and run for 563 yards and 10 touchdowns.\nThe Utes will play Pittsburgh in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.