Even after missing three games with injuries, Leonard Fournette is poised to make some noise in the Heisman Trophy race.The LSU running back is coming off one of the most impressive individual performances of the season, running for 284 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries in a rout of Mississippi. The No. 19 Tigers are off this week and preparing for No. 1 Alabama on Nov. 5.When Fournette plays, he is as good as advertised. The junior has reached 100 yards in each of the four games he has been able to get on the field, averaging 8.1 per carry and scoring five touchdowns.Fournette was one of the headliners in a star-studded Heisman field entering the season. They have all been overtaken by Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson.Clemsons Deshaun Watson is still drawing considerable Heisman attention, but other big names have fallen off.Last seasons Heisman runner-up, Christian McCaffrey of Stanford, has missed games with injuries and been unable to cut loose in the Cardinals struggle offense. Houston quarterback Greg Ward has slipped out of the race with the Cougars losing two of three.Florida States Dalvin Cook is in position to make a late push. Ohio States J.T. Barrett can likely do the same.How about Fournette? With high-profile games left against Alabama, No. 14 Florida and No. 9 Texas A&M and the possibility of leading his team to the SEC championship game, dont rule out Fournette receiving an invite to New York city for the Heisman presentation on Dec. 10.Heres how AP college football writers rank the Heisman contenders going into Week 9:1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (21 points)Last week: Jackson went off on North Carolina State for 431 yards, with three TD passes and a touchdown run.This week: at Virginia. The Cavaliers are third from the bottom in the ACC in defense (6.17 yards per play allowed). Expect another big game for Jackson.2 (tie). Jake Browning, QB, Washington (10 points)Last week: The sophomore threw three touchdown passes and ran for a score in a rout of Oregon State. He only completed 50 percent of his throws, which dropped his passer rating to second in the country (199.62), but still on pace to set a single-season record.This week: at No. 17 Utah. The Utes are in the middle of the Pac-12 pack defensively in yards per play (5.76, seventh in the conference), but they lead league with 14 interceptions and are fourth in sacks with 22.2 (tie). Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson (10 points)Last week: Off.This week: at No. 12 Florida State. The Seminoles defense has struggled mightily when facing big-time offenses, including Louisville and Jackson. This is a chance for Watson to make up some ground on Jackson, but the Cardinals quarterback has already set a high bar against Florida State.4. Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State (1 point)Last week: The senior had a pedestrian, for him, 135 yards rushing and two touchdowns in a victory against San Jose State, but is still leading the country in rushing by 34 yards per game.This week: at Utah State. The Aggies are 3-4, but have one of the better defenses in the Mountain West. They rank third against the run (3.61 yards per carry) and overall (4.97 per play).Four more to watch (other than Fournette)Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State. Losses for Florida State have overshadowed the juniors outstanding season running and receiving (179.4 yards from scrimmage per game). He gets the spotlight game against No. 3 Clemson at home Saturday.Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma. Coming off a historic game against Texas Tech (263 yards rushing, 114 receiving and five touchdowns), the sophomore has a chance to put up numbers similar to Cooks. Would Heisman voters overlook his past arrest for punching a woman in a bar?Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech. The Red Raiders up-tempo offense and awful defense inflate his numbers, but he is on pace for about 5,700 yards and close to 50 touchdown passes.Jonathan Allen, DE, Alabama. A defensive end is not winning the Heisman, but Allen has scored two touchdowns and could draw some consideration as the best player on the best teams best unit.---Poll panel: AP Heisman watch panel: National Writer Paul Newberry, Georgia; Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins, Texas; Sports Writer John Marshall, Arizona; Sports Writer Joedy McCreary, North Carolina; Sports Writer Eric Olson, Nebraska; Sports Writer Steve Megargee, Tennessee; College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo, New York.---Corrects earlier version to show Fournette has missed three games with injuries instead of four.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org Under Armour Outlet Uk . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Under Armour Shoes Uk . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. http://www.wholesaleunderarmouruk.com/ . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. Under Armour Uk Stores .S District Court against Major League Baseball, the Office of the Commissioner and his own union, the MLBPA. Under Armour Shoes Uk Sale . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. GLENDALE, Ariz. -- If theres going to be a Colin Kaepernick Redemption Tour, this would be a good week for it to happen for the San Francisco 49ers quarterback.Nothing has been going very good for the spiraling 49ers, losers of seven straight games, but it couldnt have been worse the last time Kaepernick started against the Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium.In a 47-7 loss, he completed only 9 of 19 passes for 67 yards with no touchdowns and had four passes intercepted -- two of which were returned for touchdowns by Arizona.Yeah, definitely, Kaepernick said. Last time we played down there, that was probably the worst game of my career that I can think of.Its an opportunity to go down there and redeem myself, and also try to help this team get a win and get back on track; start by breaking our current losing streak and trying to get on a winning streak.A win might not do much for the 49ers (1-7) in the grand scheme of things, but a victory could certainly benefit the Cardinals (3-4-1), who are struggling their own right.Considered legitimate preseason Super Bowl contenders after a 13-3 finish a year ago, the Cardinals have been beset by injuries, deficiencies as well as expectations.The offense that set multiple franchise records in 2015 barely resembles the one that has dropped games to the equally struggling Los Angeles Rams, Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers this season.The deep passing game that has become a staple of coach Bruce Arians regime has been hit and mostly miss thus far and quarterback Carson Palmer doesnt look much like the MVP candidate he was a year ago.In Palmers mind, however, Sundays game against the 49ers gives the Cardinals an ideal chance to hit the reset button as they try to turn things around and make an improbable push toward a playoff spot with a strong second-half finish.And regarding which part of their game do the Cardinals need to refocus?Everything, Palmer said. You come back and you try to improve on the things you looked at over the last eight weeks. Not make those same mistakes, but youre focused on everything. Situational football, technique, footwork.Even, were talked to about our diet, our rest, all those things, and our sleep. So, you focus on everything. Theres too many things going on and too many things to improve that you dont just worry about one thing or two things.If there is one thing the Cardinals hope to exploit this week, its the 49ers knock-kneed rushing defense, which ranks last in the league and is allowing a staggering 193 yards per game.San Francisco is the only team in NFL history to allow a 100-yard rusher in seven consecutive weeks.Given that Arizona has one of the leagues best running backs, David Johnson, who is fourth in the league witth 705 rushing yards, dont be surprised if the Cardinals look to run the ball as often as they can.ddddddddddddI love getting the ball, Johnson said when asked if he was wary of being overloaded come Sunday. I love getting the touches. It doesnt matter to me.Both teams will be playing without several key players.The Cardinals, who have 10 players on season-ending injured reserve, lost two more starters during their last game at Carolina. Left tackle Jared Veldheer sustained a torn biceps tendon and all-purpose safety Tyrann Mathieu suffered a shoulder subluxation that is expected to keep him out for another week or two.Losing Veldheer will sting, says Palmer.Huge, Palmer said. Hes been our most consistent, probably one of the better tackles in the league, one of the best tackles in the league for a long time. Three years, I think now here. His production, his professionalism, his athleticism, his power, his leadership. Its irreplaceable.You just dont find a guy that replaces what he brings to the team, aside from what he brings to the field of play -- what he brings to the locker room, what he brings to that group in their meeting rooms.San Francisco, which lost its best defensive player, linebacker NaVorro Bowman, to an Achilles injury, also has to play without young defensive end Arik Armstead, who is done for the season because of a shoulder issue.Well, any time you lose those guys -- weve also lost Ray-Ray Armstrong, our other inside linebacker for the year, coach Chip Kelly said. Hes on IR also, but you cant feel sorry for yourself. Unfortunately, no one else does.Its really about getting the other guys ready to play. Its an opportunity for some other guys to play and to carry on. You kind of play in their honor and the best way you can show the impact of NaVorro and Arik and Ray-Ray is for the guys that replace them to go in and play to the standard that those guys have, and thats what were looking for with those three guys out.Kaepernick, at least, looks like he might be on the verge of returning to form. During last weeks loss to the Saints, he passed for 398 yards and two touchdowns, and had a 102.3 passer rating.I think its getting back into a rhythm, he said. It had been almost a full year since I had been back really in live action in games. So it just took a little bit to get comfortable really. Now that comfort is starting to come back.Seeing the concepts that were running, how things flow together, in live action on game day, is important as well. Now getting to see those things and getting those reps, I think thats something I get more and more comfortable with. ' ' '
