Three-man Heisman race: Bush, Leinart and Young

NEW YORK — The Heisman Trophy competition is a three-man race — just as it's been all season.

Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart of Southern California will be back in New York today, along with Texas quarterback Vince Young, when the Heisman Trophy is awarded to the nation's best college football player.

The Downtown Athletic Club, which hands out the sport's most prestigious individual award, invited Wednesday only those three players to the presentation ceremony.

Last season, five players attended the Heisman ceremony (including Utah's Alex Smith) and Leinart won it. Since 1999, either four or five finalists have been invited to New York.

Bush, Leinart and Young have been the frontrunners since the preseason, and they've been jockeying for position all year.

The two USC stars said they were proud to be returning to the ceremony.

"It was a a great experience last year, seeing Matt win it," said Bush, who finished fifth in the 2004 voting.

Leinart said, "It's a great honor to be invited as a Heisman finalist again. I look forward to returning to New York with Reggie, and congratulations to Vince Young as well."

Bush emerged as the favorite in the past three weeks with two enormous games. The 200-pound speedster had 513 all-purpose yards in a 50-42 victory over Fresno State and he rushed for 260 yards and two touchdowns in a 66-19 victory over UCLA, which completed a perfect regular season for the Trojans (12-0).

Bush has rushed for a career-high 1,658 yards, averaging 8.9 per carry, and scored 18 touchdowns.

The junior would be the first running back to win the award since Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne in '99. The last five winners have been quarterbacks.

Leinart is having an even better season this year than last, when he became the sixth USC player to win the Heisman, and second Trojans quarterback in three years.

Carson Palmer won as a senior in 2002. Four USC tailbacks have won the Heisman — Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. Simpson ('68), Charles White ('79) and Marcus Allen ('81).

Leinart passed up a chance to become the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft to return to USC for his senior year, and threw for 3,450 yards and 27 touchdowns. His most memorable moments came at the end of one of his most inconsistent games.