STANFORD, Calif. — Andrew Luck cemented his status atop Stanford’s record books, made his final case for the Heisman Trophy and put the program in position for a second straight BCS bowl.
Now he’ll have to wait to see if that’s enough.
With no shot at the Pac-12 championship this week, Luck and the fourth-ranked Cardinal (11-1, 8-1) will be watching with everybody else. The resumes for each are remarkably similar to a year ago, when Luck was the Heisman runner-up to Auburn’s Cam Newton and Stanford earned an Orange Bowl trip.
The only difference is that the expectations were higher this season.
The redshirt junior is no longer the clear frontrunner to join college football’s most famous fraternity.
Luck threw for 35 touchdowns this season — breaking his school record of 32 a year ago — and has eclipsed John Elway’s career record (77) at Stanford with 80 touchdown passes in only three years. He finished with 3,170 yards passing, a 70 percent completion percentage and only nine interceptions this season without the benefit of an elite wide receiver.
All that might still not be enough.
Luck threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in Oregon’s 53-30 stampede past Stanford on Nov. 12, costing Stanford a Pac-12 title and a chance at a BCS championship. He also had several shaky moments in the final two games — including another interception against previously No. 22 Notre Dame in a 28-14 victory Saturday night.
Luck’s competition has emerged into serious contenders.Alabama’s Trent Richardson, Baylor’s Robert Griffin III, Houston’s Case Keenum and Southern California’s Matt Barkley all could argue they had better seasons than Luck.
The Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York — where Luck will surely be invited — is Dec. 10.