Matt Leinart Wins 2004 Heisman Trophy Award
December 11, 2004 | Football
Dec. 11, 2004
RALPH D. RUSSO
Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) - Matt Leinart replaced a Heisman Trophy winner and became one himself.
The Southern California quarterback won college football's most prestigious individual award Saturday night, beating out Oklahoma teammates Adrian Peterson and Jason White, last year's winner.
In 2002, Carson Palmer won the Heisman as a senior with the Trojans. Leinart succeeded the first overall pick in the NFL draft with a splendid sophomore season that set him up as the preseason favorite this year.
 | "I remember when Carson was sitting up here, he said his heart was beating out of his chest, I think mine's about to do the same thing." |
"I remember when Carson was sitting up here," Leinart said. "He said his heart was beating out of his chest, I think mine's about to do the same thing."
The junior is USC's sixth Heisman winner, tying the Trojans with Ohio State for second-most behind Notre Dame's seven.
Peterson, the freshman tailback, was second, White was third, Utah quarterback Alex Smith was fourth and Leinart's teammate Reggie Bush was fifth in the voting.
Leinart and Bush will compete against Peterson and White again on Jan. 4 in the Orange Bowl. The winner of that contest takes home the national title. It'll be the first time two players with Heisman trophies have played each other in college.
Leinart received 1,325 points and won all but one of the six voting regions. He came in third in the Southwest, where White led with 263 points and Peterson was second with 197.
| Reggie Bush congratulates Matt Leinart after Leinart was awarded the Heisman Trophy. (AP Photo/POOL, Julie Jacobson)  | |
White had a chance to become just the second two-time Heisman winner, joining Ohio State tailback Archie Griffin (1974 and '75).
Smith, who has led Utah to a berth in the Bowl Championship Series, received 635 points, and Bush, the Trojans' explosive and versatile tailback had 597.
| Heisman Trophy balloting | ||||
| Player | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Total |
| Matt Leinart, USC | 267 | 211 | 102 | 1,325 |
| Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma | 154 | 180 | 175 | 997 |
| Jason White, Oklahoma | 171 | 149 | 146 | 957 |
| Alex Smith, Utah | 98 | 112 | 117 | 635 |
| Reggie Bush, USC | 118 | 80 | 83 | 597 |
