Logic suggests the loss to Cal should have ended the Heisman Trophy hopes for Stanford running back Toby Gerhart.  So it came as a surprise when Gerhart  was still listed among the top five contenders in virtually every one of this week’s Heisman polls that websites and newspapers feel obligated to produce.   Not only is he still in the running, he actually picked up ground in some.

Toby Gerhart needs some highlight-reel plays against Notre Dame -- AP Photo by Paul Sakuma

That runs counter to the unwritten rule that Heisman Trophies go only to players on teams ranked in the top 10, or in the top 25 at the very least.

Then we recalled the No. 1 criterion for Heisman consideration:  highlight-reel plays, or what we call “Did You See That?” plays.    A run or a pass or a catch or a return that prompts the TV viewer to look at his buddy and say, “Did you see that?” is what impresses voters and sticks in their minds, especially if the replay is shown countless times on Sports Center.   Gerhart’s 61-yard touchdown run at the start of the Big Game had some  “Did You See That?” quality, but the more important play was the 29-yard reception Gerhart made on the Cardinal’s last possession, when he bowled over three Cal tacklers in an inspired effort to put Stanford in position for a game-winning touchdown.   That was the epitome of a “Did You See that?” play, and that alone kept him in the Heisman discussion.

If Stanford had scored on that possession and won the game, Gerhart might be neck-and-neck with Alabama’s Mark Ingram right now.    Instead, Ingram is the clear front-runner.    But it is still possible for Gerhart to win because of the way things are set up this weekend.

One prerequisite is that Ingram must be shut out of “Did You See That?” plays against Auburn on Saturday.   An Alabama loss to Auburn would be even better.   Some Heisman voters may wait until after the Alabama-Florida SEC championship game to make their choice, so another non-descript game by Ingram against the Gators’ tough defense would help Gerhart further.  But with ballots due two days after the SEC title game, most of the ballots probably will already be cast.

The rest is up to Gerhart, and the best thing he has going for him is timing.   A voter’s final impression of a player is the one that matters most, and the Cardinal gets to play Notre Dame on Saturday evening on network television.     Most of the other big games will be played Thursday or Friday, leaving the stage to Gerhart, who will reap the benefits of the huge TV audience Notre Dame attracts, an audience that might increase with the Charlie Weis job-security intrigue.

The Irish defense is lousy against the run, and if Gerhart can bowl over some hapless Notre Dame defenders to produce at least two “Did You See That?” plays and help Stanford win handily, Gerhart will linger in the minds of voters.   Getting 200 yards or more will help Gerhart’s cause, too, but not as much as those “Did You See That?” plays.

In 2002, USC quarterback Carson Palmer was not the Heisman front-runner before he tore up Notre Dame’s defense in a November 30 game that was one of the few televised games that day.   Palmer threw two interceptions, which usually is enough to derail a Heisman run, but he had a bunch of “Did You See That?” plays, and the Trojans won 44-13.    Palmer ended up winning the Heisman in a landslide.

Notre Dame was a lot better in 2002 than it is now, so Palmer’s performance had greater national impact than Gerhart’s will.   But the point remains the same:  Look good on national TV against Notre Dame late in the season and voters remember.