This season is especially competitive because of the NFL lockout. Despite other teams’ interest, including the Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos, the Panthers are said to be the front runner because of first overall draft pick Newton. Already proclaiming himself as an entertainer and icon, Newton is no stranger to controversy, after reports surfaced that Newton accepted money to play college football at Auburn.

What

To get the lowdown on the list of the nominees click here!

Who: Cam Newton, Auburn- Newton led Auburn University to a record of 13-0 and an SEC Championship. Auburn is headed to Glendale, Arizona to play in the BCS national title game. The quarterback can be credited for much of the Tiger’s success; he completed 165 of 246 passes for 2,589 yards and 28 touchdowns. But Newton is also known for his ability to run the ball, he rushed 242 times for 1,409 yards and another 20 touchdowns. Newton had 49 touchdowns for the season… it also helps that he is 6’6″. Based on performance alone, there is no reason why Cam Newton should not win the Heisman Trophy, but after an NCAA investigation on whether he took money or not to play at Auburn, he may also be the most controversial nominee as well!

LaMichael James, Oregon- James is the only non-quarterback nominee, but don’t count him out! James had nine 100-yard games this season and carried at least 25 times in eight of Oregon’s 12 games. The sophomore is also a smart cookie, he was named to the Pac-10′s all-academic team. The Heisman will not be the only time James will faceoff against Newton, the Ducks will also be going to Glendale, Arizona for a chance at the BCS national title. One thing going against James is his age. Though only three sophomores have ever won the Heisman, they have all been in the past three consecutive years… let’s see if James can make it four!

Andrew Luck, Stanford- Stanford only has one Heisman Trophy winner, but Luck hopes to become the second. Luck broke the school single-season record for 28 touchdowns, with only seven interceptions. Like Newton, Luck is also a good running quarterback, he is the team’s second-leading rusher and scored three rushing touchdowns. Not only can the guy run and throw but Luck is also tough. Watch him knock out USC Shareece Wright. This is the first time in school history Stanford will be going to the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3 against Virgina Tech. Luck helped lead Stanford to a record of 11-1, the school’s best season since the 40s. The team’s one loss came against other Heisman nominee LaMichael James and Oregon.

Kellen Moore, Boise State- Moore was responsible for Boise State being the NCAA darling that was challenging the BCS Bowl system. Boise State was undefeated for three seasons before they lost to Nevada over Thanksgiving weekend. Critics have long discounted Boise State because they are not in a major football conference and play a weaker schedule, but that didn’t stop Moore. The junior quarterback scored 33 touchdowns, had only five interceptions and was 71 percent of his passes for 3,506 yards.

Why it matters: The Heisman Trophy is the most coveted award in all of college sports. Newton is the overall favorite to win the award, but because there are strong accusations him and his father tried to solicit money from Mississippi State, it may hurt the Auburn quarterback’s chances. It was just this summer, the Heisman Trophy was taken away from Reggie Bush for similar accusations. This was the first time in the trophy’s history, the Heisman was forfeited by the winner.

Retired Mississippi State quarterback John Bond was reportedly approached by Newton’s people to give Newton cash for him to sign at Bond’s Alma mauter. Bond reported the incident to the Mississippi University Athletic Director.

Newton was reportedly represented by Kenny Rogers, who is a former Mississippi State player himself, who now runs college football camps throughout the country. Rogers reevealed that Newton’s father, Cecil Newton expected to get anywhere between $100,000- $180,000 for his son to sign with a particular school. Cecil Newton is a pastor at the Holy Zion Center of Deliverance church in Georgia… making the song “Song of a Preacher Man” all the more comical.

Alabama has said that they have fired the part-time DJ because he violated school policy. Alabama public relations director Debbie Lane said:

“Our processes require that all music and videos played in the stadium prior to and during every game be carefully scripted and approved by a senior administrator in the Athletics Department. The former staff member deviated from the script that had been approved for the game with Auburn, and the University took steps to immediately terminate his contract.”

Maybe the DJ should have gone with something more subtle like Donna Summer’s “Work Hard for the Money.”

Image via Mississippi Sports Talk