Heisman Watch: 5 Reasons Trent Richardson Should Win over Andrew Luck

Rivalry weekend is often a stage for Heisman Trophy candidates to prove their worth and help separate themselves in the race for the sport's most prestigious award.

USC's Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart all but sealed their awards with wins over Notre Dame, and Ohio State's Troy Smith locked up the 2006 trophy with a strong performance against Michigan.

On Saturday, Alabama's Trent Richardson was at his best in the biggest rivalry game of them all, rushing for 203 yards in the Crimson Tide's 42-14 rout of Auburn.

While Stanford's Andrew Luck had a productive evening in a win over Notre Dame, Richardson should hoist the Heisman in New York City on December 10th.

Here are five reasons why the award will return to the state of Alabama for the third straight year.

Richardson has been in the national spotlight many times this season and has been at his best on each occasion.

Luck was tremendous in a triple-overtime classic at USC, but he was not great in key November games against Oregon, California and Notre Dame.

In an early-season showdown with Arkansas, Richardson ran for 126 yards in a 38-14 win. A month later against the Bayou Bengals, he produced 169 total yards—almost 60 percent of the Tide's offensive output.

In the Iron Bowl with Auburn, he was at his finest, topping 200 yards for the first time all season.

Richardson plays against SEC defenses. Luck plays against Pac-12 defenses. That in itself should help tip the scales in favor of Richardson.

The Alabama junior also faced the best defense in the Big Ten during the Tide's September win at Penn State. The Pac-12 continues to be a league driven by its offenses. The week-to-week grind Richardson faces in the SEC only magnifies his already eye-popping numbers.

Only once in the past eight years has the Heisman Trophy winner not played for the national title. That came in 2007, when Tim Tebow won the award despite Florida finishing 9-3.

Although both teams finished 11-1, Stanford is likely out of the mix for the BCS Championship Game, while Alabama appears to have wrapped up one of the two spots.

With Heisman ballots due the day after the final BCS Standings, having Alabama in the national title game could help flip some votes to Richardson.

While no player on the Stanford offense receives anywhere close to the hype that Luck does, Stanford's success this season came as much due to its ground game as its aerial attack. The Cardinal have the second-best rushing offense in the Pac-12.

Alabama's passing offense has been inconsistent, with A.J. McCarron only averaging 201 yards per game. Richardson has been asked to carry the load all season, especially in the second half, with Alabama in control of 11 of their 12 games.

Every Heisman winner seems to have one play that defines their big-play ability. Reggie Bush had the side-to-side gallop against Fresno State, Troy Smith scrambled against Penn State, Cam Newton had the long TD run against LSU and Richardson has his video game-like juke against Ole Miss.

When we reflect on Luck's season, we think most of his performance at USC, but there is not one play that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Richardson has one, and it's hard to forget the image of him toying with the Rebels' defense last month in Oxford.