Ahead of the crowning of the 2012 Heisman Trophy presentation tonight in New York City, The Pendulum Sports Desk, some old and some new, wanted to take a crack at who we thought would take home the trophy.

All three of us agree on this statement: There was not a clear Heisman Trophy winner this season like there was in past years. If you told us at the beginning of the season that these three players would be here, we would have probably laughed just a little bit. (Maybe a lot.)

Former Sports Editor (now Web Editor) Zachary Horner, new Sports Editor Andrew Wilson and new Assistant Sports Editor Matt Krause took a shot at who we thought was going to take home college football's most prestigious award tonight. This is what we came up with.

Johnny Manziel | Texas A&M University | Quarterback

68.3 Completion Percentage | 3,419 Passing Yards | 1,181 Rushing Yards | 24 Passing Touchdowns | 19 Rushing Touchdowns | 8 Interceptions

Andrew: Being an Alabama fan, I was crushed when Manziel and Texas A&M knocked off my top-ranked Crimson Tide on Nov. 10. Obviously, it worked out in the end thanks to fellow Heisman finalist Collin Klein and his Kansas State Wildcats being dismantled just a week later by Baylor and Oregon falling on the same day to Stanford in overtime. That Saturday in early November though was the day Johnny Manziel won the Heisman Trophy.

The first quarter touchdown pass in which Manziel actually lost control of the ball while scrambling around in the pocket, only to regain his composure to throw a strike across his body into the back on the end zone, there are no words. Each Heisman winner has his own Heisman moment during the season. That was his.

Forget the fact that he’s a redshirt freshman. Manziel is a first-year player under a first-year coach playing for a team that’s in its first year in the Mecca of football conferences in the Southeastern Conference. To perform like that throughout the season, it doesn’t get too much better than that.

Zachary: Manziel has gotten all the hype. “Johnny Football,” as he has been christened, threw for 3,419 passing yards and 24 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. He also ran for 1,181 yards and 19 scores. He gave No. 9 Texas A&M legitimacy in their first year in the SEC as the Aggies’ 10-2 record put them third in the SEC West behind No. 2 University of Alabama, who is playing Notre Dame in the national championship game, and No. 8 Louisiana State University. He’s got the Heisman profile: high-level play on the big stage, a big win (Alabama’s only defeat) and the catchy nickname.

Matt: As that creepy YouTube video goes, “Johnny Football, Johnny Football, Johnny Fooootballll.” Never in the history of college football have we seen a freshman make such a large impact on the sport. Think about it: Tim Tebow wasn’t even the starter in 2006 for Florida, Chris Leak was. Before the season, Texas A&M was left for dead in their first season in the almighty SEC. However, the redshirt freshman from Kerrville, Texas has put the team on his back and carried Texas A&M to a 10-2 record, a victory over Alabama and a Cotton Bowl berth.

However, what truly stands out about Manziel is one November afternoon in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It had been more than a calendar year since the Alabama Crimson Tide had lost a football game. Under normal circumstances, any freshman would have tried to hang with the Crimson Tide. Not Johnny Football. Manziel led Texas A&M out to a 20-0 lead only to lose it later on. Did Manziel cave under pressure? Absolutely not. He battled back and led Texas A&M to the 29-24 upset. For that game alone, Johnny Manziel deserves college football’s highest honor.

Collin Klein | Kansas State University | Quarterback

66.2 Completion Percentage | 2,490 Passing Yards | 890 Rushing Yards | 15 Passing Touchdowns | 22 Rushing Touchdowns | 7 Interceptions

Andrew: For the longest time, Klein was my pick to Heisman. That pick was solidified when K-State destroyed Geno Smith and West Virginia in Morgantown, W.V.

Klein ran for four touchdowns and threw for another three in the Wildcats 55-14 domination of West Virginia. In that game, Klein threw for 323 yards while only throwing two incomplete passes. He had a quarterback rating of 266.8.

The senior only three seven interceptions all season, but three of them came on that fateful day November when the pressure to win was on more than ever. Beat Baylor on the road, and the last hurdle would be Texas at home before going to the National Championship. Klein faltered in the spotlight. K-State did give up 52 points though, so it wasn’t all his fault, but that is the day, just a week after Manziel knocked off Alabama, that Klein lost control.

Zachary: Kansas State University senior quarterback Collin Klein had incredible season to be sure. He put the Wildcats in position to play in the BCS Championship Game, but a tough 52-24 loss to Baylor University Nov. 17 ended that hope. No. 5 Kansas State will play No. 4 Oregon University Jan. 3 in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl mostly thanks to Klein’s play. The quarterback threw for 2,490 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, a nice compliment to his 890 rushing yards and 22 running TDs. It pushed the Wildcats to the Big 12 championship.

Matt: Collin Klein emerged as the Heisman favorite after West Virginia University quarterback Geno Smith’s demise in mid-October. The Kansas State quarterback tossed for 2,490 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. The week after Manziel’s coming out party, Klein took a massive hit when the then undefeated Wildcats were destroyed by the Baylor Bears on the road. If Kansas State had run the table, Klein would have won this award. His high profile loss did him in, however.

Manti Te'o | University of Notre Dame | Linebacker

103 Tackles | 1.5 Sacks | 46 Solo Tackles | 7 Interceptions

Andrew: The argument for Te’o is that his team is playing in the National Championship. He finished tied with three other players for second place in interceptions his season with seven. Sure, he had an impact in one of the nation’s top defensive units. I’m not taking anything away from that, but something just seems like it’s missing. What that is, I'm not completely sure.

Zachary: Notre Dame senior linebacker Manti Te’o doesn’t exactly jump out statistics-wise. He had just 1.5 sacks, but did pick off seven passes, tied for second in all of FBS. What proponents of Te’o claim is the importance of intangibles and what the linebacker brought for a team that finished as one of the two undefeated teams, along with Ohio State University, in the nation. He overcame all the personal tragedy one could possibly bear and led his team to a spot in the BCS Championship Game.

The intangibles that Te’o has brought to a team to guide them to an undefeated record and win some close games along the way are hard to ignore. I’m always an intangibles-first guy, so I’m going to give it to Manti Te’o.

Matt: Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o also has had an incredible season. Notre Dame was another team projected to be out of contention this year, but Te’o has helped engineer defensive dominance that has given Notre Dame some key wins down the stretch. Te’o has racked up 101 tackles, despite only having 1.5 sacks, and he also has a stirring personal story. Te’o’s grandmother and girlfriend both passed away from cancer within a week of one another in September. However, the Heisman is not a sympathy card. Te’o falls a bit short.

Selections

Zachary: Te'o Andrew: Manziel Matt: Manziel