If it's a determining factor in the minds of many voters, some preseason Heisman candidates might be on the verge of already falling out of contention.

Only one player in the last 20 years has won the Heisman when his team lost more than two games before the voting ended. That came in 1998 when Ricky Williams, from an 8-3 Texas team, earned the award.

The last such winner before that was Tim Brown, whose 1987 Notre Dame team was also 8-3.

Several preseason Heisman candidates already have two losses among their credentials.

i Darren McFadden, who was the Heisman runner-up a year ago, ran for 173 yards Saturday, but his Arkansas team lost for the second week in a row, falling to Kentucky 42-29.

i Louisville's Brian Brohm passed for 543 yards, but the Cardinals were stunned by Syracuse 38-35 a week after falling to Kentucky.

i Michigan's Mike Hart ran for 153 yards in a 14-9 win against Penn State, but the Wolverines lost their first two games.

So the door could be opening for players whose teams are consistently winning.

i Quarterback John David Booty has directed top-ranked Southern California to a 3-0 start.

i Running back Steve Slaton and quarterback Pat White have teamed to help West Virginia go 4-0.

i Andre Woodson has quarterbacked Kentucky to four wins in four games and has thrown a major-college record 296 consecutive passes without an interception.

i P.J. Hill's running has aided Wisconsin's 4-0 start.

i Hawaii is 4-0, although passing whiz Colt Brennan didn't play in Saturday's win against Charleston Southern because of an ankle sprain.