QB showdown highlight of GMAC Bowl

? Bob Pruett is certain college football’s premier quarterbacks were missing at the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

His picks are Marshall’s Byron Leftwich and Louisville’s Dave Ragone. The two will share a different stage tonight when the Thundering Herd (10-2) and Cardinals (7-5) meet in the GMAC Bowl.

“These are the best two quarterbacks in the country,” said Pruett, who as Marshall coach is not the most unbiased judge in this regard.

Leftwich and Ragone could be the top two quarterbacks in the draft, and their college finale will provide yet another audition for NFL teams.

“Me and him both know it’s not about Ragone and Leftwich,” said Leftwich, who finished sixth in the Heisman voting. “Our teams expect us to play well, but we’re not in this thing by ourselves.”

Ragone also scoffs at the thought of a one-on-one tryout.

“Just because he makes a throw, that doesn’t mean I have to make a better throw,” he said. “That’s not how I think.

“I’m sure people are going to try to match us and the numbers. To me, if I’m 0-for-18 but with the ‘W,’ I’ve got the upper hand walking out of there.”

Ragone can’t match Leftwich’s dazzling stats, and his Heisman hopes fizzled far more quickly with a 14-of-39 performance in a season-opening loss to Kentucky.

Both were finalists for the Unitas Award, given to the nation’s top quarterback. Both have led their teams to three straight bowl games after replacing quarterbacks who moved on to the NFL ” Marshall’s Chad Pennington and Louisville’s Chris Redman.

Leftwich, a two-time MAC Player of the Year, passed for 4,019 yards as a senior despite missing a game. He passed for 576 yards and four touchdowns in last year’s GMAC Bowl, rallying the Thundering Herd to a 64-61 victory over East Carolina in two overtimes.