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Sophomore wide receiver Marqise Lee began the 2012 college football season with high hopes of contending for the Heisman Trophy. Given USC's recent struggles, however, he is falling out of running despite putting up terrific numbers.
In 11 games played, Lee has 107 catches for 1,605 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is chewing up yardage at an incredible rate of 15.0 yards per reception. He's added 11 rushes for 107 yards -- a 9.7 yards per carry average. Those numbers alone would warrant consideration for college football's greatest honor, but the Trojans have underperformed on a large scale. They most recently lost their rivalry game against UCLA on Saturday, 38-28, and have lost three of their last four contests.
After being ranked No. 1 in the preseason, the Trojans have fallen fast, going 7-4 overall with a 5-4 record in the Pac-12. The loss against the Bruins sealed the team's fate in the Pac-12 South and Lee's status as a Heisman hopeful in the process.