After enduring two hours of sweaty full-frontal male nudity, I thought Full Moon on the Quad of my freshman year would be the most violating experience of my Stanford career. That was, until Toby Gerhart finished second in last year’s Heisman Trophy voting.

Despite trumping winner Mark Ingram (the second best running back on his own team) in every relevant statistical category (except for wins), Gerhart was wrongly deprived of college football’s most prestigious honor by an undoubtedly SEC-biased group of Heisman voters. The trophy would have done absolute wonders for Stanford’s football program, and we were straight robbed.

I could sit and bitch about this travesty all day–trust me, it’s been done–but my hatred for Ingram, the Heisman voters, the SEC and everything else that is wrong with college football and its hilariously arbitrary way of evaluating players and teams has been temporarily put on hold for one reason.

Andrew Luck is the truth.

It is hard to believe that the Card’s offense could possibly be more potent after losing Gerhart’s 2,028 yards of total offense and 28 touchdowns, but that’s just what it is. And Luck, the redshirt sophomore quarterback, is solely responsible for the continued domination.

Through three games, Luck has amassed 674 yards through the air and 140 on the ground. He’s thrown for 10 touchdowns without notching a single interception and ranks third in the nation in passing efficiency. Oh, and he’s managed to get No. 16 Stanford off to its first 3-0 start since 2001 and is looking to take the Cardinal to 4-0 for the first time in 24 years.

After vastly overrated Washington quarterback Jake Locker’s inevitably abysmal performance a week ago, Luck has, in the minds of most Pac-10 football fans, established himself as the conference’s best signal caller (the only other option being Arizona’s Nick Foles). In fact, he’s now regarded so highly that he has taken the throne atop Mel Kiper, Jr.’s Big Board, signifying him as the top NFL prospect. As a result, he has vaulted himself into Heisman contention.

Normally, I try to refrain from jinxing an athlete that happens to reside on one of my favorite teams. After all, I may or may not have guaranteed a Heisman for Toby, just as I may or may not have guaranteed that Dwight Howard would shoot 65 percent from the free throw line last season. Let’s just say that Gerhart was closer to fulfilling his prediction.

So, instead of sending Luck down the same path, I’ll just say that he should win the award. According to ESPN, Luck currently ranks fifth in the Heisman projections behind four quarterbacks: Ryan Mallett of No. 10 Arkansas, Taylor Martinez of No. 6 Nebraska, Terrelle Pryor of No. 2 Ohio State and Denard Robinson of No. 21 Michigan. Although it’s impossible to deny any of these players their gaudy numbers, none is a better quarterback than Luck, and none is more valuable to his respective team.

It’s definitely concerning to see the hype train for Pryor and Robinson gaining steam, but it’s especially bothersome that Ryan Mallett, the only other true pocket passer in the group, is receiving more attention. Arkansas’ ranking is generous, considering its first two wins came over Tennessee Tech and Louisiana-Monroe. Its third win, via a last-second Mallett touchdown toss, came over 1-2 Georgia, a team whose starting quarterback is a true freshman and whose best player has yet to play a down.

Luck is, in my humblest of opinions, a better true passer. Combine that with his ability to make plays when outside the pocket (see his 52-yard touchdown run against Wake Forest as an example), and it’s almost silly to place him behind any player in the country, let alone any quarterback. Still, Mallett is in the SEC and will continue to be ahead of Luck for as long as the Razorbacks succeed.

Nonetheless, I’m going to continue to be cautiously optimistic. After all, Stanford is back on the college football map with at least six nationally televised games this season. Gerhart paved the way for individual notoriety on the Farm, and Luck’s ascension to the quarterbacking elite could not have come at a better time. Couple in potential big wins at Notre Dame and Oregon, and the Card could be represented in New York for the second straight year.

It’s never too early to get on the Stanford football bandwagon. We already know that the team is poised to make a legitimate run at a conference title. And as current students, we are fortunate to be witnesses to one of the best teams–and one of the best quarterbacks–in school history. A Rose Bowl berth is one thing. But a trip to Pasadena and a Heisman Trophy?

We might just get Lucky.

Zach Zimmerman is the first person to make a pun with Andrew Luck’s last name. Give him his props at zachz “at” stanford.edu.