LOS ANGELES - Little-known fact: The model for the Heisman Trophy, which depicts an individual extending a stiff arm, was not a football player but rather a member of the press saying, “Please, no more promotional material.”

Indeed, if you’re a Heisman voter, this is the time of year for the hard sell. You thought the red states/blue states canvassing was overdone? Just consider the poor denizens of the fourth estate as they withstand an onslaught from various sports information directors as well as fellow pundits as the race heats up. Ballots are due December 8.

In reality, the press releases, the e-cards, the billboards, the support of various talking heads and the testimonials from coaches aren’t really as significant as a good-old prime-time show-stopper on a big stage with killer numbers.

This is the scenario Matt Leinart faces this week. The top-ranked USC Trojans are 10-0 and have two scheduled games left, Notre Dame this Saturday at the Coliseum and UCLA the following weekend at the Rose Bowl. But the game against the Irish each year transcends the rankings and the circumstances. This is, after all, the longest-running intersectional rivalry in the country, and it’s nationally televised. If a Heisman candidate can make it here — Carson Palmer sealed the deal with a strong showing against the Irish two years ago —  he can make it anywhere.

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Oklahoma’s Jason White and Adrian Peterson both are worthy candidates for the honor, as is USC’s Reggie Bush, Utah’s Alex Smith and Cal’s Aaron Rodgers. But this Saturday, as USC continues to make its case for participation in the BCS championship game, it will be Leinart’s time to pad his numbers and polish his Heisman profile.

A picture not only tells a thousand words, it also might be worth a couple hundred Heisman votes. Peterson tied an NCAA record Saturday with his 10^th 100-yard game; he finished with a whopping 240 yards. But if nobody sees it, did it really happen? And does it matter if it happens against Baylor? Peterson made a much stronger Heisman impression with his 225 yards against Texas back on October 9.

Notre Dame, by contrast, is still Notre Dame. No one will mistake Tyrone Willingham’s charges for those of Lou Holtz’s teams in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but they’re bowl-eligible, they have nice wins over ranked teams Michigan and Tennessee, and they take it up a notch against Southern California.

This USC-Notre Dame game comes late in the schedule, right around the time Heisman voters are about to close their minds and settle on a candidate. And in Pete Carroll’s tenure as head coach — he took over prior to the 2001 season — this is traditionally when the Trojans rev up and run over people.

In 2001, after a 1-4 start, the Trojans won five of their final six before losing in the Las Vegas Bowl to Utah, 6-0. The following season, USC finished with eight straight victories, including a 38-17 stomping of Iowa in the Orange Bowl. Last year, the Trojans went 12-1 and grabbed a share of the national title; they closed it out with nine straight.

In other words, USC plays its best football right around now.

Leinart is doing the same. He’s coming off a superb performance Nov. 13 against Arizona, in which he completed 27 of 35 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. That brought his season numbers up to these: 203-309, 2,348 yards, with 23 TDs.

His final stats may wind up slightly down from last season — 255-402, 3,556 yards, 38 touchdowns. But the most important numbers are improved: his completion percentage is 65.7 compared to 63.4 last year; and his interceptions are down from nine in 2003 to five so far this year (with two games left, of course).

His performance this year is all the more impressive when you consider that he did not have superstar receiver Mike Williams, who accounted for 95 receptions last season, or Keary Colbert, who had 69, and he hasn’t seen much of sophomore Steve Smith, who had 17 catches last year but has been out since October 9 with a broken leg; he is working with a young, inexperienced group of receivers; and he is playing behind a rebuilt offensive line with new faces at both tackles and center.

But again, progress has been made. The line has solidified after gaining valuable experience under pressure. Smith may be back on the field soon; an optimistic projection has him playing against the Irish, although it’s also possible he may be held out until a bowl game. Other Leinart targets have stepped up and asserted themselves, including burly tight end Dominique Byrd and freshman sensation (the next Mike Williams?) Dwayne Jarrett.

Then there’s Reggie Bush, an all-purpose assassin who has proved to be a game-breaker, whether on a punt return or at the end of a Leinart offering. He has rushed for 604 yards on 114 carries, has caught 34 passes for 336 yards and has even thrown a touchdown pass against Arizona State. He has developed his own Heisman cred.

But while Bush has scintillating talent, he has suffered a rash of fumbles lately. And in a campaign, he is not easy to define. His gifts are so diverse that, unless he completely takes over a game, he concedes the status of the team’s No. 1 star to Leinart.

There is little argument that a critical requirement in a Heisman push is the ability to help one’s team win football games, and to win titles. In securing the hardware last year, White put up sparkling numbers, but he received more credit for keeping his Sooners in the race for the national title. He certainly is doing the same this year.

But if the Heisman campaign happens to boil down to quarterback versus quarterback from the nation’s top two teams, the tiebreaker may go to Leinart, simply because White already has one. That, of course, will depend on how well Leinart stays on message and carves up Notre Dame in a made-for-television event on Saturday.

There’s nothing like nationwide exposure to take your case to the people.

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