DALLAS — No team will win a national championship, Big 12 championship or any other championship at the Cotton Bowl today. In the end, all No. 1 Oklahoma or No. 5 Texas can do is put itself in a better position to win future championships.

It’s been proven that, with a little help, even a loss doesn’t necessarily prevent those things from happening.

But the Heisman Trophy could very well be at stake this afternoon. OU quarterback Sam Bradford and Texas quarterback Colt McCoy are both full-fledged candidates as the regular season reaches its midway point.

Both have tried to downplay the significance.

“A few years ago, I probably would have laughed,” Bradford said when asked if he ever thought he’d be a Heisman Trophy candidate. “It’s really something I’m not concerned with. My main goal is to win games.”

When it comes to winning the Heisman Trophy, the only thing players from either OU or Texas should be concerned about is winning this game. Much like Pennsylvania or Ohio can be required to win a presidential election, winning the Red River Rivalry can be a ticket toward winning the Heisman Trophy.

Six Heisman Trophy winners have walked down “The Ramp” at the Cotton Bowl: Billy Vessels, Steve Owens, Billy Sims and Jason White for the Sooners; Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams for the Longhorns.

Only one — Owens in 1969 — was able to claim the prize without a victory in Dallas.

The reason for that is simple: OU-Texas is a national game. Every section of the country sees it. The national exposure has been a staple of the series since college football started hitting the airwaves.

Today will be no different. The game will be nationally televised by ABC (KOCO-5, Cox 8).

Heisman electors seek candidates who thrive in an electric environment. There isn’t a setting with more voltage going through it than the Cotton Bowl. There could be 92,000 fans screaming as every play unfolds.

Bradford and McCoy have both thrived in the venue before. McCoy, a junior, led the Longhorns to a 28-10 victory over the Sooners in 2006. Bradford, a sophomore, returned the favor, playing near flawless football in OU’s 28-21 victory last season.

Both have put up almost nearly identical numbers through the first five games. Both are completing over 70 percent of their passes. Bradford has a slight edge in touchdown passes. McCoy has a better completion percentage. Both have accounted for 20 touchdowns.

“We are both doing a good job of leading our team,” McCoy said. “He does a great job. He is doing what his coach asks him to do. He is scoring a lot of points. He is taking care of the football, which is exactly what our coaches ask of me. So I guess in that way we’re pretty similar.”

But only one will be mobbed by cheering fans this afternoon. And only one will jump into the driver’s seat of the Heisman Trophy race.