And Te'o's heart-wrenching tale of determination on the face of two tragedies -- the death of his grandmother and his girlfriend -- had all the elements.

CNN: Te'os doubters wonder if Heisman Trophy a factor in hoax

And Te'o's heart-wrenching tale of determination in the face of two tragedies -- the death of his grandmother and his girlfriend within hours -- had all the elements.

CNN: Fans question what is behind Te'o girlfriend hoax