The 2023 Heisman winner should be a QB from the Pac-12. Whether that is the signal caller from Washington or Oregon, really is up for debate, but one of the two should be walking away with the nation’s highest individual accolade.
Both Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. have been lighting it up in recent weeks, especially Nix, who has been the clear favorite if just the last three weeks are taken into account.
With how tightly the race looks, performances at the end of the season likely will have a greater impact than what a player was able to do against out-of-conference foes early on. No player has had the coveted “Heisman moment,” but it is crunch time in the season, so any game can be that moment.
Oregon QB – Bo Nix
Nix balled out this past week. In a rout over Cal, he went 29-of-38 for 386 yards and four TDs. Despite throwing his second interception of the season, he looked on point all game. With an additional two rushing TDs in the win, his six total TDs rocket him up the Heisman ladder.
Pro Football Focus graded Nix as the best QB in the country for the week, as his 93.1 grade was nearly two full points higher than the second-best performance.
Up to 2,723 yards, 25 passing TDs, five rushing TDs to just two interceptions, his 12.5 TD-INT ratio is one of the best in the country. While his yardage is not the best in the world, he feasibly could reach at least 3,500 yards, more than enough to be a finalist and favorite to win.
With bad defenses on the schedule in USC and Arizona State, multiple four-plus TD performances are in the cards for Nix if he can play like he did against Cal. More of that will surely lock up the Heisman, but he may also need to get his revenge in the Pac-12 Championship.
Washington QB – Michael Penix Jr.
UW utilized the run far more than they have all season in their win over USC, but Penix still got his dues. With 256 yards and two TDs, the gap between his statistical output and other QBs narrowed, but he still leads by a little.
His downfall has been his inability to limit turnovers, with another interception against the Trojans marking his seventh of the season. With just 26 TDs, seven interceptions is no the best look, especially competing against guys like Nix and J.J. McCarthy.
In 2023, Penix has thrown for 3,201 yards and has completed 69.4% of his passes. His 84.4 ESPN QB rating is the fourth-highest in the country and he has led the Huskies to an undefeated record, so there still is a lot going in his favor, but if he gets to double-digit interceptions, his candidacy will be in hot water.
LSU QB – Jayden Daniels
At a 93.1 QBR, Daniels is the highest-graded QB in the country through 10 weeks. While individually successful, the wins have not come as often as needed for his team. With three losses on the year, LSU is out of playoff contention and that could come back to haunt Daniels in the Heisman race.
Posting 2,792 yards, 27 TDs and six rushing TDs to four interceptions, all while in the SEC, he is a very talented passer who should, at the very least, receive some consideration for the trophy.
The Tigers still have two SEC opponents on the schedule but also have the single easiest game on their schedule of any Heisman candidate, a bout with Georiga Southern in week 12. That game serves as a golden opportunity to put up huge numbers, but it may quickly turn into a blowout where he does not see the field in the second half. Only time will tell.
Oklahoma State RB – Ollie Gordan II
Running the ball won the Bedlam for Oklahoma State, as Gordan carried the ball 33 times for 137 yards and two TDs. He proved he can be a workhorse that wills a team to victory, and has dominated as of late.
His biggest weakness is the fact that he only had 19 carries in the first three games of the season. After an 18-carry performance against Iowa State in week four, he has never carried the ball less than 21 times in a game.
Averaging a dominant 7.0 yards per carry, he has put up 1,224 yards and 12 TDs. In Mark Ingram’s 2009 Heisman campaign, he had 1,658 yards and 17 TDs on 6.1 yards per carry, marks that Gordan would easily have reached with three extra games of 20+ carries.
He still can reach those numbers, the question is if those numbers would be good enough in today’s college football landscape.
Ohio State WR – Marvin Harrison Jr.
Winning the Heisman as a WR is already difficult enough, but one bad performance can kill all changes. In Ohio State’s win over Rutgers, the wideout had just four receptions for 25 yards. A performance like that all but killed his chances of winning the Award, but his season has still been great.
With 52 total receptions for 914 yards and 10 TDs, he has been one of the best receivers in the country. Ohio State is still undefeated and they have a good chance of beating Michigan, or at least keeping it close.
