Heisman Watch Week 5: Big Changes To The Top Five

A five-Saturday September has finally come and gone. And, week 5 brought some big changes to the top of the leaderboard.

A five-Saturday September has finally come and gone. And, week 5 brought some big changes to the top of the leaderboard.

It’s important to note that this is not a list of what my ballot would be right now. That would look significnatly different than this list. Rather, it’s a prediction of who I think are most likely to win the award come December.

5. Bo Nix, Quarterback, Oregon

Season Stats: 131/163, 80.4% 1459 yds, 15 td, 1 INT, 87 rush yds, 1 rush TD.

Two seasons ago, Bo Nix was getting benched for TJ Finley as Auburn’s quarterback. Now, he’s one of the premier players in all of college football, a legitimate first-round pick candidate, and a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy.

The fifth-year player has the Ducks absolutely rolling. They are second in the nation in scoring offense, and much of that has to with the play of Bo Nix. Nix is delivering the ball on time and accurately as well as any quarterback in the country, and his ability to extend plays with his legs adds another dynamic to that offense. He’s always been able to pick up yards on designed runs

Plus, I think Oregon is the class of the PAC 12. And, it’s a PAC 12 that is good enough to have a ton of marquee games where college football’s attention will be on the Ducks. If Bo Nix continues playing at this level, and the Ducks win the PAC 12, there’s no doubt he will be in New York as a Heisman finalist.

4. Sam Hartman, Quarterback, Notre Dame

Season Stats: 96/145 66.2% 1,458 yds, 14 TD 0 INT

Late in the 4th quarter against Duke on Saturday, it seemed as if the flame had gone out on the Sam Hartman Heisman candidacy. But, Hartman came through with his Heisman moment so far, and he is still very much in the thick of things.

Facing a 4th and 16 at the Duke 47 down 14-13 with the game on the line, Hartman scrambled for 17 yards to keep Duke’s chances alive as they won 21-14. It was a cathartic win for Notre Dame, who lost on a last-second touchdown to Ohio State last week.

Hartman will have chances against Clemson and especially USC to boost his Heisman stock. If he outplays Caleb Williams, he could be the favorite to win the award. A quarterback bringing Notre Dame back to glory with a great offense is always going to be an attractive option for Heisman voters.

3. Michael Penix Jr., Quarterback, Washington

Season Stats: 133/178 74.7%, 1999 yds, 16 TD, 2 INT

If the award was handed out today, this guy would have my vote. The former Indiana Hoosier has been sensational in leading the nation’s most fun offense to watch. The 5-0 Huskies are truly the greatest show on turf right now.

And, a lot of that has to do with the lefty arm of Penix Jr. He’s got the deepest receiving corps in the country, even including Ohio State. And, he’s getting the ball to them accurately, on time, and down the field. That’s evidenced by an incredible. 11.2 yards per attempt so far this season.

His stock as a potential NFL quarterback seems to be improving as well. He’s finding himself at the top of mock drafts frequently

Penix didn’t throw a touchdown pass against Arizona on Saturday in a 31-24 win. But, he was still 30-40 for 363 yards and no interceptions. The lack of touchdowns was simply an anomaly.

The only reason he’s not higher is that it’s hard for me to see a quarterback from Washington beating out the next two quarterbacks that both play for much better schools.

2. Quinn Ewers, Quarterback, Texas

Season Stats: 97/147, 66.0%, 1,358 yds 10 TD 1 INT

Last week, Quinn Ewers was on top of these rankings, and he didn’t do much, if anything, to lose that top spot. He excelled in a win over a frisky Kansas team, going 25/35 for 325 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.

Quinn Ewers isn’t going to put up as big as numbers as the other quarterbacks on this list. But, that great performance against Alabama means a lot, and he’s got another chance to make a statement this weekend in the Red River Shootout when they play Oklahoma.

If Ewers shreds Oklahoma like he did last year in Texas’s 49-0 win, the buzz will only grow as “Texas is back” will be the dominant narrative in college football.

He’s got the talent to do so, as well. Ewers can do everything you’d want a quarterback to do. He’s just got to put it all together. I think he can do that the rest of the season.

1. Caleb Williams, USC Quarterback

Last week, Williams was not on top. That was because I thought that USC could lose two or three games, which would probably knock him out of the Heisman race.

I still think USC could lose two or three games. I just think it might not matter. Caleb Williams is the best player in college football, and it isn’t even close. I can’t remember a college quarterback ever making the types of throws he has, and he turns power 5 football games into backyard football games with ease. Think Johnny Manziel, but with arm talent that is top-five in the world.

In my opinion, there’s no argument that he’s the most fun player to watch in the country, and that can often mean a lot in Heisman races.

America got their first high-profile Caleb Williams game of the season against Colorado, and all he did was throw six touchdowns. He’s going to need to keep having big performances, as the USC defense is a complete joke. But, he’s certainly good enough to do it, and I think he’s likely to become the second repeat winner of the Heisman Trophy, joining Ohio State’s Archie Griffin.