B/R's 2023 Heisman Trophy Rankings: the Rise of Pac-12 QBs After Week 4
As the opening month of college football nears its final weekend, the Heisman Trophy race is focused on the West Coast.
What irony.
The future of the Pac-12 is a major unknown after the latest wave of conference realignment. Next season, 10 of those dozen programs are headed to a different league.
However, the current Heisman outlook is a prime example of how badly timed the Pac-12's upheaval has become.
As of Week 5, front-runners for the Heisman include quarterbacks Bo Nix (Oregon), Caleb Williams (USC) and Michael Penix Jr. (Washington). Washington State's Cameron Ward is a worthy early contender, too.
The tiers, as always, are subjective but factor in historical factors of individual production, team success and key moments.
Tier 4: In the Conversation
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Carson Beck, QB, Georgia: Last week, I mentioned Beck needed to quickly improve his total of four touchdowns to realistically stay in the chase. He promptly doubled that number with three passing scores and one more on the ground in a victory over UAB. Georgia heads to rival Auburn in Week 5.
Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Miami: TVD wrapped the nonconference slate with 220 passing yards and three touchdowns—along with a career-best 39 rushing yards—in a comfortable 41-7 win at Temple. Miami is idle this weekend but opens ACC play against Georgia Tech on Oct. 7.
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina: Maye put together a solid performance and guided the Tar Heels to a 41-24 triumph at Pitt. He threw for 296 yards and a score, adding two touchdowns on the ground. Maye is also idle in Week 5; UNC hosts Syracuse on Oct. 7 in a sneaky-important ACC matchup.
Kyle McCord, QB, Ohio State: Although he had a quiet evening in the crucial, thrilling win at Notre Dame, McCord didn't make any mistakes, either. He finished with 240 passing yards. Like both Van Dyke and Maye, McCord will be resting this weekend.
Rome Odunze, WR/PR, Washington: One of the newest entrants to the list, Odunze is certain to not win the Heisman. He won't surpass his quarterback in the rankings. So, why include him? We've watched a QB-WR duo earn Heisman finalist invites as recently as 2020. Odunze has 27 receptions for 544 yards—no less than 107 in each game—and five scores, as well as one punt return for a touchdown.
Tier 3: In the Hunt
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Blake Corum, RB, Michigan: Keep padding those stats. Michigan opened Big Ten action with a 31-7 win over Rutgers, and Corum turned in his third straight multi-touchdown game. He scampered for 97 yards and two scores as the Wolverines improved to 4-0. They travel to Nebraska in Week 5.
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oklahoma: While the Sooners put up a modest 20 points at Cincinnati, they still won by 14 points. Gabriel ended with 332 yards and a touchdown through the air, rushing for 23 yards and a second score. OU holds a 4-0 record and hosts Iowa State this weekend before the showdown with rival Texas on Oct. 7.
Drew Allar, QB, Penn State: The bad news? Allar averaged just 4.5 yards per throw against Iowa. The good news? He still tossed four touchdowns. That helps! Penn State heads to Northwestern with a shot to secure a third Big Ten win already this season.
Cameron Ward, QB, Washington State: Ward capped a brilliant month with 422 passing yards and five total touchdowns in a 38-35 win over then-No. 14 Oregon State. Wazzu hits its idle weekend with Ward at 1,498 total yards and 16 scores. He hasn't thrown an interception in 141 attempts, and the Cougs have two victories over ranked teams.
Tier 2: Top Chasers
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Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State: Playing through a shoulder injury, Travis still helped FSU pick up a vital overtime win at Clemson. He threw for 289 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for a third score. The idle weekend comes at an ideal moment for Travis to heal as much as possible before six straight ACC contests.
Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU: Daniels rejoins the second tier after a third straight week of 300-plus yards and four-plus touchdowns. He propelled the Tigers to an exciting 34-31 victory over Arkansas with 356 total yards and four passing scores. LSU travels to No. 20 Ole Miss in Week 5.
J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan: McCarthy bounced back from a shaky performance with a 15-of-21 line for 214 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions against Rutgers. He also scampered for a season-high 51 yards. Trips to Nebraska and Minnesota are up next.
Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame: When literal inches separate a win and a loss, it's important to not overstate a result. Hartman played reasonably well and completed 17 of 25 passes for 175 yards and a score, but Ohio State clipped ND with a last-second touchdown. Notre Dame heads to 17th-ranked Duke in Week 5.
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Tier 1: The Front-Runners
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Bo Nix, QB, Oregon: Nix has been a steady force in 2023, throwing for no less than 247 yards and two scores in four Oregon victories. Last weekend, he went 28-of-33 for 276 yards with four total touchdowns and one interception in the emphatic 42-6 win over Colorado. Oregon goes to Stanford in Week 5 prior to an idle Saturday.
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas: That's more like it. Following a so-so outing opposite Wyoming, Ewers hit 18 of 23 attempts for 293 yards and a touchdown at Baylor. He added a rushing score in a 38-6 triumph, sending the Longhorns to 4-0 with ranked foes Kansas and Oklahoma up next.
Caleb Williams, QB, USC: On one hand, the Trojans escaped an underwhelming game at Arizona State. Few expected ASU to hang around with USC into the fourth quarter. On the other, Williams still passed for 322 yards—at a season-worst 10.4 per throw—and totaled five touchdowns. He's amassed 1,271 yards and 18 scores this season. USC travels to Colorado in Week 5.
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington: Penix merely threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns with an interception as UW steamrolled Cal by 27 points. His pesky teammates need to stop giving the Huskies a 14-point lead before he even takes a snap to preserve his Heisman upside. Penix has passed for 1,636 yards and 16 touchdowns in four games. Washington heads to Arizona this weekend.
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