Heisman Trophy watch 2022: Top 5 candidates heading into Week 9
T1 Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker has been the best and most impactful player in college football through eight weeks and I don’t think it’s that debatable.
Few expected Tennessee to contend for an SEC championship or a playoff berth in 2022 but the Vols are ranked in the top 5 and looking like a team that could have a shot at the playoff even if it’s unable to win the SEC.
Tennessee has four wins over ranked teams and will get another chance this week against 19th-ranked Kentucky.
Mark Stoops is a great defensive mind and it will be interesting to see if he can slow down Hooker who is second in college football in QBR and he has been at his best when it has been needed.
He threw five touchdowns against Alabama and accounted for 461 total yards against Florida. This game against Kentucky and the game against Georgia are going to define the race.
Next. Ranking College Football's top 25 fanbases. dark
If Hooker gets the Vols to the SEC title game, you’d have to feel good about his chances and if the Vols beat Alabama and went undefeated, he would be a shoo-in. However, that’s going to be much harder to actually do which is why the smart money is still on Stroud.