2022 Heisman Trophy Watch: Top 5 candidates heading into Week 10

2. C.J. Stroud

This has more to do with the tenor of the 2022 Heisman Trophy race than anything Stroud has done or hasn’t done.

We had Stroud and Hooker tied for the top spot last week and despite a 351-yard effort which also included a touchdown pass against Penn State, Hooker feels like the favorite in this race.

At least right now.

But that could change this week. If Hooker and the Vols go to Georgia and lose, he will no longer be the top contender. That will be Stroud and the race will have a new feel to it.

That will be especially true if Hooker doesn’t have a great game. If he does and Tennessee drops the game, it will still hurt, just look at Bryce Young.

Throw for 455 yards in a win and it’s great. Do it in a loss and you could fall out of Heisman contention as some believe has already happened to Young.

Stroud is No. 1 in the nation in QBR and leads college football in touchdown passes. But Hooker is No. 2 in QBR and his rushing stats add to the equation too.

The bottom line is that if Hooker and Tennessee keep winning, he’ll win the Heisman, no matter what Stroud does.