Folks, we are officially in Week 7 of the college football. That’s actually crazy to say, especially since it feels like the season just started yesterday. And that also means that the Heisman Trophy race is in full swing and favorites are beginning to separate themselves.
We saw some legit Heisman performances in Week 6 with guys like Dillon Gabriel making a statement and Jayden Daniels engineering a comeback against Missouri.
But was it enough to get these guys into the top five of the post-Week 6 power rankings?
Just missed the cut: Shedeur Sanders, Bo Nix, Cam Ward, JJ McCarthy
A tight end in the Heisman Trophy race? I know it sounds insane, but Brock Bowers has been arguably the best pass-catcher in the nation this season. Marvin Harrison Jr. has been right up there, but Bowers has had the biggest impact in the passing game of any pass-catcher in the nation.
Basically, he’s been Carson Beck’s best friend.
Through six games, Bowers has 37 catches for 545 yards and five touchdowns. He’s going to need to ramp up production even more if he’s going to remain in the race, but he might be the first tight end in recent memory who has a legitimate shot at being considered for an invite to New York.
Bowers has three straight 100-yard games and he’s a big reason why Georgia beat Auburn a couple of weeks ago and why the Bulldogs are 6-0. He had seven more catches for 132 yards and a touchdown in a blowout win over Kentucky in Week 6.
Dillon Gabriel may very well be the most overlooked quarterback in the country. It seems like Oklahoma grows Heisman Trophy contenders on trees and the UCF transfer is just the latest in a long line of talented passers to contend for the award in Norman.
Through six games, Gabriel has 1,878 yards (6th in the country) and 16 touchdowns (3rd nationally). And he’s also used his legs to the tune of 208 yards and five more scores. So through six games, he’s accounted for over 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. He’s on pace for over 4,000 total yards and 40-plus touchdowns.
That’s absolutely Heisman-worthy.
And he had a major Heisman moment in Week 6, throwing a game-winning touchdown in the Red River Rivalry with under 20 seconds left. He was the star of the rivalry game.
Not only is he putting up big numbers, but he’s led Oklahoma to a 6-0 record to start the year after a disappointing 2022 season. This turnaround has a lot to do with Gabriel’s improvement.
Another new addition to my list, Jayden Daniels may only be held out of an invite to New York because of LSU’s slight struggles as a team this season. If the Tigers finish 8-4 or 7-5, I can’t see Daniels getting serious Heisman consideration, but as long as he keeps playing the way he currently is, I don’t see LSU falling that hard. He simply won’t allow it.
After losing at Ole Miss two weeks ago by just six despite throwing for over 400 yards and four touchdowns with no picks, Daniels shook it off, went into Missouri, and stole a win.
In the ranked road win over a conference foe, Daniels was near-perfect. He completed 15-of-21 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. He engineered a comeback in the Week 6 win thanks to his near-400 total yardage performance. Daniels added 130 yards and another score on the ground.
Daniels’ 1,969 passing yards puts him third in the nation and his 19 touchdowns rank him No. 2 in college football. He also has 422 rushing yards and four scores.
If LSU can finish 9-3 or 10-2, I can see Daniels getting serious Heisman love.
Halfway through his 37th year of college football, Michael Penix Jr. is playing the best he has in his entire career. All jokes aside, Penix looks like the best pure passer in the country and he continues to raise his draft stock each week.
Washington did have a bye in Week 6, so that’s why he’s at No. 2 and not in the top spot.
Many would argue that Penix has been the best player in college football through the first half of the season and I’d have a tough time arguing, but I just want to see him perform like this against some of the best teams in the country.
Well, luckily for us, we’re going to see Penix in action against the No. 8 team in college football in Week 7 as Oregon comes to town for a rivalry game. If Penix can toss for over 300 yards and a couple of touchdowns without any horrible turnovers and he records a win over the Ducks, I may have to move him up to No. 1 in my Heisman rankings next week.
For now, though, the current 1,999-yard, 16-touchdown passer will be No. 2.
Caleb Williams has to be No. 1 on this list not only because he’s the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, but also because he’s playing at an even more elite level this season.
Don’t believe me? He has 1,822 yards and a college football-best 22 passing touchdowns with just one interception. Williams is on pace to have about 4,000 passing yards, 45 touchdowns, and two picks. That would just be insane. He won the Heisman last year with similar numbers, but his completion rate is actually six percent higher this year and he’s averaging almost two full yards more per attempt.
The Trojans have been having a few close calls this season against inferior foes thanks to that USC defense that can’t seem to slow anyone down. But Williams continues to put the team on his back.
Just last week against Arizona, the Wildcats took the Trojans to overtime, but Williams willed USC to a win even though he didn’t have his best game. He finished with 219 passing yards and a touchdown, but he added three more scores on the ground and was clutch down the stretch.
Even during his “bad” games, Williams is elite.