Heisman Trophy watch list: Top 5 candidates ahead of Week 8

Replacing Brock Bowers in the Heisman Trophy watch this week is Bo Nix. If not for Bowers’ injury in Week 7 which will keep him out until late November, at least, he would probably still be in here.

It’s tough to find a more improved player in all of college football. He had a rough first couple of seasons at Auburn, seeming to hit his ceiling before the 2022 season and then he had a career resurgence with the Ducks. He finished his first season with the program with 3,593 yards and 29 touchdowns while completing 72 percent of his passes.

Nix has been even better this year.

Despite losing his first game of the season at Washington in Week 7, Nix made a statement in the Heisman race, putting the Ducks in position to beat the Huskies on the road. Unfortunately, going for it on fourth down at midfield and not converting was the difference.

Nix still finished with 337 yards and two touchdowns in a hostile road environment, playing one of his best games of the year against the No. 7 team in the nation.

On the season, Nix has 1,796 yards and 17 touchdowns with only one pick and an astounding 79 percent completion rate.