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

The obvious No. 1 candidate on the list ahead of Week 8 has to be Michael Penix Jr. He got snubbed from an invite to New York last year, but I don’t think that’ll happen this time around.

Penix had one of the most impressive individual showings in Week 7, passing for 302 yards and four touchdowns in a huge win over rival Oregon. The Ducks were ranked No. 8 in the country and that didn’t seem to faze Penix. He looked like the best quarterback in the nation in the most pressure-packed game of Week 7.

Now, on the year, Penix has 2,301 yards and 20 touchdowns with just three interceptions and a completion rate of 72 percent. He also has a career-best 10.7 yards per attempt.

Penix was really good last year and probably should’ve finished top three in Heisman voting and he’s been even better this season. He will absolutely be in the race until the very end.

Barring some wild meltdown in the final five games of the year, Penix will be in New York.