Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into Week 10

Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into Week 7

The 2023 Heisman race is in full swing with four regular season games remaining in college football. Each team is in the heat of their conference schedule, and it is make or break time for each player's Heisman campaign.

The top candidates on this list has a massive showdown this week, going head-to-head with the 2022 Heisman winner in the Pac-12 on Saturday night. The victor will have a major boost to their Heisman odds, and the loser will likely take a hit in the rankings.

Make sure you're following along with the latest Heisman odds to make some futures bets to go along with your weekly college football picks.

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Heisman Watch: Top 5 Heisman Odds

1. Michael Penix - Washington QB (+280) (Bet $100 to collect $380)

The Washington Huskies are still sitting with an undefeated record through eight games, but have been teetering on the edge of an upset for several weeks now. Michael Penix has led the way for the Huskies, and has led the nation as a whole. He has the most passing yards at 2,945, with the closest pursuant over 300 yards behind him. Penix has a showdown against 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams and USC this week, and he will have to ball out to stay on top of this list.

Any loss for the Huskies will likely plummet his odds, and they are slim 3-point favorites on the road this week. Penix threw three picks in the last two games, against far inferior opponents. He also didn't account for a passing touchdown against Arizona State, the worst team in the Pac-12. If there was ever a time to turn it back on, this would be the most opportune for Penix as he gets ready to battle the Trojans. Keep an eye on the Huskies this weekend, or there will be a new leader at the top of this list.

2. J.J. McCarthy - Michigan QB (+400) (Bet $100 to collect $500)

The Michigan Wolverines season has been shrouded in controversy, before the Wolverines even stepped on the field in September. The noise has only grown louder and more enveloping with each passing week, until reaching a full blown roar in the last few days. The Michigan football program and coach Jim Harbaugh are now smack in the middle of one of the largest sign-stealing scandals in all of sports, and it is causing a massive distraction for the team.

How will star QB J.J. McCarthy and the Wolverines respond? If he wants to stay near the top of the Heisman contention, he will have to ball out against Purdue and let the nation know that the team is unfazed by the news and lights. McCarthy doesn't have the most impressive stats, but he plays mistake-free football and leads his team to blowout victories, which is all that matters at the end of the day. He also has the second-best passer rating in the nation, one behind Jayden Daniels, who is next on the list. Keep an eye on McCarthy and Michigan as they have two major tests coming up against Penn State and Ohio State that will make or break his campaign.

3. Jayden Daniels - LSU QB (+500) (Bet $100 to collect $600)

Jayden Daniels has carried LSU Tigers through the hardest schedule in the country, and has brought them out nearly unscathed with an impressive 6-2 record. They lost a nail-biter to Ole Miss, and were outplayed in the second half against FSU in Game 1, but those were the only blemishes. He has brought the Tigers back from behind in several SEC clashes, but will have his work cut out for him in his toughest test yet against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday night.

Daniels has earned the aforementioned best passer rating in the nation, largely in part due to his only three interceptions on the year. Despite the SEC gauntlet he has faced, Daniels has found a way to get it done without turning the ball over. All the while, he has thrown for the most touchdowns in college football at 25, tied with last year's Heisman winner, Caleb Williams, who has played one more game. Can Daniels keep it going against the staunch Crimson Tide? If he does, his Tigers are on a fast-track to the SEC championship game, and he is on path for LSU's first Heisman trophy since Joe Burrow.

4. Bo Nix - Oregon QB (+600) (Bet $100 to collect $700)

The Oregon Ducks are quietly climbing back into the conversation after their Week 7 road loss to the Washington Huskies. They are the top one-loss team in the newly released College Football Playoff rankings, and will look to climb up from the sixth spot as teams continue to fall. He has passed for 21 touchdowns while adding three more on the ground, and has just one interception on the year.

Due to the soon to be dissolved Pac-12 having no divisions, Nix and the Ducks are still in control of their destiny. They have two ranked teams in their last four games, and can knock USC out of contention with a second loss in their showdown next weekend. Oregon will need to take care of business and win out if they want a chance at the playoff, and a Heisman bid for Nix.

5. Marvin Harrison Jr. - Ohio State WR (+1100) (Bet $100 to collect $1200)

The only non-quarterback on this list, Marvin Harrison Jr. has continued to impress throughout the season. The Ohio State offense has gotten better with each week after a slow start, largely in part to the renewed focus on their future top-5 draft pick. Harrison has one of the best receiving skillsets in recent memory, and is sure to be a star at the next level like his father. His Ohio State Buckeyes were planted atop the College Football Playoff rankings this week, and he has a chance to cement himself in the conversation with a few more big games.

Harrison is top-10 in the nation in both receiving yards and touchdowns, just a few shy of 1,000 yards through eight games. While not impossible to win as a wide receiver, as seen with Alabama star Devonta Smith in 2020, it is certainly much more difficult. He would be just the second receiver to win since Desmond Howard in 1991. Harrison and the Buckeyes would have to win out, taking down their rival Michigan in the process, for him to have a shot at this award.