Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into Week 12
We are in the thick of the college football regular season, and the 2023 Heisman watch has no room for error after ten games. The Heisman odds are moving with each game played, so we take a peek at how they look heading into Week 12 in this week's Heisman Watch.
Peter Alexis - November 17, 2023, 9:15 AM EST
5 minHeisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into Week 12
The 2023 Heisman race is in full swing with two 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 second candidate on this list has a massive showdown this week, with Washington battling Oregon State in the Pac-12 on Saturday night. If Michael Penix Jr. can survive in Corvallis, he will have a major boost to his Heisman odds, but will be nearly knocked out with a loss.
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Heisman Watch: Top 5 Heisman Odds
1. Bo Nix - Oregon QB (-110) (Bet $110 to collect $100)
The Oregon Ducks are on the fast track to the College Football Playoff, despite sitting at sixth in the rankings and having one loss. Each week, their playoff odds continue to grow, while undefeated Washington dwindles. That same trajectory has catapulted Bo Nix to the favorite in the latest Heisman rankings. Just two weeks ago, he was back in third place at +600, but 400 yards and four touchdowns against USC certainly helped his campaign.
The Ducks will have to take on the Washington Huskies in the Pac-12 Championship in order to make the playoff and grant Nix a Heisman in his sixth season of college football. They previously lost to the Huskies on a missed field goal in Week 7, but are ready for revenge, and look like the much better squad in the weeks since. The Ducks have something of a freebie against a struggling Arizona State team this weekend, where Nix will be able to pad his stats and extend his lead in the rankings.
2. Michael Penix Jr. - Washington QB (+370) (Bet $100 to collect $480)
The Washington Huskies are still sitting with an undefeated record through ten 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 over 3,500, with the closest pursuant over 300 yards behind him. Penix has a showdown against the DJ Uiagalelei and the top-10 Oregon State Beavers this week, and he will have to ball out to stay in contention.
Any loss for the Huskies will likely plummet his odds, and they are slim 2-point underdogs on the road this week. Penix accounted for three touchdowns in last week's comeback victory over Utah, and he will need to continue that momentum in this Saturday night showdown. 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 Beavers. Keep an eye on the Huskies this weekend, or Nix will be running away at the top of the list in the event of a Washington defeat.
3. Jayden Daniels - LSU QB (+370) (Bet $100 to collect $470)
Jayden Daniels has carried LSU Tigers through the hardest schedule in the country, and has amassed a collection of impressive achievements on the way. Despite a recent loss to Alabama, Daniels continues to rise in the standings. He put up over 600 yards and five touchdowns against Florida last week, an incredulous stat line for an SEC battle.
Daniels has earned the best passer rating in the nation, largely in part due to his only four 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, and has the only rating over QB rating over 200. All the while, he has thrown for the most touchdowns in college football at 30, continuing to outclass the other stars in the game. Can Daniels rack up stats in his final two games to steal the award from the Pac-12? He would need some domino's to fall his way with both Oregon and Washington dropping one of their final three games, which isn't far outside the realm of possibility. Keep an eye on Daniels to swipe this award despite his team's three losses.
4. Marvin Harrison Jr. - Ohio State WR (+600) (Bet $100 to collect $700)
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 last week, and he has a chance to cement himself in the conversation with a few more big games.
Harrison went off against Michigan State last week, scoring three touchdowns in the first half of the game. He had almost 150 receiving yards, and one of the end zone trips came on just his second rush of the season. Harrison is top-10 in the nation in both receiving yards and touchdowns, recently eclipsing 1,000 yards through 10 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. 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.
5. Carson Beck - Georgia QB (+3500) (Bet $100 to collect $3600)
Carson Beck is the newcomer rounding out the top five, and has a decent chance to find himself on stage in New York as a Heisman finalist. His second half resurgence as the Georgia Bulldogs ramp up for a title defense has put him on the map, albeit with longshot odds.
Beck recently cracked the top-10 in passing yards with strong performances against Ole Miss and Florida. But he only has 18 touchdowns on the year, 10 less than the top three contenders on this list. Can Beck overcome these superstars with only a few weeks left? It doesn't seem likely. But he can help guide the Georgia Bulldogs to a third straight National Championship, a feat even more rewarding than a Heisman trophy.
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