Heisman Trophy leaders after Week 7 of college football

The Heisman Trophy race provided one particularly juicy matchup this weekend, with Bo Nix and Oregon taking on Michael Penix Jr. and Washington, and it did not disappoint.

That game put some serious screws to the top contenders and one came out looking like the dominant prospect when it comes to the Heisman Trophy race. But there were also other games that might have zeroed out previous leaders in the race and opened it up for other contenders.

The Heisman Trophy battle following Week 7 is one of our most intriguing yet, so the On3 expects weigh in with their picks for the current leaders in the race following all of this week’s action. Let’s dive in.

Matt Zenitz

1. Jayden Daniels, LSU
2. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
3. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State

Daniels: In LSU’s first five SEC games, Daniels has racked up averages of 420 total yards and four touchdowns per game.

Penix: Penix has thrown four touchdowns in three of Washington’s first four games against Power Five opponents, including during the Huskies’ win over Oregon Saturday.

Harrison: A big game against Penn State this week could very much solidify as a real contender for the Heisman. He heads into the matchup with at least 105 yards and at least one touchdown in four of Ohio State’s last five games.

Jesse Simonton

1. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
2. Jayden Daniels, LSU
3. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma

Penix: Without his second-best weapon, Michael Penix outdueled Bo Nix in a classic, throwing four more touchdowns and 300 yards despite being beaten and battered throughout the afternoon. The smooth lefty needed all of 55 seconds to rally Washington for the game-winning score inside the final two minutes. He’s the leader in the clubhouse until someone knocks off the Huskies.

Daniels: LSU’s quarterback FINALLY received some support from the Tigers’ defense, and Daniels still accounted for over 500 total yards and three touchdowns in the rout over Auburn. Daniels has 26 total touchdowns on the season — second only to Caleb Williams.

Gabriel: Oklahoma was idle Saturday, but the bye week was good to Gabriel, who rose up the leaderboard thanks to Williams’ gak’ing at Notre Dame, Brock Bowers’ ankle injury and Bo Nix falling just short. The Sooners’ QB will need more big games like Red River with Marvin Harrison Jr. and J.J. McCarthy nipping at his heels.

Andy Staples

1. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
2. Jayden Daniels, LSU
3. Drake Maye, North Carolina

Penix: Penix was pressured like he hasn’t been all season. He was beaten up. And when it mattered most, he still delivered against Oregon. That last touchdown pass to Rome Odunze sure looked like a Heisman moment.

Daniels: Auburn’s defense has been solid — it’s the offense that has been the problem — but Daniels left the group grasping air more often than not. He threw for 325 yards and three TDs and ran for 93 yards.

Maye: Maye didn’t have his most accurate game, but he kept the ball out of danger and had fun throwing to Tez Walker. The Tar Heels didn’t need Maye’s legs because Omarion Hampton was running wild, but the threat remains for future opposing defenses.

Charles Power

1. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
2. Jayden Daniels, LSU
3. Caleb Williams, USC

Michael Penix Jr. moves into the top spot after leading Washington to a thrilling win over a top ten Oregon team in an instant classic. He showed a cool demeanor in leading the Huskies on an effortless game-winning drive with a few minutes remaining. The Oregon defense gave the Huskies their toughest test of the year, but Penix and his elite wide receiver corps didn’t flinch. The Indiana transfer leads the nation in passing yards per game and is third in passing efficiency.

Were LSU undefeated right now, Jayden Daniels would be the clear frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy. Daniels has fully blossomed in his final season in Baton Rouge. He’s playing at an extremely high level while leading the nation’s third scoring offense. Daniels leads the nation in passer efficiency and yards per attempt while also carrying a considerable load as a rusher.

Caleb Williams barely edges out Drake Maye for the third spot for me, after holding down No. 1 for the entirety of the season to date. Williams has had to carry USC to multiple tight wins and things finally came to a head in a tough loss on the road at Notre Dame. He remains the clear top talent in college football, but his candidacy and statistics will likely take a dip unless USC turns things around.

JD PicKell

1. Michael Penix Jr., Washington
2. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma
3. Jayden Daniels, LSU

At No. 1, Michael Penix Jr., you talk about Heisman moments, he has absolutely had the Heisman moment to this point getting the win in the way they did against Oregon. You take him out of that game, I don’t know if rolled through is the world I would use, but that was the game was the perimeter game for them on the outside, throwing to those receivers and Michael Penix having the day he did and delivering the way he did in that spot.

At No. 2, Dillon Gabriel. Had a bye, but the Heisman moment he had against Texas would be good enough to put him in my top two.

Then at No. 3, Jayden Daniels from a production standpoint and the way he’s just totally revitalized that offense and has transformed LSU in 2023.

With six total prospects tabbed by our On3 experts in their Heisman Trophy ballots, the race is as wide open as it has been in weeks. For most of the last two to three weeks there have been only four to five consensus picks for the award. That has changed considerably following Week 7, which means the race might get crazy down the stretch this season, so be sure to stay tuned weekly.