Heisman Trophy Power Rankings 2023, Week 10: Michael Penix Jr. out-duels Caleb Williams
- Michael Penix Jr. led Washington to win over USC and Caleb Williams
- Dillon Gabriel loses second-consecutive game
By Scott Rogust
Jayden Daniels Heisman Ranking Week 10. . LSU QB. Jayden Daniels. player. Last Week's Ranking: No. 4. 529. . Jayden Daniels. 4.
The LSU Tigers may struggle to get wins, but there's no denying that quarterback Jayden Daniels perfectly fits the moniker of "Most Outstanding Player." He can make incredible throws downfield and can put up starting running back numbers on the ground at the same time. Daniels is a great, dual-threat player for the Tigers.
On Saturday, even though LSU lost 42-28 to the Alabama Crimson Tide, Daniels kept the team in the game. Unfortunately, he left late in the game after getting hit in the helmet by Alabama linebacker Dallas Turner.
Daniels completed 15-of-24 pass attempts for 219 yards and two touchdowns while throwing an interception. That pick was caused when Daniels' throw was tipped at the line of scrimmage. As for how Daniels did in the running game, he picked up 163 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries.
The Tigers may have three losses on the year, but Daniels isn't why they lost those games.
. Oregon QB. . Last Week's Ranking: No. 3. 515. 3.. player. Bo Nix Heisman Ranking Week 10. Bo Nix. Bo Nix
Bo Nix and the Oregon Ducks have played like they took their loss to Washington personally. They are motivated and straight-up embarrassing their competition ever since, including Utah. This week, they faced a California team that nearly beat USC the week prior.
It goes to show how dominant Oregon is because they bulldozed their way to a 62-19 win.
Nix did get off to a less-than-ideal start, throwing an interception on his first pass attempt of the game. But, he did score a touchdown on Oregon's second drive of the game, on a 48-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tez Johnson, coming after an interception thrown by Fernando Mendoza. Even after a fumble return touchdown and a missed field goal, Oregon still entered halftime with a 35-12 lead. Seriously.
In a little over three quarters played Nix threw for 386 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception while completing 29-of-38 pass attempts. Nix also ran for two touchdowns on five carries (three yards).
Next week, Nix gets to play against a USC defense that has been more representative of a subway turnstile. So, that should bode well for the Ducks.