Heisman Watch, Week 6: Sooner than later -- Oklahoma's Dillon Gabriel's drive for the ages sends him up the list
With 2 of the Pac-12’s top quarterbacks on a bye week before their Week 7 showdown, the nation’s top passers had their legs on display on a wacky and wild Saturday.
A pair of the top 10 Heisman passers rushed for more than 100 yards, and leading contender Caleb Williams had 3 rushing scores himself. But a triple-overtime win over Arizona might not be enough for Williams to run away for a 2nd straight year.
Here is a look at the current Heisman odds and how the current top 10 contenders performed in Week 6…
1) Caleb Williams, USC Quarterback
Week 6 results: 43-41 (3OT) win over Arizona
Week 6 stats: 14/25 passing for 219 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, 12 rushes, 41 yards, 3 touchdowns
Overall stats: 119/166 passing for 1,822 yards, 22 touchdown, 1 interceptions, 38 rushes, 124 yards, 6 touchdowns
One big number: Williams tied his career high with 3 rushing touchdowns.
Week 7 opponent: at No. 10 Notre Dame
Caleb williams finds new and exciting ways to shock me every single week pic.twitter.com/LLN2KXCfwR
— No Truck Stops: A Pac-12 Podcast (@notruckstopspod) October 8, 2023
2) Michael Penix Jr., Washington Quarterback
Week 6 results: BYE
Week 6 stats: BYE
Overall stats: 133/178 passing for 1,999 yards, 16 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 8 rushes, 9 yards
One big number: After Shedeur Sanders and Cameron Ward had middling numbers Saturday, Penix is now averaging nearly more than 100 yards more per game than the nation’s No. 2 passer.
Week 7 opponent: vs. No. 8 Oregon
3) Bo Nix, Oregon Quarterback
Week 6 results: BYE
Week 6 stats: BYE
Overall stats: 131/163 passing for 1,459 yards, 15 touchdowns, 1 interception, 19 rushes, 87 yards, 1 touchdown
One big number: Nix’s 80.4 completion percentage leads the country.
Week 7 opponent: at No. 7 Washington
4) Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma Quarterback
Week 6 results: 34-30 win over No. 3 Texas
Week 6 stats: 23/38 passing for 285 yards, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions, 14 rushes, 113 yards, 1 touchdown
Overall stats: 141/195 passing for 1,878 yards, 16 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 43 rushes, 208 yards, 5 touchdowns
One big number: Gabriel bested his previous single-game high for rushing yards by more than 40 yards (previous high: 70).
Week 7 opponent: BYE
Here’s Dillon Gabriel’s dagger to Nic Anderson from about as close to the action as you can get. pic.twitter.com/m1f8uj1gRp
— Parker Thune (@ParkerThune) October 7, 2023
5) Jordan Travis, Florida State Quarterback
Week 6 results: 39-17 win over Virginia Tech
Week 6 stats: 18/24 passing for 170 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 10 rushes, 25 yards
Overall stats: 92/145 passing for 1,198 yards, 12 touchdowns, 1 interception, 33 rushes, 119 yards, 2 touchdowns
One big number: Travis has now gone 4 straight games without an interception.
Week 7 opponent: vs. Syracuse
JORDAN TRAVIS ➡️ JOHNNY WILSON = Touchdown
All #FSU as the ‘Noles go ahead 22-0 with 1:34 left in the first quarter
🎥: ESPN on ABC pic.twitter.com/PLrl88sE8x
— Warchant.com (@Warchant) October 7, 2023
6) Quinn Ewers, Texas Quarterback
Week 6 results: 34-30 loss to No. 12 Oklahoma
Week 6 stats: 31/37 passing for 346 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions, 8 rushes, negative-14 yards, 1 touchdown
Overall stats: 128/184 passing for 1,704 yards, 11 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 33 rushes, 60 yards, 5 touchdowns
One big number: Ewers tossed multiple interceptions for the 1st time this year and just the 2nd time in his career.
Week 7 opponent: BYE
TOUCHDOWN TEXAS 🔥🔥QB Quinn Ewers Throws to TE Gunnar Helm TD FOR 22 yards ! Sooners. 14-10. 📺@ABC #CollegeFootball #Texas #NCAAF pic.twitter.com/TnCuDeX7t3
— UrgentSports. (@RedNewzSports) October 7, 2023
7) Tyler van Dyke, Miami Quarterback
Week 6 results: 23-20 loss to Georgia Tech
Week 6 stats: 24/36 passing for 288 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions, 2 rushes, negative-4 yards
Overall stats: 98/135 passing for 1,330 yards, 12 touchdown, 4 interceptions, 8 rushes, 39 yards, 1 touchdown
One big number: Saturday marked van Dyke’s 2nd career game with 3 picks and first since 2021.
Week 7 opponent: at No. 14 North Carolina
DEEP BOMB FROM TYLER VAN DYKE TO COLBIE YOUNG‼️ #GoCanes 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/F9ng8Y7FV2
— QSportsMedia (@QSportsMedia2) October 8, 2023
8) J.J. McCarthy, Michigan Quarterback
Week 6 results: 52-10 win at Minnesota
Week 6 stats: 14/20 passing for 219 yards, 1 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 4 rushes, 17 yards, 2 touchdowns
Overall stats: 97/125 passing for 1,290 yards, 11 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 20 rushes, 133 yards, 3 touchdowns
One big number: Playing alongside a defense that has not allowed more than 10 points this year, McCarthy is not throwing at volume — he has 220 yards or fewer in 4 straight games.
Week 7 opponent: vs. Indiana
Is there anything JJ McCarthy can’t do? 🔥 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3TLBXfPeUJ
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) October 8, 2023
9) Jayden Daniels, LSU Quarterback
Week 6 results: 49-39 win at No. 21 Missouri
Week 6 stats: 15/21 passing for 259 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 15 rushes, 130 yards, 1 touchdown
Overall stats: 132/181 passing for 1,969 yards, 19 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 75 rushes, 422 yards, 4 touchdowns
One big number: Daniels’ 130 rushing yards were a career high.
Week 7 opponent: vs. Auburn
Jayden Daniels SHINES in a 49-39 shootout vs Missouri I CFB Week 6 Winners of the Week#JaydenDaniels #LSUTigers #LSU #GeauxTigers pic.twitter.com/6QrV1QnycW
— MRCROCKPOT (@mrcrockpot) October 7, 2023
10) Drake Maye, North Carolina Quarterback
Week 6 results: 40-7 win over Syracuse
Week 6 stats: 33/47 passing for 442 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 14 rushes, 55 yards, 1 touchdown
Overall stats: 129/179 passing for 1,629 yards, 8 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 52 rushes, 174 yards, 4 touchdowns
One big number: Maye topped 400 yards for the 2nd time this year and 3rd time in his career.
Week 7 opponent: vs. No. 17 Miami
Drake Maye deep bomb. Looks off the safety and hits the deep post pic.twitter.com/9SiXnUf6bS
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) October 7, 2023
Others to Watch:
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar
Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward
Michigan running back Blake Corum
Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord