We predict who will win the 2023 Heisman: Marvin HWe Harrison Jr., Michael Penix Jr, Bo Nix or Jayden Daniels.
The 2023 Heisman Trophy Show is just days away. The four finalists were already announced Washington QB Michael Penix Jr, Oregon QB Bo Nix, LSU QB Jayden Daniels, and Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. In this article, we will analyze each finalist’s season and give a case for them deserving the award for different reasons. In the end, I will choose the person that I think is the most deserving of the greatest individual award given to a college football athlete. Let’s break down all the finalists.
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Finalist: Michael Penix Jr. – QB – Washington
Michael Penix Jr. has had an amazing season. He has led the Washington Huskies to getting the No. 2 seed in the College Football Playoffs being one of just two teams in the country with an undefeated record. Not only is his team the highest in the rankings of any finalist, but Penix Jr. led the entire nation in passing yards with 4,218 yards this year. He added 33 passing touchdowns with nine interceptions. He has a Top-10 QBR at 83.4 as well. He added three rushing touchdowns for 36 total touchdowns this season. All things considered, Penix Jr. also had the best receiving corps and led the most dynamic offense in college football with Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan.
Finalist: Bo Nix – QB – Oregon
Bo Nix’s ultimate rival was Michael Penix Jr. In his senior season, Nix led Oregon to an 11-2 record with their only two losses coming in the regular season against Washington and in the Pac-12 Championship against Washington. Outside of that, they beat Liberty, Utah, Colorado, and Oregon State — which are all Top-25 teams. If the rivalry wasn’t bad enough, Penix finished just 73 yards ahead of Nix in passing yards. Nix finished with 4,145 passing yards, No. 2 in the nation, with 40 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He had a 91.0 QBR which was second in the nation. He adds 228 yards and six touchdowns for a total of 4,373 yards and 46 touchdowns.
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Finalist: Jayden Daniels – QB – LSU
The third quarterback on this list is Jayden Daniels, quarterback for LSU. He has led his team to the lowest ranking of the four finalists as LSU finished No. 13 on the Playoff Rankings. They finished 9-3 with losses to Alabama, Missouri, and Ole Miss — all Top-25 teams. Daniels finished the season with 3,812 passing yards and 40 touchdowns with four interceptions. He achieved a 95.7 QBR which was the best in the nation. Daniels’s biggest boost though is his dual-threat ability. Not only was he a great passer, but Daniels also ran for 1,134 yards and an additional 10 touchdowns. That brings him to a total of 4,946 all-purpose yards and 50 touchdowns, the most of either of the other two quarterbacks.
Finalist: Marvin Harrison Jr. – WR – Ohio State
The last finalist is Marvin Harrison, Jr., the wide receiver from Ohio State and son of superstar NFL receiver Marvin Harrison. Harrison Jr. led the Buckeyes in receiving with a mediocre quarterback in Kyle McCord. He had 67 receptions for 1,211 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is tied for second in the country in touchdowns to LSU’s Brian Thomas Jr. He ranked No. 9 in yards and No. 35 in receptions this season.
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WINNER: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU Tigers
Jayden Daniels is the betting favorite, and I believe, the most deserving of this award. He provided a dual-threat opportunity that Nix and Penix Jr. didn’t. He had more combined yards, more touchdowns, and the best QBR. For those reason, Jayden Daniels will be your 2023 Heisman winner.
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