When looking at the Heisman odds, Bo Nix isn’t typically the guy that first comes to mind. He’s not the most agile quarterback, he doesn’t have the best receivers and hes been playing collegiately for five years. However, the Oregon Quarterback is not as far off from the pack as everyone thinks. His performance against Cal proved that when Nix threw for 386 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing it in twice for a touchdown.
In his three years at Auburn, Nix had compiled a track record that reads “inconsistent”. The tools had always been there, he’d just never capitalized and used them. The team results were wild because of that. In three years at Auburn, Nix had thrown for 7,251 yards with 39 touchdowns and 16 interceptions. For the first two years, his completion percentage was below 60%.
Fast forward to his time at Oregon and Bo Nix has been completing his passes at a very high rate. He is currently on pace to outperform his first year. Nix may not have as many yards as Michael Penix, Jayden Daniels or Caleb Williams. However, he has about the same amount of touchdowns and less interceptions.
Three Reasons Bo Nix should be considered over other Heisman Candidates:
Statistical Performances
Bo Nix currently leads the Nation in completion percentage at 78.1%. He’s also third in the Nation with a QBR Rating. He’s had at least three touchdowns in all games except for two. Against Cal, Nix and the Oregon offense erupted. See the performance that Nix put up above. He also added two touchdowns on the ground. Although, recent performances don’t matter as much until the end of the season within the last two weeks.
Finalist for Other Awards
Bo Nix has been chosen as one of 16 finalists for the Campbell trophy, which is often referred to as the Academic Heisman. He is the only player from the Pac-12 to be chosen. While being chosen for this award doesn’t have a direct correlation to his on-field performances. It could show how smart Nix is and the quality of his football IQ.
Team Record
Playing for a team that’s high in the rankings is a prerequisite to be considered for the Heisman trophy. That’s why Williams has essentially fallen out of the conversation, as USC has struggled this season. Though, the Ducks aren’t undefeated like Penix’s Washington Huskies, they are still ranked amongst the top teams in the nation. Though, that one loss for Oregon shouldn’t really be the end all be all as to why Bo Nix won’t win Heisman. It came against Washington, who won 36-33. Oregon has a 2-1 record against ranked opponents while Washington has only faced one ranked opponent (1-0).
Even though Penix Jr. is ahead of Bo Nix in the Heisman race, the latter is playing better than his Washington counterpart and has been all season. Even when they played head-to-head.
Current Odds:
- Penix (+150)
- Nix (+200)
- Daniels (+300)
- J.J. McCarthy (+600)
- Jordan Travis (+800)
All bets come from BetMGM.
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