Heisman Watch 2022: Breaking Down Top Candidates in the Race After Week 10

In a year without a clear-cut front-runner for the Heisman Trophy, the race got even tighter on Saturday. That's because the top two candidates for the award both had tough showings.

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Tennessee's Hendon Hooker are the quarterbacks for two of the top teams in the country, and through nine weeks of the 2022 season, they were starting to make it a two-man battle for the Heisman. Now, quite a few other players have rejoined the conversation.

Stroud and Hooker are still the Heisman Trophy favorites, as neither should be discounted because of one down performance. They're both having impressive seasons, and there's time for them to rack up even bigger numbers. But they're also going to have to play well down the stretch to hold off the rest of the field.

Let's take a closer look at the top Heisman Trophy candidates for this season following Week 10 action.

C.J. Stroud may not have had his best statistical performance on Saturday, but he still found a way to lead Ohio State to victory and keep its undefeated record intact. So the junior quarterback should be a slight Heisman Trophy front-runner after Week 10 of the season.

The Buckeyes held on for a 21-7 victory at Northwestern on Saturday, as Stroud went 10-for-26 for 76 yards. But he didn't commit any turnovers, and even more impressively, he used his legs to make some big plays. After not rushing for more than 9 yards in any of his first eight games of the season, Stroud had 79 yards on six carries against the Wildcats.

So far this year, Stroud has passed for 2,453 yards, 29 touchdowns and four interceptions. And there's a good chance he could lead Ohio State to the Big Ten championship and a College Football Playoff berth, especially if he can bounce back from Saturday's showing.

Stroud isn't leading the Heisman race by a wide margin. In fact, it's up for debate whether he actually has an edge over the other top contenders. But the Buckeyes QB is firmly among the front-runners.

Tennessee's quest for an undefeated season is over, as it was knocked off by Georgia on Saturday. And quarterback Hendon Hooker and the rest of the Vols' offense got a first-hand look at how strong the Bulldogs' defense is again this year.

Hooker went 23-for-33 for 195 yards and an interception in Tennessee's loss. It was the first time that the senior QB didn't throw a touchdown pass in a game this season. In fact, he had multiple TD passes in each of his first eight contests entering Week 10.

But like Stroud, Hooker is still putting together an impressive Heisman Trophy resume. The 24-year-old has thrown for 2,533 yards, 21 touchdowns and only two interceptions.

Even if the Vols don't make it to the SEC Championship Game (which seems unlikely at this point), Hooker could earn some individual hardware at the end of the year. Especially if he gets back to putting up big numbers the rest of the way.

Among the players making a push to be in the Heisman conversation? Oregon quarterback Bo Nix. And the 22-year-old made a big statement on Saturday.

In the Ducks' 49-10 win at Colorado, Nix did it all. He passed for 274 yards and two touchdowns, had a pair of rushing touchdowns and even notched an 18-yard TD reception. Nix has now led Oregon to an 8-1 start, which includes a 6-0 record in Pac-12 play.

Nix's Heisman Trophy resume is improving every week. The senior has now thrown for 2,495 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also has 13 rushing TDs, as he's had five games in which he's gotten into the end zone on the ground multiple times.

Not only is Nix putting up big numbers, but he's been a leader for Oregon during its eight-game winning streak, helping it overcome its disappointing season-opening loss to Georgia. He's likely still behind Stroud and Hooker in the Heisman race, but Nix has emerged as a legitimate contender in recent weeks.