Boy, Oh Bo: Bo Nix Must Be Happy He Left Auburn - Oregon QB's Career Game Keeps Him Atop Heisman Hunt With LSU's Jayden Daniels

Where would Oregon quarterback Bo Nix be had he not left Auburn following the 2021 season?

He may be mulling over the Tigers' embarrassing 31-10 home loss to 26-point underdog New Mexico State Saturday night. Auburn fell to 6-5 and 3-3 in the SEC in the first year of coach Hugh Freeze.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix is a favorite to win the Heisman Trophy this season. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

Nix, meanwhile, kept his No. 6 ranked Oregon team (10-1, 7-1 Pac-12) in the national championship hunt with a 49-13 win over Arizona State (3-8, 2-6 Pac-12). Nix also remains at or near the top in the race for the Heisman Trophy after entering the game ahead of Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels in the various odds charts.

As of Monday, Daniels has the best odds, according to FOX Sports with Nix and Penix No. 2 and 3. Daniels also leads Nix and Penix in that order, according to odds by Caesars and Draft Kings. But Nix leads Daniels and Penix in that order in Bet MGM, Bet 365 and Bet Rivers. Daniels and Nix are tied in Fan Duel.

Oregon Ducks Destroyed Arizona State Behind Bo Nix

Nix completed 24-of-29 passes for 404 yards and a career-high six touchdown passes. All the scores amazingly happened in the first half alone. Nix threw touchdowns of 16, 16, 23, 45, 49 and 71 yards. Nix sits No. 2 in the nation in passing efficiency at 191.4 behind Daniels' 208.3. Nix has hit 282 of 361 passes (.781 completion percentage) for 3,539 yards and 35 touchdowns with two interceptions. Daniels is 220-of-330 passing (.666) for 3,577 yards and 36 touchdowns with four interceptions.

"Feels awesome. It's a complete team win," Nix said. "We played really good on offense. They protected great, ran the ball great, and our receivers do what they do every week."

Bo Nix was Auburn's starting quarterback as a true freshman in the 2019 season and again in 2020 before he was benched in 2021 and transferred to Oregon. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Nix, the son of former Auburn quarterback Pat Nix who grew up near Birmingham, Alabama, started at Auburn as a true freshman in 2019. The Tigers went 9-4, but things went south the next season to 6-5. And Auburn fired coach Gus Malzahn. New coach Bryan Harsin was not a Nix fan and benched him early in the 2021 season that finished 6-7. Nix went to Oregon for the 2022 season, and Harsin got fired after last season.

Nix Making A Heisman Push, Not Thinking Of Auburn Days

At Oregon, Nix could end up as the Heisman winner after contending for the College Football Playoff.

But beating Daniels will be difficult. He has put up back-to-back legendary performances. Against Florida on Nov. 11, Daniels became the first quarterback in Football Bowl Subdivision history to throw for 350 yards or more and rush for 200 or more. He completed 17-of-26 passes for 372 yard and 3 touchdowns while rushing 12 times for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns.

LSU's Jayden Daniels Has Statistical Edge On Bo Nix

On Saturday night, Daniels completed 25 of 30 passes for 413 yards and six touchdowns in a 56-14 win over Georgia State (6-5, 3-4 Sun Belt). Daniels became the first SEC player in history in that game to throw six touchdowns while rushing for two touchdowns.

Penix Jr. is not far behind in the Heisman race. He continues to lead the nation in passing yards with 3,695 and 335.9 a game. He is 11th in efficiency at 166.8 (175 of 237, 2,267 yards, .738) with 18 touchdowns and four interceptions. He completed only 13 of 28 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns Saturday, but against far better competition than Nix and Daniels faced. No. 5 Washington beat No. 11 Oregon State, 22-20, on the road.

Penix also faced a torrential rainstorm throughout the game. He completed passes under much more pressure to win than Nix or Daniels as the game was close throughout and at the end.

It's going to be close. The Heisman will be announced on Dec. 9.

Arizona State Impressed With Bo Nix

Daniels is clearly ahead statistically, but LSU has lost three games and is not in the playoff picture at No. 15. The Tigers also have no more games against ranked opponents. They host Texas A&M (7-4, 4-3) Saturday (Noon, ESPN) with the Aggies fresh off the firing of coach Jimbo Fisher.

No. 6 Oregon (10-1, 7-1) and No. 5 Washington (11-0, 8-0) clearly are in the College Football Playoff hunt. That could give Bo Nix and Penix an edge in addition to a schedule more conducive to Heisman votes. Oregon and Nix host No 11 Oregon State (8-3, 5-3) on Saturday (8:30 p.m., FOX) and then will likely play Washington again in the Pac-12 championship game on Friday, Dec. 1 (8 p.m., ABC). Oregon's only loss was at Washington, 36-33.

"They’re just a really good football team, to be honest," Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said of Oregon and Nix. "That’s a team that could win the national championship. If they run the table, they deserve that opportunity."

Washington, meanwhile, hosts Washington State (5-6, 2-6 Pac-12) on Saturday (4 p.m., FOX) before the Pac-12 title game on Dec. 1.