Michael Penix Jr. is now the betting favorite to claim the 2023 Heisman Trophy.

Penix briefly took over atop the Heisman leaderboard after Week 4, but USC quarterback Caleb Williams regained his lead a week later. Now, after Williams and the Trojans needed triple-overtime to outlast Arizona last Saturday, Penix has taken over as the favorite once again.

He’ll have a chance in Week 7 to engineer a Heisman Moment, too.

The award isn’t typically decided in mid-October, but it’s also not often we get a mid-October game like the one we’re about to see in Seattle on Saturday.

The top-10 matchup between Washington and Oregon will be the first in the history of the series where both teams enter play ranked inside the AP Top 10. It’ll also mark the first Pac-12 matchup between 5-0 (or better) teams since 2004.

Penix leads the Huskies into the game with arguably the best offense in the country.

UW ranks first nationally in offensive efficiency, boasting 8.8 yards per play. It is third nationally in scoring (46 a game) and has faced the fewest third downs of any team in college football. Penix has 1,999 yards and 16 touchdowns in five games as the offense has rolled through everyone.

They will face their toughest test yet on Saturday. Oregon is giving up 11.8 points a game (fifth) and a paltry 4 yards per play. The Ducks lead the nation in pass efficiency defense, yielding only 4.8 yards per play through the air.

If Penix has a signature moment, he take a massive step toward the Heisman Trophy.