Week 4 in college football proved to be a pivotal week for the Heisman Trophy power rankings. This year, as much as it seems there's a clear favorite, there's also an opportunity for multiple players to make huge gains with big performances. This was one of those weeks. So, let's take a look at the current top five candidates in the coveted Heisman Trophy race.

5. Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Sam Hartman had a challenging game against Ohio State, not putting up his usual staggering numbers that we've all become accustomed to. Against the Buckeyes in prime time, he threw for 175 yards and a touchdown. Despite not turning the ball over and his clutch fourth quarter touchdown that gave the Fighting Irish a lead, Ohio State still came out victorious.

While one loss doesn't end Hartman's Heisman Trophy campaign, his performance and loss against the Buckeyes could be considered as a bit challenge in his chances of making it to New York. Even if his stats may have remained the same or similar, a win over the Buckeyes would have been huge for his campaign. However, Hartman's potential and previous 49 performances cannot be ignored, and he could still bounce back in the Heisman race with strong showings against the likes of Clemson and USC.

4. Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State Seminoles

Jordan Travis may not have had a eye-popping box score in his recent game against Clemson, but he came through in a significant ACC matchup. Travis accounted for three total touchdowns, including the game-winning score in overtime, securing a crucial victory against a Clemson team they hadn't been in their last seven meetings, including a 10-year gap in beating them on their home turf. Travis changed all that on Saturday.

What has set Travis apart and kept him in this Heisman race is his ability to secure signature victories against top-25 opponents, which holds significant weight when evaluating Heisman Trophy candidates. While his completion percentage may not be the highest, his clutch performances make him a formidable contender for the Heisman.

3. Bo Nix, QB, Oregon Ducks

Bo Nix made a fairly strong case for his Bodacious Heisman campaign on Saturday by completely annihilating all the the flash, hype, buzz and anything and everything Colorado football and Deion Sanders related. Against Colorado, Nix completed an astounding 84.9% of his passes for 276 yards, with three touchdown passes and just one interception with another touchdown on the ground. And he probably could have done even more. It just wasn't needed. The Buffaloes were done from the jump.

Nix showcased his exceptional touch on deep throws and third downs, leading Oregon's offense to 42 points. Facing Stanford in Week 5, Nix has another opportunity to bolster his Heisman Trophy chances and maintain a perfect record while padding his stat sheet a little more. Nix proved his worth as a worthy Heisman candidate in front of a national stage thanks to the Deion Sanders appeal.

2. Michael Penix Jr, QB, Washington Huskies

Michael Penix Jr. is as impressive of a quarterback as there is in the country. Probably if not for Williams, he'd be far and away the favorite to win the award. He throws one of the best balls in the country with his impeccable accuracy while staying relatively blemish free. In a recent game against Cal, Penix completed 76% of his passes for 304 yards, with a remarkable 12.2 yards per attempt and a QBR of 92.9.

Penix has been on fire, throwing three touchdown passes in the first half alone, and the Huskies have been on cruise control to victory. The only thing missing on Penix's Heisman resume is a marquee win, but he'll have his chance secure one on October 14th when the Huskies football team hosts the Oregon Ducks. Penix's impressive 1,600-plus passing yards and 16 touchdowns to two interceptions stats and keep him firmly in the No. 2 spot for the Heisman conversation, just behind his Pac-12 rival.

1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC Trojans

Caleb Williams is making a strong case to become only the second player ever to win two Heisman Trophy's. Against Arizona State, Williams threw for 322 yards, with a 10.4 yards per attempt, and a QBR of 69.7. While his completion percentage dipped slightly against the Sun Devils, he made up for it with his usual big plays, keeping USC football in the game. Arizona State tried to go punch for punch with the Trojans but Williams was just too much and kept flinging touchdowns — two long passing touchdowns of 43 and 49 yards — including rushing for two touchdowns.

Really, until Williams proves otherwise, he's the front-runner for the Heisman. He's already thrown for 1,200 yards and 15 touchdowns to no interceptions with a 74.3 completion percentage. The competition will begin to pick up soon, though.