College football fans have heard about the East Coast bias for years. Teams and players from the Eastern and Central Time zones often have the advantage when it comes to team and player polls. There's good reason for that, as teams and players from the East and Midwest often have the advantage of playing in the best daytime slots as well as the prime time slots for prominent night games, while the West Coast teams play late at night. That does not appear to be the case in the 2023 Heisman Trophy race.

Caleb Williams won the honor last year, and is one of the prime candidates this year. However, his top competition includes a pair of Pac-12 quarterbacks in Michael Penix of Washington and Bo Nix of Oregon.

A couple of midwestern candidates have also emerged in the Heisman race in Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy and Dillon Gabriel of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Here's a power ranking of the top-5 Heisman candidates, all of whom happen to be quarterbacks.

5. QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners rallied to beat the Texas Longhorns in the Red River shootout by a 34-30 margin, and Gabriel was the primary reason the Sooners were able to rally for the victory.

Gabriel led the Sooners on a 5-play, 75-yard game-winning drive in the final seconds. He hit Nic Anderson with a 5-yard TD pass that allowed the Sooners to steal victory from the jaws of defeat.

Gabriel simply had a huge game as he completed 23 of 38 passes for 285 yards with a touchdown. He also had a sensational day running the football with 14 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown.

For the season, Gabriel has completed 141 of 195 passes for 1,878 yards with an eye-catching 16-2 TD to interception ratio. He has also run for 208 yards and 5 touchdowns with a 4.5 yards per carry average.

Next game: Vs. UCF, October 21

4. QB J.J. McCarthy, Michigan

McCarthy did not have his most impressive statistical game of the season, but he led Michigan to a 52-10 triumph on the road over the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

McCarthy completed 14 of 20 passes for 210 yards in the runaway and threw a 24-yard TD pass to Colston Loveland, and he also ran for 2 touchdowns.

The quarterback has completed 97 of 125 passes for 1,305 yard with an 11-3 TD-interception ratio in leading the No. 2 ranked Wolverines. McCarthy has 133 rushing yards and 3TDs while averaging 6.3 yards per carry.

Next game: Vs. Indiana, October 14

3. QB Bo Nix, Oregon

The Ducks had a bye week as they prepare for a major confrontation with Washington. That game will go a long way to determining the pecking order in the Pac-12 as well as the Heisman Trophy race since Michael Penix.

Nix has played remarkably well through the first five games of the season, as he has completed 131 of 163passes for 1,459 yards with 15 touchdown passes and just 1 interception. He has scrambled for 87 yards and 1 touchdown.

Nix is 6-3 and 214, and he can drive his fastball as well as anyone, and also has the touch to deliver accurate passes when his receivers face tight coverage.

Next game: at Washington, October 14

2. QB Michael Penix, Washington

Just like Nix, Penix and his Washington Huskies had a bye week as they prepare for their border war with the Ducks.

Both quarterbacks are likely to be at the top of their game, and it will likely come down to which quarterback can make a key play at the end of the game.

Penix combines a powerful arm with superior accuracy. He has completed 133 of 178 passes for 1,999 with 16 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

He excels when facing pressure and tight coverage, and his ability to deliver the ball on the numbers of his receivers will help his Heisman candidacy and at the next level.

Next game: Vs. Oregon, October 14

1. QB Caleb Williams, USC

Williams did not have his best game against the Arizona Wildcats, but he did score 3 rushing touchdowns and the decisive 2-point conversion in the third overtime period that allowed USC to escape with a 43-41 triumph.

Williams completed 14 of 25 passes for 219 yards with just 1 TD in the game. However, he has completed 119 of 166 passes for 1,808 yards with 22 touchdowns and just 1 interception.

Williams is clearly the favorite, and it may take a key injury to keep him from securing the Heisman again this year. He will face a huge test Saturday when the Trojans travel to South Bend to play traditional rival Notre Dame.

Next game: at Notre Dame, October 14