Joey Aguilar is enjoying a stellar season so far with the Tennessee Volunteers. His stock has gradually risen, and he has now emerged as a true contender for the Heisman. While Aguilar has been in the conversation since as early as Week 3, recent polls show him slipping down the pecking order. Ahead of the Vols’ crucial game against Oklahoma, Joey’s mother has asked Tennessee fans to support her son.

Through eight games, Aguilar has thrown for 2344 yards and 18 touchdowns on a 65.9% completion percentage and a 162.8 passer rating. Against Georgia, he threw for 371 passing yards and four touchdowns, which was one of his most impressive performances. However, Aguilar’s position in the rankings has fluctuated throughout. As per the Week 10 Heisman fan vote leaderboard, Aguilar is currently #4.

With her son falling away from the pack, Mama Aguilar has taken matters into her own hands. Reposting the original tweet on X, she is rallying the troops to come forth and support one of their own. A passionate Vols fan, Lydia Aguilar has accumulated a significant following on social media. She often shares and retweets posts about Tennessee-related personalities and, of course, some of Joey’s best highlight reels.

At the moment, Alabama QB Ty Simpson (2184 yds) leads the Heisman race with 27.3% of the fan votes. Georgia Tech’s Haynes King and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed occupy the #2 and #4 spots with 25.5% and 18% of the votes, respectively. This only goes to show the massive chasm between the top of the group and Joey Aguilar, after them.

With a few important weeks left to play for, there is enough time for Joey Aguilar to surge up the rankings. Despite his odds fluctuating from time to time, the senior QB would do well to keep his focus on the field. As it turns out, a new threat from the Big Ten is looking to break into the Heisman discussion once again.

Ty Simpson is not the only obstacle in Joey Aguilar’s way

While Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson is the clear favorite right now, there is another name reentering the conversation. Following Ohio State’s 38-14 win over Penn State, Julian Sayin is firmly back in contention in some way. The sophomore quarterback had a solid outing in the washout win over the Nittany Lions. Sayin threw for 316 yards and four touchdowns in the game. As a result, FanDuel has him as the co-favorite for the Heisman, alongside Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

The general consensus is that Ty Simpson is the leading candidate, according to betting odds. Despite the shifts after each Gameweek, his name has been rooted to the top spot. As such, it will take something special from Joey Aguilar to make a case for himself. In his latest appearance against Kentucky, Aguilar put in a strong performance, throwing 396 yards and three touchdowns.

If Aguilar were to end up winning the Heisman, he’d be the first Vols player to ever do so. Former Vols player and NFL legend Peyton Manning was a finalist in his last year in Knoxville but lost out to Michigan defensive back Charles Woodson. Joey Aguilar and the Volunteers face Oklahoma at Neyland Stadium on Sunday.