College Football Heisman Odds: USC’s Williams Looking to Make it Back-to-Back Heisman Trophies
Quarterbacks Dominate in the Current Odds for The 2023 Heisman Trophy
ACC QBs Travis and Maye Look to Challenge Williams in Heisman Trophy Race
Like it or not, buzz around the Heisman Trophy has become something that fans engage in during the fall, winter, spring and summer. With that in mind, here’s a look at the current college football Heisman odds.
It won’t be too long before footballs are flying through the air and the preseason practices get going at college campuses and stadiums from coast to coast.
Things really haven’t changed that much at the top with reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams the current favorite for the top individual honor in college football.
Not all positions are created equal when it comes to the Heisman Trophy with the top 12 candidates at the current time all being quarterbacks.
When looking at the Week 1 matchups and the NCAA football schedule, the North Carolina-South Carolina, West Virginia-Penn State, Louisiana State-Florida State and Clemson-Duke are games that could change the Heisman odds.
Here’s a look at how things are currently shaking out in the Heisman Trophy odds.
Move Over, Archie?
Former Ohio State running back is the only player to win back-to-back Heisman Trophies. Could that change in 2023?
Williams will certainly miss receiver Jordan Addison at Southern California. Still, there is plenty of talent for Williams to put up more gaudy numbers.
Alabama’s Bryce Young had the chance to make it two Heisman Trophies in a row. Despite throwing for 3,328 yards with 32 touchdowns and five interceptions. All that got him was a sixth-place finish in the 2022 voting.
Williams is priced at +500 to win another Heisman Trophy, according to the college football Heisman Trophy odds.
Keeping an Eye on the ACC
The last time a player from the Atlantic Coast Conference won the Heisman came in 2016 when Louisville’s Lamar Jackson topped Clemson’s Deshaun Watson.
Two of the top candidates this year come from the ACC.
Florida State’s Jordan Travis (+1100) and North Carolina’s Drake Maye (+1500) figure to be factors in the race, according to the college football Heisman odds.
Travis went from throwing for 1,539 yards with 15 TDs and six interceptions in 2021. Those numbers jumped up to 3,214 yards with 24 touchdowns and five interceptions. He added 417 rushing yards and seven more scores. He has a bunch of returning players to throw to so he could be primed for a Heisman-caliber season.
Maye’s 4,321 passing yards and 38 TDs passes only got him three first-place votes and a 10th-place finish in the 2022 voting.
Finding a New Home
Seven of the top 15 players in the Heisman Trophy odds began their collegiate careers elsewhere and that includes 2022 Heisman winner Caleb Williams as he started off at Oklahoma before following head coach Lincoln Riley to USC.
Baker Mayfield, the 2017 winner, and 2019 winner Joe Burrow took that path of finding the school to fit their needs and they turned it into a Heisman Trophy win followed by being the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft.
Michael Penix Jr., who went from Indiana to Washington, and Bo Nix, a former Oregon QB who is now at Auburn. They both are priced at +1200 in the Heisman odds.
LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman started their college careers at Arizona State and Wake Forest and they come in at +1600.
Quinn Ewers (+1800) could be the most interesting candidate as he needs to hold off much-ballyhooed incoming freshman Arch Manning at Texas. Tennessee’s Joe Milton certainly looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds. The former Michigan QB is priced at +2500 to win the Heisman.
Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel (+3500) shouldn’t be discounted.
Big Shoes to Fill
With three of the first four picks in April’s 2023 NFL Draft being quarterbacks, that has opened up opportunities at some elite programs.
Georgia’s Carson Beck (+1800), Ohio State’s Kyle McCord (+2000), Penn State’s Drew Allar (+2500) and Alabama’s Tyler Buchner (+5000) will look to replace quarterbacks off to the NFL. Georgia’s Brock Vandagriff (+4000) gives the Bulldogs two Heisman candidates.
Other quarterbacks worth monitoring are Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (+2200) and Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy (+2500).
More Than Just Quarterbacks
Eleven of the last 13 Heisman winners have been quarterbacks. Still, there are players at other positions worth monitoring.
Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. is being touted as a potential top-five pick in the NFL Draft. He had nearly 1,300 receiving yards and 14 TDs a season ago and could top those numbers in 2023. He leads the non-quarterbacks with +2500 Heisman Trophy odds.
Michigan running back Blake Corum was seventh in the 2022 Heisman voting. He is back with the Wolverines and comes in at +2800. Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson (+4000) looks to rebound after an injury-plagued 2022 season.
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