There’s been significant movement in the Heisman odds and it’s in favor of Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. This week will mark the first one where Hooker is the favorite to take home college football’s most prestigious award. Some NY sportsbooks even have him at minus money after he torched Kentucky’s defense en route to Tennessee’s 44-6 victory.
CJ Stroud has the second-best odds to win the award and then things drop off significantly. It’s becoming a 2 man race, but there’s still value below the top 2. We’ll cover the Heisman field and give odds for who will be lifting the trophy in New York on December 10th.
Hendon Hooker
Hendon Hooker is the top candidate in the race after not being a notable name coming into the season. The Tennessee quarterback has had a sensational 2022 campaign, accounting for 25 total touchdowns while only throwing one pick through his team’s first 8 games. He’s also developed a special connection with one of his receivers.
Hooker’s highlight of the season came against Alabama when he threw for 385 yards and 5 touchdowns to help his team secure their first victory over the Tide since 2006. Another monster performance this week in Athens will go a long way to helping the Tennessee quarterback win the Heisman Trophy.
On DraftKings, you can take Hooker for -110 odds to take home the award. You’ll find better odds for him on BetRivers, where he’s listed as a +110 co-favorite to win.
CJ Stroud
Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud has been the betting favorite for the last several weeks until slipping to the 2 spot this week. Stroud still remains far ahead of the rest of the field because of his consistent play. He’s led Ohio State to an 8-0 record and has thrown for 29 touchdowns and 4 picks along the way.
Before their come-from-behind win this past Saturday in Happy Valley, the Buckeyes had faced a cupcake schedule. This is probably what has hurt Stroud’s chances the most to this point. Their meeting with Michigan on November 26th will be a critical one for the Ohio State quarterback.
You’ll find good odds for Stroud on FanDuel where they’re listed at +200. BetRivers has a much different take on this race, giving Stroud +110 odds, making him a co-favorite with Hooker. Definitely stay away from this sportsbook if you’re looking to take Stroud for good value.
Elsewhere in the Race
Michigan running back Blake Corum is the top non-quarterback that’s still in the mix. Corum has already surpassed the 1,000-yard rushing mark and has gone for over 100 yards in his last 5 outings. Corum has led his team to an 8-0 start, giving them a solid shot at making the college football playoff for the second consecutive year.
If Corum wants to close the distance with the top 2 guys in this race he’ll need his team to go undefeated and he’ll also need to have a particularly good performance when Michigan takes on Ohio State from the horseshoe. You’ll find good odds for Corum on DraftKings where he’s listed at +1500.
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix is a guy that’s risen up the leaderboard since his team’s abysmal 49-3 Week 1 loss to Georgia. Nix has won 7 straight games for the Ducks and has been beyond efficient as a passer. His 5 touchdown performance against an undefeated UCLA team has been the highlight of his season so far. For good value on Nix, BetMGM has his odds listed at +2500 to win the Heisman Trophy.
Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Bryce Young also hold odds in this race. You can take Williams for +1500 on DraftKings, while Young has +4000 odds on FanDuel and BetRivers. Both of these guys are going to need to not only win out with incredible performances but also to have help elsewhere with guys at the top of the leaderboard dropping off.
Best Bets
It’s Hendon Hooker and CJ Stroud that are the 2 best bets in this race. Stroud is definitely a good bet at +190. If you’re going to take Hooker you’ll need Tennessee to win this weekend against Georgia in a game where they’ll be underdogs. It’s entirely possible they do come away with the victory, but if they don’t it’ll likely mean they’ll be without a game on championship weekend, hurting Hooker’s chances. A win on the other hand would make Hooker a big favorite in this race.
Alabama’s Bryce Young holds a lot of value here. He’s the former Heisman Trophy winner and the main reason his odds have taken a hit this year is because of Alabama fatigue and that he’s missed a game with an injury. His team still controls its own destiny to make the playoff. If they do make it, it’ll have a lot to do with impressive QB play, which will give Young a chance at becoming a repeat Heisman Trophy winner.
