Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into The Season
Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into The Season
The Heisman watch is back here at OddsChecker as we get ready for the 2022 college football season.
The 2022 Heisman watch is going to be a close race as we have last year's winner, Bryce Young, and the fourth-place finisher, CJ Stroud, returning to Alabama and Ohio State, respectively.
We're also getting some new faces thrown into the mix that should make this year's Heisman watch every bit as entertaining as last year's.
So, let's break down the 2022 Heisman watch as we get ready for the new college football season.
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Heisman Watch: Top 5 Heisman Odds
1. CJ Stroud - Ohio State QB (+220) (Bet $100 to win $220)
I understand all the reasons why CJ Stroud is the Heisman favorite as we enter the season. I know he's getting back Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr. looks to be the real deal. I know Ohio State will be in the CFP conversation all year long and will probably win the Big Ten. BUT, we can't ignore the fact that Stroud lost both Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave from last year's team. We also can't ignore the fact that another Heisman hopeful, TreVeyon Henderson, plays in the same backfield and will be taking not only hype but touches away from Stroud. I like Stroud. I took him to win the Heisman last year before OSU got upset by Michigan. But I still think Bryce Young and Caleb Williams have a better shot at winning the Heisman than he does, especially with these odds.
2. Bryce Young - Alabama QB (+420) (Bet $100 to win $420)
Listen, I know winning the Heisman in back-to-back years is going to be a tough ask for Bryce Young, but in what world is he not the favorite to take home the award this year? Bryce Young's +420 Heisman odds make him the second favorite to win the award, but he led the Heisman watch for nearly all of last season and will likely do the same this year. Alabama is the preseason No. 1 team in the country. It will take a miracle for them to miss out on the CFP this season. Bryce Young will be near the top of the Heisman odds all season long so getting him at +420 now is a no-brainer. He's my top pick to win the award this year.
3. Caleb Williams - USC QB (+800) (Bet $100 to win $800)
This is going to rustle some feathers in Columbus, and maybe even Norman, but I like Caleb Williams more to win the Heisman this year than I do the favorite CJ Stroud. I'll be the first to admit that there is a chance this pick falls flat. It's a boom-or-bust bet. Williams and Lincoln Riley are new to Southern California and they are taking over a team that was bad last year. But, Williams put up eye-popping numbers in the Big 12 last season, so much so that at one point he was the fourth favorite to win the Heisman after starting just a handful of games. If USC can compete in a bad Pac-12, the Caleb Williams Heisman campaign will be going strong all season long. Expect massive numbers from Williams and expect to get used to seeing his name on our Heisman watch list.
4. Dillon Gabriel - Oklahoma QB (+3000) (Bet $100 to win $3,000)
No. Just no. I'm not betting on a new QB at a new school with a new regime. Sure, I just talked about how Caleb Williams and Lincoln Riley will dominate at USC, but ignore that and pretend I didn't. Here's the thing, we have no clue what to expect from a Brent Venables OU team. For years, Oklahoma churned out amazing QB performances because that's what the Lincoln Riley offense does. Now, Riley is at USC and OU has a defensive-minded coach in Venables. Do I like Brent Venables? Yes. Do I think new OC Jeff Lebby will be good? Yes, of course. OU will be a solid team. But, unlike previous years, you can't just plug the OU QB into the Heisman watch. We don't know what to expect from Leddy and we definitely don't know what to expect from Gabriel as he comes back from a shoulder injury that cut his season short. Dillon Gabriel very well may have a good season, but there is no reason to force a Heisman bet on him now.
5. Will Anderson - Alabama EDGE (+3000) (Bet $100 to win $3,000)
Man, I hope Will Anderson wins the Heisman but he certainly faces an uphill battle. Let's get the bad out of the way first when it comes to Will Anderson and the Heisman watch. No defensive player has won the Heisman since 1997 when Michigan DB Charles Woodson won it. Add the fact that Woodson's special teams play gave him a unique ability to impact games, and you can see why some people are hesitant to bet on Anderson. However, I fully believe that Will Anderson is the best college football player in the world right now. He impacts games on a level we haven't seen since Jadeveon Clowney at South Carolina. We need two things to happen. First, we need Anderson to play out of his mind, which I expect he will. Second, we need none of the offensive players to separate themselves. If that happens, we may see a Will Anderson Heisman trophy win.
Others to Watch – Heisman Odds
- Bijan Robinson - Texas RB (+4000)
- Quinn Ewers - Texas QB (+5000)
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba - Ohio State WR (+5000)
- Tyler Van Dyke - Miami QB (+4000)