Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into Week 7
Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into Week 7
We started this year's Heisman Watch series with a three-horse race at the top with the rest of the field looking in. Now, six weeks into the season, one man has distanced himself from the rest of the field to the point where he's the odds-on favorite.
Between each week's college football betting picks, there is money to be made on the weekly fluctuations in Heisman odds. So, if you think someone other than OSU QB CJ Stroud is going to win the Heisman, now is the time to strike.
It's time to unpack the latest Heisman odds as we head into Week 7 in this week's Heisman Watch list.
Click here to check out the latest Heisman odds
Heisman Watch: Top 5 Heisman Odds
1. CJ Stroud - Ohio State QB (-130) (Bet $130 to win $100)
A week ago, I warned that CJ Stroud may run away with our Heisman Watch list if the other players on it aren't careful. Now, that seems to be a reality as he's officially the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman. Last year, it took well into the season for us to reach odds-on territory for Bryce Young. This year, Stroud needed just six weeks to get there. Stroud has looked like the best player in the country by a longshot to this point. The Buckeyes are yet to play an actual good football team, but Stroud and his team have taken care of everyone in their way with relative ease. Going into Week 7, Stroud has 1,737 passing yards, 24 passing TDs and a 94.8 QBR. those TD and QBR marks are first in the nation and he has the 12th most yards this season. It's almost impossible to make an argument against him as the best player in the nation right now, so I won't try. What I will say is that I'm going to wait for them to play Michigan and Penn State before I give him the Heisman Trophy.
2. Caleb Williams - USC QB (+1200) (Bet $100 to win $1200)
Yeah, you read that right. The latest Heisman odds have the frontrunner at -130 and the second favorite, USC QB Caleb Williams, at +1200. If we don't get some defining moments from some of the names on this list soon, I think we're in danger of this becoming a one-man show. The good thing is Caleb Williams has the talent and the strength of schedule to get back into this thing. Before the season, I said Caleb Williams is the best quarterback in the country. I stand by that statement but I am having a hard time defending him of late. Sure, the Trojans are winning football games, they're undefeated and look to be the top of the Pac-12, but it hasn't been pretty for their QB. Last week, in a big win over Washington State, Williams went 15-of-29 passing for 188 yards. Three weeks ago, playing against Oregon State, he looked even worse. Heisman Trophy-winning QBs look their best in big moments. Williams has not done that this year. But, there is still time to rise up on our Heisman Watch list. A big showing and a win against Utah this week and the same against a good UCLA team later on should see him hanging around with Stroud.
3. Hendon Hooker - Tennessee QB (+1400) (Bet $100 to win $1400)
I was not on the Hendon Hooker Heisman Watch hype train before the season, and I don't think anyone outside of Knoxville was truly watching his Heisman odds, but I am now. Last week, I placed a wager on Hooker to win the Heisman at +1600 and I love how it's looking to this point. Having said that, this week is the test. This week, Hooker faces an Alabama defense with countless NFL prospects. Bama is the No. 3 team in the nation and if Hooker can take down the Tide at home this week you can expect his odds to climb fast. by Sunday, we could see Hooker as short as +300 if he balls out in a win with the whole nation watching. But, my worry is that a loss brings him back down to earth and pretty much stops all chances he has at topping this Heisman Watch list. Hendon Hooker's passing yards aren't overly impressive this season, but what is impressive is his efficiency and ability to take care of the rock. Hendon Hooker is yet to throw an interception this season and is third in the nation in QBR at 90.4. Last week against LSU, he ripped the No. 25 team in the country apart with 239 yards passing and 56 more on the ground. If you haven't been treating Hendon Hooker as a legitimate Heisman candidate, it's time to start.
4. Bryce Young- Alabama QB (+1600) (Bet $100 to win $1600)
It's pretty much impossible to analyze Bryce Young's Heisman odds and placement on our Heisman Watch list because he isn't playing football right now. I expect that he'll play this week against No. 6 Tennessee, but this is pretty much do-or-die for his Heisman chances. If Young plays and plays well, we should see his Heisman odds slashed massively. If he plays poorly or doesn't play at all, you can pretty much kiss a repeat Heisman Trophy win goodbye. Here's the thing, even prior to him missing time with a shoulder injury, Young didn't look all that sharp this season. It's tough to go from Jameson Williams and John Metchie to guys that don't have much experience at wideout, and we've seen some growing pains to this point. Still, I think him playing this week and playing well is paramount to his Heisman chances.
5. Dorian Thompson-Robinson - UCLA QB (+1800) (Bet $100 to win $1800)
When Dorian Thompson-Robinson committed to UCLA in 2018 as the No. 36 recruit in the nation, this is what the Bruin fans had in mind. All 30 of the UCLA faithful are thrilled to see DTR finally living up to his expectations as one of the best players in the country. In all seriousness, despite the fact that UCLA's crowds look more like mid-tier high school showings than that of the Pac-12, DTR has been one of the most dynamic players we've seen and his Heisman odds and place on this Heisman Watch list finally reflect that. Last week, against a strong Utah defense, DTR scored five TDs and led the Bruins to a 42-32 win over the Utes. The week before, in a showdown against Michale Penix Jr. and a tough Washington team, DTR again came out on top. Chip Kelly's team is playing great football and it has the nation, and Heisman voters, on notice. This week, the Bruins are on a bye, but they take on No. 12 Oregon the week after in what should be a defining moment in their season. And don't forget, they have a showdown with fellow unbeaten USC on November 19.