In a surprising turn of events, JJ McCarthy is the new consensus Heisman Trophy favorite in the betting markets.
How did this happen? McCarthy was around 12-to-1 this time last week.
Well, all the other quarterbacks in the running put up duds on Saturday.
Michael Penix Jr. and Washington scraped past Arizona State on Saturday.
The Huskies only managed one offensive touchdown, and Penix threw two picks.
Dillon Gabriel and Oklahoma almost dropped a game to lowly UCF, winning 31-29 after stuffing a last-second two-point conversion attempt.
Gabriel put up decent numbers but looked rough and tossed an interception.
Drake Maye and North Carolina lost outright to Virginia as 24-point favorites.
Maye struggled, completing only 50% of his passes and throwing an interception.
Caleb Williams and USC lost their second consecutive game, following up an 18-point loss to Notre Dame with a two-point loss to Utah with backup quarterback Bryson Barnes.
Williams has two touchdowns and three interceptions across his past three games.
Meanwhile, McCarthy’s Wolverines dropped 49 on in-state rival Michigan State in a 49-0 victory. McCarthy was near perfect, completing 78% of his passes for 287 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions.
Bowling Green is the only team to intercept McCarthy this season, logging three in Week 3. But against his other eight opponents, he’s 124-for-156 passing (79%) for 1,656 yards, 16 touchdowns and no interceptions.
Michigan looks like the country’s best team, and McCarthy is a big reason why. The Heisman often goes to the best team’s quarterback, so it makes sense that McCarthy is the betting favorite.
However, the Michigan sign-stealing scandal throws a wrench in his case. Plus, the Wolverines have played a cupcake schedule, so we don’t 100% know what McCarthy and the Wolverines are made up.
I’d also advise against placing money on the Heisman favorite in general. There’s a lot of season left, and the odds change rapidly week-to-week (as they have over the past seven days).
Here are the full Heisman Odds, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
| Heisman Trophy | Odds |
|---|---|
| Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy | +250 |
| Washington QB Michael Penix | +300 |
| LSU QB Jayden Daniels | +300 |
| Oregon QB Bo Nix | +1200 |
| Florida State QB Jordan Travis | +1200 |
| Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel | +1200 |
| Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. | +2000 |
| Georgia QB Carson Beck | +3000 |
| North Carolina QB Drake Maye | +5000 |
| USC QB Caleb Williams | +10000 |
LSU’s Jayden Daniels took a big jump in the Heisman betting markets this weekend, as the Tigers obliterated Army 62-0.
The Tigers have already lost two games because of a porous defense, hamstringing Daniels’ Heisman hopes. Still, from a pure numbers perspective, Daniels has been the nation’s best signal caller.
The Tigers won’t win the award unless they make a furious run at the SEC West crown. They’ll need to win out and beat Alabama to do so.
So, it’s unwise to tie up any money with Daniels in the Heisman markets.
Could Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. make a case?
Miraculously, the Buckeyes are still 7-0 and ranked No. 3 in the AP Poll following their home win over Penn State. They look like a College Football Playoff team.
The Buckeyes have relied on their defense to win games, while Harrison has saved the offense, as he’s personally accounted for 766 of their 2,000 passing yards this season.
But, to be honest, I’m unsure if he’ll continue to post video game numbers with Kyle McCord under center. I’m not a believer in the Junior signal caller.
I still believe the best Heisman bet is Oklahoma’s Gabriel.
The Sooners have a cupcake schedule down the stretch and are a near-lock for the Big 12 Championship game, meaning Gabriel will be a stat-sheet-stuffing quarterback on a College Football Playoff contending team. That’s what you need to win the award.
Betting on College Football?
Otherwise, at least in the betting markets, the Heisman race is still wide open.