Each week this college football season, BetFTW will take a look at the 2022 Heisman Trophy race and break down the contenders. Check back each Monday as the best college football players in the country jockey for position with both oddsmakers and bettors. Preseason odds can be found here and odds after Week 1 here.
The good news about already carrying one Heisman Trophy on your college resume is that a single off game against an unranked opponent won’t completely tank your chances to repeat. Bryce Young (+400) did slide a bit after No.1 Alabama’s near-disaster against Texas, but only enough to make him a bit more valuable for bettors.
Heisman update per @BetMGM
Open ➡️ Current
•CJ Stroud +400, +225
•Caleb Williams +800, +300
•Bryce Young +250, +400
•Will Anderson +3000, +2500
Highest Ticket
•Stroud 9.5%
•Anderson Jr. 8.2%
• Young 8.0%
Highest Handle
• Stroud 13.7%
•Young 10.8%— Collin Wilson (@_Collin1) September 12, 2022
Let’s dig into the contenders heading into Week 3.
Odds via BetMGM
11
Braelon Allen, DJ Uiagalelei, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Hendon Hooker, Tyler Van Dyke, Jahmyr Gibbs (+4000)
All tied at +4000 odds, each of these players did enough in Week 2 to remain in the Heisman picture, but not enough to crack the Top 10 favories. Smith-Njigba did move up from +5000 last week, but that might be due more Quinn Ewers’ injury for Texas than anything.
Uiagalelei, Hooker and Van Dyke didn’t see any movement while Jahmyr Gibbs dropped from +3000 to +4000.
10
Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy (+3500)
Last Week: N/R
Welcome to the Heisman race, J.J. McCarthy.
The No. 4 Michigan quarterback didn’t need too much time to make a statement in the Wolverines’ 56-10 victory over Hawai’i. McCarthy went 11-12 passing with 229 yards and three touchdowns before handing the game off to his backups. That catapulted the QB into the Top 10 favorites after sitting outside the Top 15 last week.
Up Next: No. 4 Michigan (-46.5) vs. UConn
9
Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson (+3300)
Last Week: +4000
It doesn’t matter how many mouthes there are to feed in Ohio State’s offense, TreVeyon Henderson is going to eat. With only 10 touches against Arkansas State in Week 2, the tailback turned in an 87-yard, two-touchdown performance in a 45-12 victory.
Up Next: No. 3 Ohio State (-31.5) vs. Toledo
8
Texas RB Bijan Robinson (+3000)
Last Week: +3000
Ok, so Robinson’s odds didn’t move after he ran 21 times for 57 yards and a touchdown against No. 1 Alabama with another 73 yards on three catches. That’s not really the concern here. We’re more worried about a shoulder injury that Texas coach Steve Sarkisian called “day-to-day” as the Longhorns gear up to play a pesky UTSA team.
Up Next: Texas (-12.5) vs. UTSA
7
Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel (+2500)
Last Week: +2500
It was 7-3 Oklahoma at halftime against Kent State in Week 2. A 24-point third quarter put any upset watch out of mind for Sooners fans. Gabriel turned in a solid day with 21-of-28 passes caught for 296 yards and three touchdowns.
Up Next: No. 6 Oklahoma (-11.5) vs. Nebraska
6
Alabama LB Will Anderson (+2500)
Last Week: +2000
Well, we knew it would be an uphill battle for the Alabama defensive stud to win a Heisman. A tight game against Texas didn’t help his cause. Anderson has seen his line get longer by +500 each week since the season started. Still, he put up five tackles including a sack in Austin.
Up Next: No. 2 Alabama (-48.5) vs. UL Monroe
5
Florida QB Anthony Richardson (+1800)
Last Week: +2000
Richardson’s odds didn’t make a similar leap in Week 2 as it did in Week 1 (when his line shifted from +4000 to +2000), but the Florida QB is still seeing positive movement after the Gators lost 26-16 to No. 12 Memphis in The Swamp. That his odds didn’t backslide at all is impressive after a pretty abysmal performance. Richardson completed just 14 of 35 passes for 143 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns.
Up Next: No. 18 Florida (-24.5) vs. South Florida
4
Georgia QB Stetson Bennett (+1800)
Last Week: +2000
There’s only so much you can read into a home game against Samford. That said, Bennett is becoming a front-runner for the Heisman. A relatively quiet Saturday for the upperclassman saw him throw for 300 yards with one touchdown on 24-of-35 attempts. We’ll get a better look at what he can do in SEC play in Week 3.
Up Next: No. 1 Georgia (-24.5) at South Carolina
3
Alabama QB Bryce Young (+400)
Last Week: +350
The one play everyone will remember from Saturday’s shocker in Austin didn’t have to do with any touchdowns or bullet passes from Young. It was his inexplicable escape from a Texas sack at midfield on Alabama’s game-winning drive.
WHAT A PLAY BRYCE YOUNG 😤
cc: @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/LZgACXQlmI
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 10, 2022
That’s poise you can’t teach. And though Young’s odds fell slightly after passing for 213 yards and one touchdown, he’s squarely among the favorites to win a second Heisman.
Up Next: No. 2 Alabama (-48.5) vs. UL Monroe
2
USC QB Caleb Williams (+300)
Last Week: +650
Back-to-back very strong weeks for the USC transfer. Williams went 20-for-27 with 341 yards and four touchdowns in a rivalry game (on paper, at least) and with USC’s soft schedule this year, he should continue to put up video game numbers.
Up Next: No. 7 USC (-12.5) vs. Fresno State
1
Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud (+275)
Last Week: +350
The king stays the king. And with good reason. Stroud passed for 351 yards and four touchdowns against Arkansas State and was able to get off the field without any blemishes on his resume. Much like Williams, Stroud can feast again in Week 3 on a much inferior opponent.
Up Next: No. 3 Ohio State (-31.5) vs. Toledo
