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 Week 4 here.
The top of the Heisman Trophy leaderboard remains largely unchanged despite a pretty eventful week across the sport—at least as far as oddsmakers see things.
C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Caleb Williams and Hendon Hooker all occupy the top four spots with the most notable change being Caleb Williams ascent to second-best odds at +400 behind Stroud (+150).
This is most likely due to an injury that kept Young out for most of Alabama’s victory over Arkansas as the Tide reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25.
But it’s the re-emergence of Adrian Martinez at Kansas State who captured the attention of oddsmakers after Week 5.
Let’s get into it. Odds via BetMGM.
11
Jalon Daniels, Spencer Sanders, Sam Hartman (+4000)
Jalon Daniels was the darling of last week’s update when his odds rocketed all the way up to +3000 seemingly out of nowhere. A rather ugly offensive showing from (A NOW RANKED) Kansas team in a 14-11 victory over Iowa State keeps him in the Heisman picture, but it makes sense his odds dipped a bit.
Daniels completed 7-of-14 passes for 93 yards and rushed another eight times for nine yards and a touchdown.
10
North Carolina QB Drake Maye (+3300)
Maye impressed with a 363-yard, three touchdown performance through the air while adding another 73 yards and two scores on 13 carries.
It did, however, come against a Virginia Tech team that barely registered a pulse during a 41-10 UNC victory. The Tar Heels quarterback will have a much tougher test in Week 6 at Miami.
9
Clemson QB DJ Uiagalelei (+2500)
Uiagalelei has had an up-and-down few weeks. His odds sat at +4000 after Week 3, but fell out of the Top 10 a week later. After No. 5 Clemson took down No. 10 N.C. State in primetime on Saturday, the Tigers star is seeing his stock rise again.
That’ll tend to happen when you complete 21 of 30 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown while rushing 14 times for 73 yards and two scores.
8
Georgia QB Stetson Bennett (+2000)
Bennett moved from +2200 last week to +2000 this week and all it took was an extremely close call against Mizzou to improve his odds.
The Bulldogs QB showed plenty of poise while leading a fourth-quarter comeback against the Tigers, even if he didn’t find the end zone.
Bennett passed for 312 yards on 24-of-43 passing.
7
Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs (+2000)
What to do when the reigning Heisman Trophy winner goes down with an injury in the second quarter? If you’re Nick Saban, just start handing the ball off to your Heisman candidate tailback.
Gibbs rushed 18 times for 206 yards and two scores (averaging 11.4 yards per carry against Arkansas). After watching his odds plummet to longer than +4000 last week, Gibbs is now firmly back in the race.
6
Michigan RB Blake Corum (+1800)
Another week, another Michigan player moving up the Heisman odds.
Blake Corum takes over the mantle previously held by J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara after running for 133 yards and a touchdown against Iowa. Michigan handed Corum the ball 29 times—which is five more reps than they asked McCarthy to pass for.
5
Kansas State QB Adrian Martinez (+1400)
It appears the only thing that can slow down Adrian Martinez is trying to lead Nebraska’s offense. The Kansas State quarterback looks completely revitalized playing his fifth(!) year of college ball for the Wildcats and had himself a day against Texas Tech.
Not only did he pass for 116 yards and a touchdown, he rushed 12 times for 171 yards and three scores—including a 69-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach for Texas Tech.
A road trip to Iowa State in Week 6 should give Martinez an opportunity to keep things rolling along.
4
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker (+1300)
Another notable bit of movement for Hooker, who jumped up from +1600 last week without even playing.
An early bye week for Tennessee did the heavy lifting for the QB’s resume. Now he’ll have to back it up in Week 6 at LSU.
3
Alabama QB Bryce Young (+900)
How healthy is Bryce Young?
If he shows no lingering issues this week, +900 might be as big of a dip has the reigning Heisman-winner’s odds take. That makes him a bit of a value play at the moment. But if Alabama wants to play things safe with their star quarterback, it might not be the best investment for bettors.
Alabama’s schedule is about to get pretty intense, too. The Tide will host Texas A&M this week then play four ranked opponents (at No. 8 Tennessee, vs. No. 23 Mississippi State. at No. 25 LSU, at No. 9 Ole Miss).
2
USC QB Caleb Williams (+400)
Caleb Williams threw his first interception of the season on Saturday. That’s about the only blemish on his resume so far as his odds move up from +600.
The USC QB demolished Arizona State, passing for 348 yards with three touchdowns while adding another TD on the ground. Just because the Trojans play after dark doesn’t mean oddsmakers are sleeping on Williams’ star turn.
1
Ohio State QB CJ Stroud (+150)
The king stays the king.
Stroud’s odds didn’t move this week, but that doesn’t really matter. He continues to torch defenses for Ohio State, most recently putting up 154 yards passing a two touchdowns with one pick against Rutgers.
The Buckeyes only have two major tests left on the schedule this year: At No. 10 Penn State on Oct. 29 and home against No. 4 Michigan on Nov. 26. Unless Ohio State collapses against Michigan State, Iowa, Northwestern, Indiana or Maryland.
Any of those would be disasters that hurt the Buckeyes’ playoff chances as much as Stroud’s Heisman campaign.
