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.
Week 1 is in the books and already we’ve seen some wild movement across the board. Most notably, Georgia’s Stetson Bennett went from a fringe play (+10000) to a near-favorite (+2000), while Florida’s redshirt sophomore QB Anthony Richardson played his way from 13th-best odds before the season (+4000) to tied for third-best (+2000).
Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud, meanwhile, is no longer alone at the top. Alabama’s Bryce Young is now tied with the Buckeyes’ QB at +300 as the Crimson Tide star looks to become the first repeat Heisman Trophy winner since Archie Griffin in 1974-75.
Let’s get into it.
All odds via Tipico
15
Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (+5000)
Preseason Odds: +3000
Not the most productive week for arguably college football’s most-exciting wideout. No. 2 Ohio State had to grind out a 21-10 home victory over No. 5 Notre Dame in which Smith-Njigba accounted for just three yards on two catches. He’ll look to bounce back in Week 2 against a much weaker opponent, so it might not be a bad time to buy the dip.
Up Next: No. 3 Ohio State (-43.5) vs. Arkansas State
14
Texas QB Quinn Ewers (+4000)
Preseason Odds: +3000
Ewers can’t get any respect right now. First his car gets towed from Texas’ campus while leading the Longhorns to a 52-10 win over UL Monroe, then he sees his Heisman odds drop a steady amount.
The QB completed 16 of 24 passes for 225 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Up Next: Texas vs. No. 1 Alabama (-20.5)
13
Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke (+4000)
Preseason Odds: +4000
No movement here after Van Dyke and No. 16 Miami (FL) took care of business against Bethune Cookman. The QB went 13-of-16 passing for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns before handing things off to backup Jake Garcia.
Up Next: No. 15 Miami (-26.5) vs. Southern Miss
12
Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson (+4000)
Preseason Odds: +3000
It’s not that Ohio State’s tailback had a bad game by any means (15 carries, 91 yards), he just didn’t impress as much as others higher up on the board. There’s still plenty of time for Henderson to move back up.
Up Next: No. 3 Ohio State (-43.5) vs. Arkansas State
11
Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei (+4000)
Preseason Odds: +4000
The good news? Uiagalelei completed 19 of 32 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown with another 28 yards and a touchdown on the ground in a 41-10 blowout for No. 4 Clemson over Georgia Tech. The bad news? Cade Klubnik looked awfully good when he subbed in late in the game, going 4 of 6 for 50 yards and a touchdown.
Any potential for another Kelly Bryant situation in Clemson is reason enough to stay away here for now.
Up Next: No. 5 Clemson vs. Furman
10
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker (+4000)
Preseason Odds: +4000
Hooker was a solid 18-25 passing for 221 yards and two touchdowns in his season debut while adding two more touchdowns on the ground. But it came against Ball State, so no one is going to put too much stock in that performance.
Up Next: No. 24 Tennessee (-6.5) at No. 17 Pitt
9
Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs (+3000)
Preseason Odds: +3000
He carried the ball nine times for 93 yards—averaging better than a first down per touch—and didn’t see his line move at all because his quarterback was that good against a bad team. We’ll get to him in a bit.
Up Next: No. 1 Alabama (-20.5) at Texas
8
Texas RB Bijan Robinson (+3000)
Preseason Odds: +2000
A slight dip here, though Robinson did go off for 71 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. He’ll get a real test of his abilities against Alabama’s stout defense in Week 2.
Up Next: Texas vs. No. 1 Alabama (-20.5)
7
Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel (+3000)
Preseason Odds: +3000
A nice debut for the transfer from UCF. Gabriel completed 15 of 23 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns while running in another score himself. He’ll have to keep showing out as the cupcake stage of his schedule moves from UTEP to Kent State.
Up Next: No. 7 Oklahoma (-32.5) vs. Kent State
6
Florida QB Anthony Richardson (+2000)
Preseason Odds: +4000
Welcome to the Heisman Race, Anthony Richardson.
If you haven’t seen his highlights from Florida’s 29-26 victory over No. 7 Utah, what are you waiting for? Richardson is the type of electric athlete who can turn a broken play into a touchdown in an instant. Utah, coming off a trip to the Rose Bowl definitely didn’t have an easy opener, but it should’ve been able to handle the unranked Gators. It couldn’t—mostly because it couldn’t contain Richardson, who completed 17 of 24 passes for 168 yards, rushed for 106 yards on 11 carries and found the end zone three times.
Florida may have another star QB, folks. Next week will tell us plenty.
Up Next: No. 12 Florida (-4.5) vs. No. 20 Kentucky
5
Alabama LB Will Anderson (+2000)
Preseason Odds: +1500
It’s always an uphill battle for a defensive player to win the Heisman. Anderson can make some more noise in a high-profile game against Texas this week, but a five-tackle performance against Utah State in Week 1 was just fine.
Up Next: Texas vs. No. 1 Alabama (-20.5)
4
Georgia QB Stetson Bennett (+2000)
Preseason Odds: +10000
He’s still at Georgia. He’s still slinging the ball around. And now he’s getting plenty of respect for it. Bennett was the biggest mover in the Top 15 this week, after torching No. 11 Oregon for 368 yards passing and three total touchdowns.
No. 2 Georgia hasn’t produced a Heisman Trophy-winner since Herschel Walker in 1982. That streak may come to an end soon.
Up Next: No. 2 Georgia vs. Samford
3
USC QB Caleb Williams (+650)
Preseason Odds: +700
It’s positive movement, but not by much. Such is the case when you open your season against Rice. Williams tallied 249 yards passing with two touchdowns in game that was essentially over at halftime.
Up Next: No. 10 USC (-9.5) at Stanford
2
Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud (+350)
Preseason Odds: +210
It was a bit too close for comfort against Notre Dame until late in the fourth quarter. Stroud delivering when he absolutely needed to is worth something here, but he saw his odds drop after a 233-yard, two-touchdown season debut.
Up Next: No. 3 Ohio State (-43.5) vs. Arkansas State
1
Alabama QB Bryce Young (+350)
Preseason Odds: +380
The reigning Heisman Trophy-winner went off in a 55-0 victory over Utah State. We’re talking 195 yards on 18 completions with five touchdowns as a passer and another 100 yards on five carries with a touchdown on the ground.
Yeah, that’ll put you in the driver’s seat—even if it’s exceptionally early.
Up Next: Texas vs. No. 1 Alabama (-20.5)
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