For most of the season, the Heisman race has not been that exciting to follow. There was Trevor Lawrence, of course, and Mac Jones, but the best of the rest has not provided much in the way of competition.
Several guys started with decent odds, and there was hope for a few. But then they were not able to follow through and turn that hope into a real chance.
But then the Big Ten came back, and with a former preseason favorite by the name of Justin Fields. Since he was expected to be part of the conversation before, he was given odds by most (if not all) sportsbooks that made him one of the front runners.
Sure enough, with 11 touchdowns, 908 yards passing, and just 11 incompletions to his name in three games, he has proven he belongs there. But does anyone else? Or is the Heisman race really down to just these three guys?
Heisman Trophy Odds for Week 11: Anyone Else Going to Step Up?
Last week, after missing Clemson’s game against Boston College, Trevor Lawrence fell out of the top spot for the first time this season. But despite not playing in a game his team ultimately lost, his odds improved this week. He is now tied with Justin Fields and Mac Jones (+175 via Fan Duel) for the best odds.
Jones had the week off as well, leaving Fields as the lone frontrunner to take the field. He had another masterful performance against a lackluster team completing 24 of 28 passes for 314 yards and five touchdowns.
It would be easy to overlook the rest and focus on these guys. There are many guys with odds that can be, but there are a few that warrant watching.
Kyle Trask seemed to be out of the hunt after Florida lost to Texas A&M. But with a masterful performance against then-No. 5 Georgia, 30-43 for 474 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception, his odds have jumped from +5000 last week to +1000.
It was his fifth game of the season with 4+ touchdowns. He may need to keep doing that and lead Florida to a win over Alabama in the SEC title game to win, though.
Zach Wilson (+4000) had another great day in BYU’s win over Boise State (21-27 for 359 yards and three total touchdowns (one rushing)). While Boise State was a ranked opponent, they will be the only one he faces, which will seriously hurt his chances.
Are There Any Other Heisman Trophy Odds to Pay Attention to This Season?
Many sportsbooks are not even offering odds on too many other guys, just ones that have had odds for most of the season. Let’s be real—it is going to take an epic meltdown by all three of the frontrunners for D’Eriq King, Ian Book, Kellen Mond, Shane Buechele, Spencer Rattler, or Travis Etienne (+10000).
However, those books ignore the other potential candidates in the Big Ten and everyone from the Pac-12. It is obvious why Fields is in the conversation. While Master Teague III and Sean Clifford began the Big Ten season with Heisman potential, they haven’t shown it on the field (+10000; odds via WilliamHill).
A solid performance in Michigan’s opener had Joe Milton’s name (+15000) in the conversation, but two straight Michigan losses have taken it out. But Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (+8000) should absolutely be in the conversation.
His first game was not statistically impressive, but then he had a three-touchdown game against Rutgers. Against Michigan last weekend, he threw for 300+ and three more touchdowns. But what is remarkable is that Indiana is 3-0 and ranked No. 10 in the nation.
He isn’t the only reason why, but he is a big part of the reason. It will probably take a win over Ohio State in a couple of weeks for most books to give him odds, though.
As for the Pac-12, there is no room for error or missed games with only a six-game schedule. To really have a chance, for anyone to have a serious chance, they will have to blow us away. While Tyler Sough (+6000), CJ Verdell (+10000), and Jayden Daniels (+10000) had good games, they did not have great games.
It may, however, be worth keeping an eye on Kedon Slovis (+10000), though. He had to throw the ball 55 times (40 completed) for 381 yards and two touchdowns (and an interception) to lead USC to an improbable comeback against Arizona State.
So, yeah—three guys are heavily favored to win the Heisman this year. But there is a lot of football left to play this year. While it may seem safe to focus on those three, it would be foolish to count everyone else out just yet.
