Depending on how the games played out last week, somebody could have shaken up the Heisman Trophy race. If Miami could have upset Clemson, oddsmakers may have had to rethink who the favorite is.
As it turns out, Clemson and Trevor Lawrence are who we thought they were, and Miami—well, Miami isn’t.
Lawrence and King were not the only Heisman candidates in action over the weekend. It’s not fair to mention Lawrence without mentioning his running back, Travis Etienne. Mac Jones had an excellent game for Alabama, but so did Najee Harris and Jaylen Waddle.
We may not have really known who Stetson Bennet was before the season started, but we are getting to know him now.
Some stars are shining as bright as we thought they would, others, not so much. But the proof will be in the pudding for some in the weeks ahead as the competition gets more challenging. If guys do not make a good enough impression before the Big Ten and Pac-12 start playing, voters could forget who they are.
Heisman Trophy Odds: Lawrence Not the Most Impressive Tiger
Miami’s defense looked like it might give Trevor Lawrence some trouble, but it did not. Lawrence had little trouble carving up the Miami D for 292 yards and three touchdowns. It was a good enough showing to drop his odds from +200 down to +110 this week at DraftKings.
But his backfield buddy, Travis Etienne, may have a more impressive day with 149 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries along with another 73 yards in the passing game (eight receptions). As a result, his odds took a nice jump from +4000 to +2200.
D’Eriq King (+3300) could have cemented his status as a front runner with a god showing against Clemson. But the Tigers defense held him to 205 total yards, one touchdown rushing), and two interceptions. He and the Hurricanes will have to run the table for him to have a legitimate shot now.
As usual, Alabama is full of potential Heisman candidates. With another 400+ yard day, it is impossible to ignore quarterback Mac Jones (+500). Najee Harris (+1600) put his best foot forward with 206 yards on the ground with five touchdowns.
Jaylen Waddle (+1000) was not Jones’ favorite target against Ole Miss, but he had a solid day (six receptions, 120 yards). DeVonta Smith (+5000) was his favorite target, though, with 13 receptions for 164 yards and a touchdown.
Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral (+25000) does not have much of a chance of winning this year with two losses already. But fans should keep an eye on him in the future.
The Big Hat Heisman Trophy Odds of Stetson Bennett
Stetson Bennett (+1000) is not putting up the kind of stats voters like to see. He had just 260 total yards of offense and three touchdowns last week against Tennessee. But he will have his chance to prove his worth this week against Alabama.
Kyle Trask had another Heisman-worthy day with 300+ yards and four touchdowns against Texas AM. But since Florida lost the game, his odds dipped from +600 to +1400 this week. His chance to get back in the thick of the race will come in a couple of weeks when Florida faces Georgia.
If you are a fan of longshots, there are a few worth keeping an eye on. North Carolina’s Sam Howell (+4000) has played well, and the Tar Heels are playing better and better. If they can remain undefeated and take care of business against Notre Dame and Miami late in the season—and then Clemson in the ACC title game – he may still have a shot.
After a slow start to the season, Iowa State’s Brock Purdy (+5000) has come on strong the last two games. Chuba Hubbard (+8000) hasn’t been as explosive as he was last season, but it is still too soon to count him out.
With Clemson not facing too much tough competition the rest of the way, the stage is set for Trevor Lawrence to win. But there is still plenty of time for someone to shine so brightly the voters will have no choice but to take notice.
After all, Justin Fields (+250) hasn’t stepped onto the field yet.
