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 11 here.
There’s no way to have the Heisman conversation this week without talking about Hendon Hooker. Tennessee’s electric quarterback wasn’t the betting favorite to win the award, but by virtually every metric and eye test he should’ve been. After helping the Volunteers (mostly) dice up a ruthless SEC schedule, Hooker showed he possessed every tool needed to succeed at the college level and beyond.
Now his year is over, disrupted by a torn ACL in the waning moments of a Tennessee loss at South Carolina that not only ended the Vols’ playoff dreams but Hooker’s college career, as well. The quarterback will rehab with an eye towards the NFL draft and getting his professional tenure started.
There is absolutely an argument to be made that Hooker has done enough already to win the Heisman. His season ends with 3,135 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions for a 175.5 QB rating. He also ran for 430 yards and five scores on 104 carries. But he only played in 11 games. While every other contender is gearing up for a resume-solidifying week against their school’s respective rival, Hooker’s campaign has come to a close.
It’s entirely possible this year’s Heisman is awarded to the star played on whichever team wins the Michigan-Ohio State game. If the Wolverines win with Blake Corum scoring multiple touchdowns, he’ll be worthy of a spot in New York. If the Buckeyes dominate with C.J. Stroud doing the bulk of the heavy-lifting, it’s hard to imagine he won’t have locked up the award.
That leaves bettors with an interesting predicament. Bet on the Heisman-winner outright or attempt to parlay a Michigan/Ohio State win with either Stroud or Corum scoring multiple times. It’ll be worth watching the odds all week to see which line is better.
Here’s where the Heisman race stands heading into Week 12.
Michigan RB Blake Corum (+1450)
Week 11 Odds: +600
Don’t let the dip in Corum’s odds fool you, he’s fully in the Heisman race and can still win over voters—especially if he leads the Wolverines to the Big Ten Championship Game.
Despite battling through injuries in a way-too-close-for-comfort victory over Illinois on Saturday, the tailback still put up 108 yards and a score. He’s now up to 1,457 yards and 18 touchdowns on 245 carries. The last running back to win the award was Derrick Henry in 2015 after posting 1,986 yards and 23 touchdowns on 339 carries during the regular season.
Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker (+225)
Week 11 Odds: +300
Does Hooker deserve to be in New York when the Heisman ceremony is held? Absolutely. Has he done enough to convince voters he should be there? To be determined.
If the rest of the favorites combine for a rather “meh” week overall, Hooker’s Heisman dreams could stay alive a little while longer.
USC QB Caleb Williams (+180)
Caleb Williams might be the best quarterback left standing. That’s especially hard to argue against after he went off against an strong UCLA team for 470 yards and two touchdowns passing and 33 yards and another score on the ground.
USC is all-in on the QB taking control of the Heisman race. The Trojans launched a full-scale campaign for Williams and it’s certainly eye-catching.
𝐇𝐞 𝐢𝐬… #HE13MAN ✌️https://t.co/yOQXcvDfyN pic.twitter.com/a5cR2gvGSg
— USC Football ✌️ (@uscfb) November 21, 2022
A down week for both Stroud and Corum may be all Williams needs to snatch the trophy away from the two Big Ten foes as USC faces Notre Dame on Saturday in another highly-anticipated matchup.
Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud (-178)
Week 11 Odds: +130
We’re still waiting on Stroud’s signature moment. The Heisman frontrunner seems to have made it this far based on his potential and an extraordinary cast of pass-catcher and so far that’s fine. But if he’s going to win out, he needs his defining highlight. It sure seems like wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. has the bulk of those for Ohio State this year.
Put another way: Taulia Tagovailoa was more impressive in Ohio State’s escape act against Maryland than Stroud was.
This is Stroud’s award to lose—but he still has to go out and win it.
