The Heisman Trophy is the biggest award a college football player can get. Since 1935, when University of Chicago back Jay Berwanger took the award, the excitement surrounding it has only grown.
So, to help with your college football betting, we take a look at those who might be in the running for this year’s Heisman that will be awarded on Dec. 10.
Heisman Trophy 2022 Odds
| Player | School | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| C.J. Stroud | Ohio State | +180 |
| Hendon Hooker | Tennessee | +280 |
| Caleb Williams | USC | +700 |
| Blake Corum | Michigan | +750 |
| Bo Nix | Oregon | +800 |
| Drake Maye | North Carolina | +1200 |
| Stetson Bennett | Georgia | +1600 |
| Jayden Daniels | LSU | +2000 |
| Bryce Young | Alabama | +3000 |
| Max Duggan | Texas Christian | +4000 |
| Dorian Thompson-Robinson | UCLA | +5000 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | Alabama | +8000 |
| Bijan Robinson | Texas | +10000 |
| Chase Brown | Illinois | +10000 |
| Jalin Hyatt | Tennessee | +10000 |
Odds from BetMGM Sportsbook.
Heisman Prediction: This year’s Heisman Trophy will go to Bryce Young. Read on to find out why!
Who are the Heisman Trophy Candidates for 2022?
The 2022 Heisman Trophy candidates are quite a few. Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman winner may be in a bit of trouble. Young leads Alabama’s offense but the defense has just not done quite enough in losses to Tennessee and LSU. The signal-caller has delivered the good but the defense yielded 52 points to Tennessee and 32 more to LSU.
Alabama and Young will need a little help this November. He is not among the Top 5 candidates to win the award. For the Crimson Tide quarterback to have any chance, Alabama will need to get to the SEC Championship game and win it. There is little to no margin of error now for Young.
Nick Saban has mentioned this a few times but “there is only one Bryce Young”. The Alabama coach means every word of it.
Young enjoyed that great game against Tennessee and was 35-of-52 for 455 yards and two touchdowns. The Crimson Tide lost, but Young was terrific. Against LSU, the quarterback completed just 25 of 51 passes for 328 yards with a touchdown and interception. That will not impress Heisman voters.
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud from Ohio State is still the slight Heisman favorite among bookmakers currently. Some are mildly concerned about this performance against Northwestern in the wind on Saturday. The Buckeyes’ quarterback will get his chances to pad those numbers. Also, Stroud benefits from playing for a team that is a runaway favorite to win its conference and not lose until after the 2022 Heisman is awarded.
C.J. Stroud asked about the game and he said “from my perspective, we won.” He said Rutgers’ main goal was to stop the pass. — From Patrick Murphy
Currently, no team in the Big Ten seems to be a threat to Ohio State. When it comes to odds, the Buckeyes are expected to easily win their conference (-380 currently). USA Today Sports had them the most likely to make the college football playoff which means probably no losses. No losses in the Heisman picture will certainly help his chances. Stroud will get to use that arm more often. Sometimes being smart is good when trying to win the Heisman. If Stroud wins, he would be the eighth Ohio State player to win the Heisman Trophy, which would be the most ever by a school.
Among other SEC quarterbacks, Hendon Hooker from Tennessee took a slight hit to his candidacy for the Heisman Trophy against Georgia on Saturday. He was 23-of-33 for 195 yards, no touchdowns and one interception in the 27-13 loss. Hooker led the Volunteers to a 52-49 win against hated rival Alabama with five touchdown passes. That kept Tennessee undefeated. More importantly, the quarterback uses his offensive line brilliantly, finds open receivers, and has 21 combined touchdowns already (21 passing, four rushing). The transfer portal was kind to the former Virginia Tech signal-caller.
Hooker threw for nearly 3,000 yards last season and the senior is already over 2,500 yards in 2022. Behind an excellent Volunteers offensive line and the work of offensive coordinator Alex Golesh. Golesh has helped unleash Tennessee’s offense and has been a huge asset to every coaching staff since his days at Ohio State. Hooker could get another crack at the Bulldogs if Tennessee makes the college football playoff.
SEC QBs not named Bennett or Young
| Player | School | QBR |
|---|---|---|
| Hendon Hooker | Tennessee | 89.1 |
| Jayden Daniels | LSU | 80.8 |
| Jaxson Dart | Ole Miss | 78.7 |
| KJ Jefferson | Arkansas | 75.5 |
| Anthony Richardson | Florida | 71.5 |
| Will Rogers | Mississippi State | 66.8 |
| Will Levis | Kentucky | 60.9 |
| Brady Cook | Missouri | 57.4 |
| A.J. Swann | Vanderbilt | 55.0 |
Caleb Williams leads the USC Fighting Trojans’ attack after coming off the transfer portal, following former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley to Los Angeles. Williams and Riley formed quite a pair as USC has gotten off to a nice start. He might not have had the greatest game against Oregon State but Caleb Williams had 318 yards and five touchdowns in the loss to Utah and a game versus UCLA to come.
“He was going to get it done”. That is how much USC trusts Caleb Williams no matter what the score is. From Trevor Moore of 247sports.com
The key for Williams is he does not make mistakes often. USC will have opportunities to allow the quarterback to pad his numbers. He stands in the Top 5 in most Heisman Trophy odds. In order to win, Caleb Williams will likely need that win at the Rose Bowl in November. Williams will then need Oregon and Bo Nix to lose once. USC must win the PAC-12 for the signal-caller to have any shot.
Who is in the Lead for the 2022 Heisman Trophy?
C.J. Stroud, from the Ohio State Buckeyes, leads the Heisman Trophy race. His numbers peg him as at +200 on DraftKings. Ohio State may be the most likely team to go undefeated up until the college football playoff. The most visible player in Ohio State’s offense should have some more opportunities to pad his lead during the rest of November.
Stroud benefits from one of the best offensive lines in the nation. It also does not hurt that the Ohio State offense is so balanced. That makes the quarterback’s life quite a bit easier. Staying in the 2022 Heisman race involves production, exposure, and results. So far, so good for the Ohio State junior.
Also, Stroud is putting up some incredible early numbers which get noticed fast. He has 28 touchdowns and four interceptions. Stroud has thrown four or more touchdowns five times. He remains on pace to throw for potentially 40+ touchdowns in 2022. Stroud leads the odds in the quest to win the Heisman Trophy.
Who are some other names to watch out for in the Heisman race?
Here comes Stetson Bennett IV. In a way, one could see this coming. The Georgia quarterback just plays well when the times matter the most. Against Tennessee, Bennett produced 257 yards passing and two touchdowns. The Bulldog signal-called added a 13-yard touchdown run. He is quietly up to 2,606 passing yards on the season and 17 total touchdowns. Georgia’s next big test will be the SEC Championship.
Jayden Daniels from LSU is on his way up, too. Daniels still has less than 2,000 passing yards but he has 19 touchdowns through the air and then ten more via the ground. The quarterback is on pace for more than 800 rushing yards. If LSU can keep winning, the Tigers and Daniels could get a Heisman shot against Georgia next month.
Michigan Wolverines running back Blake Corum has racked up nearly 1,200 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. The only bad news is the last winner of the Heisman from the running back position was Derrick Henry from Alabama in 2015. Heisman voters tend to look more toward quarterbacks. Corum should be able to add to his numbers against the likes of Nebraska and Illinois. Ohio State on the fourth Saturday in November is the defining game.
For someone making college football picks, TCU’s Max Duggan is an interesting possibility in the Heisman odds. The senior quarterback has guided the Horned Frogs to a 9-0 start. He has tossed 24 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Duggan has also run for 282 yards and four more scores. TCU has a real shot to run the table but Texas might have something to say about that on Saturday. That could be where Duggan makes a case with a Heisman moment. Duggan has taken his shots. It seems hard to believe the quarterback was not even the starter from Game 1.
UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson still has a chance. The run against Washington was one of those moments that even got many pundits’ attention. Saturday he racked up four more scores against Arizona State in a wild 50-36 affair. Thompson-Robinson’s arm and legs helped the Bruins get off to a good start. If UCLA and its offensive line can bounce back, the quarterback can stay in the Heisman mix. Playing at the Rose Bowl helps and the USC game will make or break his Heismann odds … err, fate.
Bo Nix from Oregon is our big riser in the rankings. The Oregon quarterback laid an egg against Georgia as did the entire Ducks team. However, Oregon and Nix have bounced back with a vengeance. Bo Nix makes it to New York City if the Ducks run the table. Oregon showed its mettle against UCLA and keeps rolling. It still might have to play USC. Nix has 22 touchdowns through the air, 13 more on the ground, and almost 3,000 yards from scrimmage.
The 2022 college football season has one more candidate from USA Today sports. How about Chase Brown from Illinois? He has 1,344 rushing yards on just 257 carries. The one thing that hurts him is the mere five touchdowns. Brown does have three more touchdowns receiving but will need a huge game against Michigan to buoy his hopes.
Are there any more under-the-radar options for the 2022 Heisman?
This is always a question because inevitably, there are players who just fall under the radar so far for a variety of reasons. One of them is the spotlight cast on the SEC for better or for worse. Then there are the other conferences that make up the “Power Five”. Usually, they are battling for supremacy even for this award.
For all the talk about wide receivers like Smith Njigba, Tennessee has one that has gone far under the radar. Jalin Hyatt is creeping into the Top 10s of a lot of watch lists. This is for good reason. He might have only 40 catches but the Volunteers’ pass-catcher has 12 touchdowns and over 800 yards. Hyatt was held to 63 yards receiving against Georgia, but still has a couple more games to go.
Though Michael Penix Jr. of Washington is on the fringe of the race, he still has 23 touchdowns and five interceptions. The junior even has the chance to go up against a formidable Oregon team in Eugene. With more than 3,200 passing yards, he may be down but not out yet.
North Carolina’s Drake Maye has 31 touchdowns and just three interceptions but might as well be playing for N.C. State or South Carolina at this point. The Tar Heels just do not win games convincingly enough. Maye needs huge performances against Wake Forest and North Carolina State.
Who needs help to get back in the Heisman mix?
Bijan Robinson, the Texas running back, is another name that likely needs a helping hand if he wants to get back into the Heisman conversation. Robinson has 1,129 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns but Texas needs a signature moment or two. So does the junior at this point. The Longhorns are a team that often can muck up 3-4 losses by themselves. See the loss to Texas Tech as evidence. Robinson ran for more than 200 against Kansas State and needs a few more touchdowns and yards versus TCU on Saturday.
Jahmyr Gibbs had a few big weeks which helped the Alabama running back hop into the Heisman conversation. However, a second Crimson Tide loss might have derailed his hopes. Alabama will need to run the table and then get help from teams facing LSU and even Mississippi State. If Gibbs can get one more shot via the conference championship, that may help him and Bryce Young at the same time.
Who has fallen too far out of 2022 Heisman Contention?
Though Michael Penix Jr. of Washington is on the fringe of the race, he still has 23 touchdowns and five interceptions. The junior even has the chance to go up against a formidable Oregon team in Eugene. With more than 3,200 passing yards, he may be down but not out yet. Washington needs to keep winning but some believe the hill is too high to climb for Penix Jr.
A persistent hamstring injury has likely knocked the aforementioned Jaxon Smith-Njigba and TreVeyon Henderson for Ohio State is finished because of injury also. Even Miyan Williams has talent but is too wildly inconsistent. Williams is likely too far back to make that substantial of a surge.
Sam Hartman of Wake Forest probably should not be in this spot but Wake Forest’s defense is too much of an adventure for even him to overcome. The Demon Deacons’ quarterback has cracked with six interceptions in the previous two weeks in losses to Louisville and North Carolina State. It is unfortunate but Hartman wilted under the pressure.
The Heisman Trophy and the “repeating” issue
There will always be issues when it comes to voting. However, a big one to consider might be a junior repeating as Heisman winner. Yes, we are talking about Bryce Young once more. The Heisman Trophy winner from 2021 is under the microscope from every angle imaginable. In college football circles and beyond, Alabama is synonymous with the national spotlight for better or for worse.
Nick Saban and his staff have Bryce Young well insulated with enough in the way of playmakers but it is up to the junior to take advantage of his opportunities. Even then, will that be enough? That is a great question. Bryce Young does not need to be flamboyant like Johnny Manziel or throw 60 touchdowns (see Joe Burrow). This might all boil down to a possible SEC Championship, but it may be decided already. No one truly knows.
Who won the Heisman Trophy in 2021?
Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy in 2021. The quarterback from Alabama won the award last season over Aidan Hutchinson and Kenny Pickett. Young amassed 684 out of a possible 875 first-place votes.
He became the second Alabama player in a row to win the award after Devonta Smith won in 2020. Young completed 66.9% of his passes last season and threw 47 touchdowns compared to only seven interceptions.
FAQ
Has anyone won the Heisman more than once?
Yes, Ohio State Buckeye Archie Griffin won the Heisman Trophy in back-to-back years. The running back won the award as a junior in 1974 and a senior in 1975. He is the lone college player to win the Heisman twice.
Has any player been a finalist more than twice?
Yes, in the modern era, Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma was a finalist in 2015 and 2016. This is before finally winning the Heisman in 2017. Tim Tebow of Florida was also a three-time finalist, in 2007, 2008 and 2009. He won in 2007.
How many Heisman winners have gone No. 1 in the NFL Draft?
There have been 87 players selected first in the draft but only 21 Heisman Trophy winners have topped the draft board. The first one was Jay Berwanger, the first Heisman winner, by the Philadelphi Eagles. The last one was Joe Burrow by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020.
Which college has won the most Heisman Trophy Awards?
Three schools are tied: Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma have had seven winners. USC would be in this group had Reggie Bush not been stripped of his 2005 win. Alabama players have four trophies in all. A total of six schools have won college football’s most prestigious individual award three times: Army, Florida State, Nebraska, Michigan, Florida, and Auburn.
When is the Heisman Trophy Ceremony?
The Heisman Trophy ceremony takes place on Dec. 10 at the Downtown Athletic Club in Lower Manhattan. The top four finalists are announced on Dec. 5. The awards show for the most outstanding college player starts at 8 p.m. ET.
Who was the first Heisman Trophy winner?
The first award — initially named the DAC Trophy for the Downtown Athletic Club — was presented on Dec. 9, 1935 to Jay Berwanger. Berwanger was a triple threat back and legendary “one-man-gang” who played for the University of Chicago.
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