After an extended weekend of college football action that featured several sensational catches and some shock score lines spread from Thursday to Sunday, which Heisman Trophy contenders should you watch out for in Week 6, what are the latest Heisman odds, and how have the favorites been impacted by the ups and downs, highs and lows that was Week 5 of the college football season?
Heisman Trophy Odds Heading Into Week 6 of College Football
Let’s begin our journey into the latest Heisman Trophy odds in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where events have had a gargantuan impact on the favorites for college football’s greatest individual award. The all-SEC affair between Alabama and Arkansas was one of the biggest matchups of the weekend for several reasons, and the fallout from the Crimson Tide’s 49-26 annihilation of the Razorbacks has the potential to have significant repercussions.
Bryce Young had to watch from the sidelines for the most part of this game, with an injury sustained to his throwing shoulder casting doubt on his chances of landing the Heisman Trophy while potentially reducing his chances at being the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. Young had gone 7 of 13 for 173 yards with a touchdown and an interception before landing awkwardly at the end of a scramble, injuring his shoulder in the process.
Although the long-term prognosis seems positive, with the injury being described as “day-to-day” and “not serious,” DraftKings Sportsbook lengthened Young’s odds of being a repeat Heisman Trophy winner to +800 from the +350 that they’d been heading into college football Week 5. As other quarterbacks strengthened their Heisman Trophy résumé, Young had to watch as his teammates elevated Alabama over a potential Razorback hurdle.
[bet-promo id=”149453″ ]One of those teammates was Jahmyr Gibbs. The former Georgia Tech RB had the best game of his Alabama career, emerging at the forefront of the Crimson Tide offense. The junior playmaker ran the rock 18 times, averaging 11.4 yards per carry on his way to 206 rushing yards. Gibbs’ 72-yard and 76-yard touchdown runs broke the (Razor)back of an Arkansas comeback attempt.
The Alabama running back was practically unstoppable with his combination of speed, strength, and elusiveness. Gibbs also produced a block that an offensive lineman would have been proud of that helped spring an Alabama TD, showcasing another element of his game that should endear him to NFL teams in April.
His remarkable display prompted DraftKings Sportsbook to drop his Heisman Trophy odds substantially. Gibbs is currently +2000 to become the first RB to lift the award since former Alabama rusher Derrick Henry. Other Alabama odds from DraftKings include Will Anderson Jr. (+4000) and Jase McClellan (+15000). Meanwhile, Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson is +12000 after struggling against the Crimson Tide.
Other Quarterback Contenders Rising to the Fore Following Week 5
While Young had to sit and watch his Heisman Trophy odds lengthen, several other QB contenders had performances that put them into prime consideration.
Following his transfer to USC from Oklahoma, Caleb Williams has been comfortably one of the top quarterbacks in college football every week. The Trojans continued their cruise through the conference with Williams throwing for 348 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-25 win over Arizona State. The second-year QB is now the second favorite for the Heisman Trophy, with odds of +500 from DraftKings.
If you’re searching for the definition of a Heisman Trophy moment, how about Max Duggan tearing apart Oklahoma for a still unbeaten TCU team? Duggan was imperious as the Horned Frogs routed the Sooners and put themselves in the Big 12 driving seat. Both program and player are ascending under former SMU head coach Sonny Dykes, and Duggan threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns while adding two rushing scores and 116 yards on the ground.
DraftKings cut the TCU quarterback’s Heisman Trophy odds to +7000 in the wake of his impressive showing against the Sooners. Meanwhile, his opposing QB on Saturday — Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel — had started the weekend as one of the oddsmakers’ favorites but was taken out of the game following a hit to the head. Gabriel had completed less than half his passes prior to the incident and no longer features as an option on the DraftKings site.
An all-Pac-12 matchup on Friday night had legitimate Heisman Trophy permutations as Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson faced off in an all-undefeated clash. Despite throwing for 345 yards and four touchdowns, Penix saw his odds lengthen to +6000 after Washington’s 40-32 defeat. With an impressive performance that saw him total 368 yards and four scores, including some eye-popping athletic prowess, Thompson-Robinson now has odds of +3500 to lift the Heisman Trophy.
What to Watch for in Week 6 of the College Football Season
One of the key beneficiaries of this week’s action was Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker. While on a bye week, the ascending NFL draft prospect could only watch as Heisman Trophy contenders removed themselves, resulting in his odds being cut to +1200 as the fourth favorite. Hooker and Tennessee face 25th-ranked LSU in one of the more exciting games of the noon slate in college football Week 6.
That game, however, pales into insignificance compared to TCU’s trip to Lawrence to face Kansas in front of the “College GameDay” cameras. The game has the potential to decide the destination of the Big 12 title, with both teams remarkably undefeated as one of the surprises of the season. Duggan and his Horned Frogs team face a Jayhawks team led by Jalon Daniels who currently has odds of +2800 to lift the Heisman Trophy in December.
Current Heisman Trophy favorite C.J. Stroud saw his odds lengthen slightly in the wake of a performance that fell a little short of expectation against Rutgers. He’ll have the opportunity to solidify his standing against a Michigan State defense that he carved up to the tune of 432 yards and six touchdowns a year ago.
The Buckeyes’ offense has a number of contenders with Miyan Williams (+3500), TreVeyon Henderson (+10000), Jaxon Smith-Njigba (+20000), and Marvin Harrison Jr. (+20000) all with odds from DraftKings.
While the Heisman Trophy is a quarterback-orientated affair, there are several RB contenders to watch for in college football Week 6. Blake Corum (+1800) is the leading non-QB contender as per DraftKings Sportsbook following another impressive, multi-touchdown performance against a strong Iowa defense. Other leading RB contenders include Bijan Robinson (+8000) who faces Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry and Deuce Vaughn (+6000) whose Kansas State team travels to Iowa State in a massive game.
Current Heisman Trophy Odds
- C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State +160
- Caleb Williams, QB, USC +500
- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama +800
- Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee +1200
- Blake Corum, RB, Michigan +1800
- Stetson Bennett, QB, Georgia +1800
- Adrian Martinez, QB, Kansas State +1800
- Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama +2000
- Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas +2800
- DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Clemson +3000