Heisman Trophy update: Best bets, biggest risers, more after Week 9

We’re nine weeks into the college football season, and we’re starting to see some real intrigue take shape in the Heisman Trophy race, including a shake-up at the top. 

Each week we’ll take a look at how the odds are shifting in the Heisman Trophy race to try to help you identify the best bets or the biggest odds movement that might be best to ignore. While one or two weeks might not be enough to persuade you to change your bet, it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the shifts in lines to see if it indicates value changes. 

So what are the odds after Week 9?

Updated Heisman Trophy Odds

Heisman Trophy odds courtesy of Draftkings Sportsbook. To view, click here

The big story this week is that Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (+100) has now jumped Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (+200) as the favorite for the Heisman Trophy. 

Headed into last week, Stroud’s odds were at -110, but we had mentioned that he hadn’t really played a good defense yet. Last Saturday he faced Penn State and got off to a slow start in a game that Ohio State was actually trailing in the 3rd quarter. Stroud would ultimately finish 26-for-33 for 354 yards and one touchdown, which was a solid overall but not the type of performance to match Hooker. 

Hooker emerged as a legit contender in the Heisman Trophy race when he led Tennessee to an upset over Alabama, and he now vaults to the top after a tremendous showing against 19th-ranked Kentucky. 

The senior completed 19-of-25 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns and then added another touchdown on the ground. Hooker now has 21 passing touchdowns to just one interception on the year while completing 71.2% of his passes and adding another four touchdowns on the ground.

His biggest challenge will come this weekend though when Tennessee does battle with the former number-one team in the nation, the Georgia Bulldogs. If you think Tennessee can pull off that upset, this week might be the last chance to bet on Hooker before his odds get out of control. 

The rest of the Heisman Trophy race seems like players on the outside looking in, with one of them simply hoping to get an invite to New York for the finals. USC quarterback Caleb Williams (+1400) has had a truly strong season but USC struggled last week with 3-5 Arizona and doesn’t have the strength of schedule that Tennessee has had. 

Michigan running back Blake Corum (+1400) helped his cause by rushing for 177 yards and a touchdown in a rout of Michigan State, but Corum’s Heisman candidacy will likely come down to Michigan’s November 26th showdown against Ohio State. Given how much the Heisman Trophy favors quarterbacks, Corum would need a huge game in a Michigan win in order for him to have any legitimate shot. 

It also seems like we can kiss goodbye the idea of a repeat for Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (+4000). The shoulder injury that caused him to miss a game earlier in the season certainly didn’t help, nor did Alabama’s loss, but Young has had a solid season that simply can’t match the video game numbers of Hooker and Stroud. 

For more college football coverage like this Heisman Trophy piece, visit amNY Sports