Heisman Trophy update: Best bets, biggest risers, more after Week 12

As the college football season nears its close, we have more movement at the top of the Heisman Trophy race due to another unfortunate injury. After last year’s winner, Bryce Young was all but removed from consideration after an early season shoulder injury, betting favorite Hendon Hooker is now also out of contention after tearing his ACL last week. 

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 12?

Updated Heisman Trophy Odds

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

The devastating injury to Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker has basically made this a two-player race. Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (-110) has vaulted into the top spot. The junior has 2,991 yards passing with 35 touchdowns and four interceptions on the season. 

However, he is coming off subpar outings in two of his last three games. He threw for just 76 yards on 10-of-26 passes against Northwestern and completed 18-of-30 passes last weekend with 241 yards and a touchdown in a win over Maryland. 

As we’ve said all season, his Heisman trophy candidacy will likely come down to this Saturday’s game against Michigan. If he puts up a strong showing against the number three team in the nation, it will all but assure him the trophy, but if he struggles again, that leaves the door open. 

As of now, the person most likely to take advantage of any opening is USC quarterback Caleb Williams (+100). The fact that Williams was at +1600 just two weeks ago tells you all you need to know about which position tends to win the Heisman trophy. 

Quarterbacks have won 16 of the past 20 Heisman trophies, including eight of the past 10, so even though Michigan running back Blake Corum (+1400) has had better odds than Williams for much of the last few weeks, Vegas knows he’s a major underdog. 

Corum’s chances were also hurt by his own injury last week when he suffered a scary-looking knee injury in the first half against Illinois. Corum was cleared to return in the second half, but took only one carry; yet, he still finished with 108 yards and a touchdown. 

Corum is top-five in the nation in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, and he, like Stroud, can make a case for himself against 2nd-ranked Ohio State. However, at this point, it seems like the best the running back can hope for is an invitation to New York. 

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