Heisman Trophy odds updated ahead of Week 9 of college football
As teams make their final push toward conference championships and the College Football Playoff, there appears to be some separation in the latest Heisman Trophy odds. Ahead of Week 9, there’s a new favorite once again, according to BetMGM.
Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy is now the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, unseating Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., who sits in second. Right behind them is LSU’s Jayden Daniels, while the player with the fourth-shortest odds is a bit farther behind.
The Heisman picture is sure to get clearer over the next few weeks with some ranked matchups and key conference games highlighting the schedule.
JJ McCarthy, QB, Michigan — +240
J.J. McCarthy has risen up the Heisman Trophy odds board since the beginning of the season. After Week 1, he was +1600 to win the award, and he’s now the favorite after Week 8.
McCarthy had a huge game last week for Michigan against rival Michigan State, completing 21 of 27 passes for 287 yards and four touchdowns as part of the 49-0 drubbing. His 78.1% completion percentage ranks second in the nation as the Wolverines head into the bye week before the schedule ramps up.
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington — +300
After emerging as the heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy last week, Michael Penix Jr. saw his odds dip after his struggles against Arizona State. He threw two interceptions and failed to throw a passing touchdown as Washington pulled off the 15-7 victory thanks to a late pick-six.
Penix is still a contender to make the trip to New York as a Heisman finalist, but he’ll need to bounce back if he wants to get back atop the board. Next up for the Huskies is a matchup against Stanford this week with three ranked teams looming afterward.
Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU — +325
After Week 2, Jayden Daniels was +3000 to win the Heisman Trophy. Now, ahead of Week 9, he has the third-shortest odds to win the award as he continues to put up impressive numbers at LSU.
The Tigers took a break from conference play by playing Army — a 49-0 victory at home. Heading into the bye week, Daniels leads the SEC with 321.6 passing yards per game and 25 touchdowns, which is 10 more than the quarterback behind him.
Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State — +900
At 7-0 overall and 5-0 in ACC play, Jordan Travis and Florida State are right in the thick of a race to the conference championship. The Seminoles took a big step to get there last week with a 38-20 victory over Duke, but it wasn’t easy.
Florida State trailed 20-17 with 3:46 to play in the third quarter, but Travis led three consecutive touchdown drives to get the victory. While there’s some distance between his odds and the top three, he’s still a contender for the Heisman Trophy with November right around the corner.
Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oklahoma — +1200
Dillon Gabriel jumped into the Heisman conversation after Oklahoma’s Red River Rivalry victory over Texas before the bye week. But the Sooners struggled last week against his former school, UCF, before eventually gutting out a win.
Gabriel went 25 of 38 for 253 yards and three touchdowns to help lead the Sooners offense. Next up is another opportunity to prove himself when Oklahoma takes on Kansas this week.
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon — +1600
Despite the loss to Washington earlier this month, Bo Nix still finds himself squarely in the Heisman conversation. He had another big game last week for Oregon against Washington State to keep his name in the mix.
Nix — the nation’s leader in completion percentage — went 18-for-25 for 293 yards and two touchdowns to help lead Oregon to the 38-24 victory last week. He’ll face a big test this week, though, as the Ducks take on a Utah team that just stymied Caleb Williams and USC for the second straight year.
Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State — +1800
Marvin Harrison Jr. was going to be one of the biggest keys for Ohio State last week against Penn State, and he lived up to the billing. “Maserati Marv” had a monster day to help lead the Buckeyes to the top-10 victory over the Nittany Lions to stay atop the Big Ten East and in the College Football Playoff hunt.
Harrison hauled in a career-high 11 receptions for 162 yards and an important touchdown to lead the Ohio State offense, which struggled throughout the game. The likely top-five NFL Draft pick will be able to show off his abilities in prime time this week as the Buckeyes head to Madison to take on Wisconsin.
Other Heisman Trophy contenders ahead of Week 9
Carson Beck, QB, Georgia — +3000
Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia — +3000
Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado — +5000
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina — +5000
Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas — +6600
Riley Leonard, QB, Duke — +8000
Now halfway through the season, it’s safe to say the odds board isn’t done shifting. That said, time might be running out for some candidates to make their case for a trip to New York for the Dec. 10 Heisman Trophy ceremony.