Each week this college football season, BetFTW will take a look at the 2023 Heisman Trophy race and break down the contenders. Check back every Tuesday as the best college football players in the country jockey for position with both oddsmakers and bettors. All odds via BetMGM. Past weeks here: Preseason, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5.
When Archie Griffin became the only player in college football history to win the Heisman in back-to-back seasons, the Ohio State running back actually saw his numbers decline a bit. In 1974, Griffin won the award with 1,695 yards and 12 touchdowns on 256 carries — good for 6.6 yards per attempt. A year later, he earned the trophy with 1,450 yards and four touchdowns on 262 carries (5.5 yards per rush).
If Caleb William is going to join Griffin among the sport’s most elite company, he won’t be following the same path. The USC quarterback won the award by passing for 4,537 yards, 42 touchdowns and five interceptions in 2022. Already this season, Williams has better completion percentage (74.5 percent) and a higher yards-per-completion percentage (11.4) than last year. He’s on track to topple his stats from last year and run away with the award.
Here are the other players who still stand in his way according to BetMGM.
10. Washington State QB Cameron Ward, North Carolina QB Drake Maye (+4000)
James Snook-USA TODAY
Odds Last Week:
- Cam Ward (+3500)
- Drake Maye (No Change)
Both Maye and Ward enjoyed bye weeks on Saturday and didn’t get a chance to improve their cases. They didn’t get to hurt them, either. North Carolina will be back in action against Syracuse at home while Wazzu travels to UCLA.
9. Miami (FL) QB Tyler Van Dyke (+3500)
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Odds Last Week:
- (+3300)
Van Dyke and Miami were also inactive in Week 5. The quarterback has 1,042, 11 touchdowns and one interceptions through four games. Up next is a conference home-opener against Georgia Tech.
8. Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman, Ohio State QB Kyle McCord (+3000)
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
Odds Last Week:
- Sam Hartman (+1600)
- Kyle McCord (+3500)
Sam Hartman did not have the most fun Saturday in Durham. The Notre Dame star completed just half of his 30 pass attempts for 222 yards and no scores. But he did lead the go-ahead drive on the road in primetime. And that kind of clutch performance will always matter to Heisman voters.
Let’s go win the game#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/oY2ID2PqhQ
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 3, 2023
7. LSU QB Jayden Daniels (+2500)
(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Odds Last Week:
- (+1800)
Since 2010, only one quarterback has won the Heisman despite his team taking more than three losses on the year. That was Lamar Jackson with 9-4 Louisville in 2016. Daniels already has two losses with LSU this season. The Tiger still have to Florida, No. 21 Missouri, No 11. Alabama and Texas A&M. The quarterback has his work cut out for him.
6. Oklahoma QB Dillion Gabriel, Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy (+2000)
(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Odds Last Week:
- Dillon Gabriel (No Change)
- J.J. McCarthy (+3500)
The Michigan QB has been stellar this season, but it also feels as though we haven’t quite seen him under pressure yet. The Wolverines have outscored opponents 172-30 and haven’t allowed more than seven points in a single game this season. They’ve also only played Nebraska, Rutgers, Bowling Green, UNLV and East Carolina. The pressure turns up soon with games at Michigan State, No. 6 Penn State and a home meeting with No. 4 Ohio State.
5. Florida State QB Jordan Travis (+1500)
Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Odds Last Week:
- (+1200)
Travis got to sit tight with a bye week on Saturday and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Florida State quarterback was already playing pretty banged up. Some rest should help his Heisman case moving forward. FSU takes on Virginia Tech in Week 6.
4. Oregon QB Bo Nix
Odds Last Week:
- (+1200)
How do you follow up a through dismantling of the Colorado Buffaloes? By thoroughly dismantling the Stanford Cardinal. Nix completed 27 of 32 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns in Palo Alto. His Heisman season is very, very real.
3. Texas QB Quinn Ewers (+700)
Odds Last Week:
- (+600)
Saturday should’ve been a matchup between two of the best quarterbacks in the Big 12. Alas, Kansas’ Jalon Daniels suffered a back injury the morning of the game and back-up Jason Bean was called on to start. The Jayhawks kept giving the Texas offense chances and Ewers kept making the most of them with 325 yards passing, three total touchdowns and one interception.
2. Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. (+450)
Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY
Odds Last Week:
- (+350)
Here’s how good of a season Penix is having: The QB passed for more than 360 yards for the fourth time this season and saw his Heisman odds drop because he didn’t score any touchdowns. Expect them to dip a bit more this week with Washington on a bye before hosting Oregon on Oct. 14.
1. USC QB Caleb Williams (+175)
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Odds Last Week:
- (+350)
Williams’ odds are now the best they’ve been at any point this season. Through five games last year, the USC star passed for 1,402 yards with 15 total touchdowns on one interception. Through five games in 2023, Williams has 1,603 yards passing, 24 total touchdowns and one interception.
Simply put: Williams is doing everything he has to do and more to impress the voters again.
Full Live Odds
AP Photo/Barry Reeger
