Each week this college football season, BetFTW will take a look at the 2024 Heisman Trophy race and break down the contenders. Check back every week as the best college football players in the country jockey for position with both oddsmakers and bettors. All odds via BetMGM.
Quinn Ewers’ reign as Heisman Trophy favorite lasted all of six days. On the seventh, he saw his odds overtaken by his backup’s.
The abdomen injury to Texas’ starting quarterback altered the Heisman race in a way oddsmakers were certainly prepared for, even if no one else was. In the immediate aftermath of Ewers’ injury, it became clear Arch Manning is the biggest threat to his campaign. Not because Manning out-played Ewers, but because Manning’s own success devalued Ewers’ season stats a bit.
Voters will have to consider if Ewers is the best player in the country despite his backup stepping in without any offensive decline. But that’s looking too far ahead.
Ewers is out again in Week 4 and his odds are currently off the board at BetMGM. That doesn’t mean Manning — who now has the sixth-best odds — is worth betting. In fact, the only thing his odds indicate for sure is that books are limiting their liability after taking bets on the QB when he was 150-1 before last Saturday.
The larger issue for both is that no Heisman winner since 2000 has started less than 12 regular season games. Ewers won’t reach that mark. Manning certainly won’t.
That’s not to say Ewers couldn’t jump back into the race if he returns after one week and continues putting up silly numbers. But Texas doesn’t have much incentive to rush Ewers back for a Week 5 against a shoddy Mississippi State team — especially considering the Longhorns get a bye after facing the Bulldogs to prep for the Red River Rivalry in Week 7.
In the meantime, this is Cam Ward’s time to seize control of the Heisman narrative.
Let’s dig into the 10-best odds ahead of Week 4.
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds:
If you believe in Jackson Arnold and Oklahoma, this is probably the time to put your money down. The Sooners are touchdown underdogs at home for the first time in about 25 years. Tennessee comes in with all the momentum and a quarterback in Nico Iamaleava who holds much shorter odds. Expect the odds for Arnold and Iamaleava to flip if OU pulls off the upset.
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Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
Kansas State’s dual-threat QB is starting to live up to all the offseason hype after a slow-ish start. The Wildcats’ takedown of a ranked Arizona team last Friday was exactly the type of game Johnson needed to shut up his haters — 156 yards passing with two touchdowns and 110 yards rushing. A matchup at 3-0 BYU this Saturday is another great opportunity for Johnson to continue showing off against a strong opponent.
Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
If this award were simply for the most electric player in college football, Hunter might be the heavy favorite. It’s impossible to take your eyes off him. And considering he almost never comes off the field, that’s an exhausting task in itself. Now imagine trying to stop him.
On the receiving end, Hunter posted 13 catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3 win against Colorado State.
Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News-USA TODAY Sports
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
Ohio State hasn’t been challenged yet this season and likely won’t be at home against Marshall this week. Howard’s odds will likely remain short until the Buckeyes play stronger opponents, especially if he continues padding his stats.
Moss, however, can make a massive splash this week if he tears up Michigan at the Big House — something that feels extremely possible with USC a 5.5-point favorite on the road.
Jeanty doesn’t have the brand name team behind him, but his numbers are staggering: 45 carries, 459 yards and nine touchdowns. In two (2!) games. The fact he’s the only running back in the top 10 should tell you all you need to know about his season.
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
Get your bets in now — for 2025.
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
The Georgia QB saw his odds tumble slightly after the Bulldogs found themselves in a tight battle with Kentucky yet again. This is very much a “buy the dip” spot if you believe the quarterback for arguably the best team in the country is a shoo-in to find himself in New York this December. This is as long as Beck’s odds have been since the end of last season.
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
Dillon Gabriel and the Oregon offense are starting to wake up. It certainly felt like it was just matter of time. Week 3 against Oregon State was easily his best performance yet. Gabriel went 20-for-24 passing with 291 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for another 64 yards and a score. All on the road against a bitter rival.
Let’s see if that carries over next week at UCLA after a bye on Saturday.
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
We mentioned Oklahoma’s quarterback has an opportunity to assert himself against Tennessee on Saturday, but no one has more to gain in Week 3 than Nico Iamaleava. A victory in Norman could make him the outright favorite and cement the Vols as legitimate title contenders.
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
Jaxson Dart is doing everything you want to see of someone in his position: putting up silly numbers against bad teams that will make you look even better at the end of the year.
So far that means 1,172 yards, eight touchdowns and one pick in three games with another three scores on the ground. He’ll keep adding to that tally against Georgia Southern on Saturday.
(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)
Odds Last Week (Opening Odds)
It’s hard to find a better transfer portal QB success story through three weeks than Ward (though Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke comes close). The Hurricanes star has 1,035 yards, 11 touchdowns and one interception.
Now to find out if the third odds-on favorite of the season can hang onto the spot for longer than a week.
