Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into Week 6
Heisman Watch: Ranking the Top 5 Heisman Odds Candidates Heading into Week 6
We're really kicking into gear when it comes to the 2022 Heisman Watch. We're only about halfway through the season, but we can already see how it's playing out.
Right now, it's CJ Stroud's Heisman Trophy to lose, but there is plenty of time for others to make up ground. However, to this point, Stroud is the only favorite that hasn't blinked yet.
Still, we have some shuffling on this week's Heisman Watch list as we welcome our first ever running back to the 2022 Heisman Watch list.
Sure, weekly college football picks and betting is fun, but there is a ton of value on weekly Heisman odds with lots of money to make if you can correctly predict the movement on the board. So, let's take a look at the Heisman odds as we head into Week 6.
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Heisman Watch: Top 5 Heisman Odds
1. CJ Stroud - Ohio State QB (+160) (Bet $100 to win $160)
It's pretty unsurprising that we have no change atop the Heisman Watch list this week. Last week, Ohio State QB CJ Stroud was the favorite to win the award, taking the top spot on our list at +160. This week, he has the exact same odds and still occupies the top spot. Here's the thing. While Stroud has been good this year, his massive lead in the Heisman odds department is more a product of a lack of competition than it is a reflection of his strong play. Stroud hasn't done a ton to impress and he hasn't had a big signature win or Heisman performance. But, neither has anyone else and Stroud came into the year as the favorite, so why would he be replaced? This week, the Buckeyes take on Michigan State. Usually, a big performance against the Spartans would be a defining moment. But, Michigan State is bad this year and their defense is one of the worst in the country. So, expect big numbers from Stroud this week but I'm not sure it will help his Heisman odds.
2. Caleb Williams - USC QB (+700) (Bet $100 to win $700)
The Heisman odds stay the same for Caleb Williams, but he finds himself leapfrogging Bryce Young into the No. 2 spot in this week's Heisman Watch list. Last week, Williams tore apart the Arizona State defense, but so has every QB that has faced them, so it did little to improve his Heisman chances. However, this week's game against Washington State could go a long way to improving Williams' Heisman chances. If Williams guts a 4-1 Washington State team and get a win, I think we see his odds almost cut in half, depending on his numbers. But, a performance like the one he put up earlier in the year against Oregon State could end with Williams' Heisman odds growing longer than the +800 mark at which they started the year. It's a "Heisman Moment" week for Williams, and if he expects to keep up with guys like Hendon Hooker and Adrian Martinez, who are making a move up the board, it has to start this week.
3. Bryce Young - Alabama QB (+1000) (Bet $100 to win $1,000)
Man, the 2022 college football season has not been kind to the Alabama Crimson Tide's QB and his Heisman chances and place on the Heisman Watch list. Sure, Bama is unbeaten and the No. 1 team in the country, but Young has been less than impressive so far. A lot of that has to do with his lack of weapons compared to other years, but going 7-for-13 for 173 yards with a TD and an INT in your team's biggest test of the season to this point, and getting injured while doing so, hurts. Luckily for Young, he has another shot to impress this week against Texas A&M. A standout performance this week brings him right back into the fold, but will he even play? His status is still up in the air, but Young's Heisman odds started the season at +450 and have more than doubled to this point. I still have faith Young will pull it all together, he's the defending Heisman winner after all, but I think I like Jahmyr Gibbs' Heisman odds better than Young's right now.
4. Hendon Hooker - Tennessee QB (+1400) (Bet $100 to win $1,400)
Tennessee was off last week, but Hooker is still riding high off his legendary performance against Florida two weeks ago. These next few weeks will tell us everything we need to know about Hendon Hooker and his place on the Heisman Watch list. This week, it's No .25 LSU for the Vols. Next week, it's No. 1 Bama. Most likely, the QB of the loser of Bama vs. Tennessee will be out of the Heisman running. We saw it happen last year with Matt Corral when he lost to Bama. I think this year's Hooker vs. Young matchup is the exact same. But, it's important that Hooker and the Vols don't overlook LSU because a loss this week would kill his Heisman odds as well. Still, it's impossible to not be impressed with what Tennessee has done to this point in the season. A lot of credit goes to head coach Josh Heupel, but just as much, if not more, goes to Hooker and his performance so far.
5. Blake Corum - Michigan RB (+2000) (Bet $100 to win $2,000)
We FINALLY have a player other than a QB on our Heisman Watch list. All season, with the exception of preseason, this Heisman Watch list has been all QBs. But, Michigan's Blake Corum has changed that going into Week 6. Corum has been fantastic this year, leading a Michigan team with uncertainties at QB to an unbeaten mark so far. Corum has 611 yards on 93 rushes, good for 6.6 yards per carry. Oh, and he's scored an insane 10 TDs already this year. This week's matchup against Indiana is less than exciting. But, next week, the Wolverines travel to Happy Valley to take on fellow unbeaten Penn State. I question whether or not Corum can impact games enough to win the Heisman or move up the Heisman Watch list, but he's done enough already to make it into the top 5. Personally, I think Kansas State QB Adrian Martinez has a better shot to win the award than Corum, but the sportsbooks don't seem to agree.