The college football rankings saw some shakeups after a big weekend of upsets, and so did the Heisman Trophy race. The biggest game of the weekend saw the Tennessee Volunteers beat Alabama, 52-49, on a last-second field goal.
The scene in Knoxville was wild as fans stormed the field after beating the vaunted Crimson Tide in this century-old rivalry. Tennessee stormed up the rankings from No. 6 to No. 3, and Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker stormed up to the No. 2 spot among the 2022 Heisman Trophy favorites, according to the Fanduel.com sportsbook website. Hooker wasn’t even among the top 15 in the preseason list.
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Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was the preseason favorite to win this year’s Heisman Trophy, is still the current favorite. Stroud finished fourth in last year’s voting.
Of the top 16 frontrunners after seven weeks of college football, 14 of them are quarterbacks and the other two are running backs.
Here are the top eight current favorites with their odds to win the Heisman Trophy by season’s end, according to Fan Duel. (Note: a $100 bet would win $200 for +200 odds, and $2,500 for +2500 odds, etc.)
+200 — C.J. Stroud (QB, Ohio State)
+550 — Hendon Hooker (QB, Tennessee)
+900 — Caleb Williams (QB, USC)
+1200 — Blake Corum (RB, Michigan)
+2000 — Bryce Young (QB, Alabama)
+2500 — DJ Uiagalelei (QB, Clemson)
+2500 — Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Alabama)
+2500 — Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB, UCLA)
Young from Alabama, who won the trophy in the 2021 season, was in second before the Tennessee game Saturday.
Impact games this week
Iowa at No. 2 Ohio State
The Buckeyes have won all of its games by double digits this year and should do the same against an Iowa team that’s 1-2 in the Big Ten. Stroud could shred the Hawkeyes defense.
No. 14 Syracuse at No. 5 Clemson
This is a chance for Uiagalelei to put up big numbers against a top-15 team. Otherwise, his stock could possibly drop with a bad game or a loss.
No. 9 UCLA at No. 10 Oregon
A top-10 win could thrust Thompson-Robinson into the top five if he has a road win in Eugene and perhaps a signature moment. It’s an afternoon game, which will also give him more visibility across the nation and, more importantly, to Heisman voters.
No. 24 Mississippi State at No. 6 Alabama
This is a bounce back for Bryce Young. Although he didn’t have a bad game against Tennessee last week, he didn’t get the win in a game that was heavily watched. Young will get plenty of more marquee games this season, and it starts Saturday at home.
No. 17 Kansas State at No. 8 TCU
TCU quarterback Max Duggan has the Horned Frogs in the top 10. A big game before a national audience could elevate his status in the Heisman race. Duggan’s odds to win it right now are +5000, which is 15th heading into the week.
Who does Tennessee and Hendon Hooker play? The Vols host UT-Martin, which should be a breather after a tough SEC stretch.
The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Voting is comprised of 870 media members spread across six geographic regions, 58 living Heisman winners and one vote from a collective fan vote.
Heisman voters get to choose their top three candidates (in order) for the most-coveted individual trophy in college football.
Heisman Trophy finalists for 2022 will be named on Dec. 5, which is the same day as the voting deadline. The ceremony will take place Saturday, Dec. 10 when the winner is announced.
Note: Newsweek deputy editor Scott McDonald is a voting member with the Heisman Trust, and the current odds do not necessarily reflect how he will vote at the end of the season.
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