College Football Heisman Odds

After capping a spectacular 2016 campaign with a stunning 453-yard passing performance in USC’s 52-49 upset win over the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Rose Bowl, Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold has emerged as a +250 favorite to win the 2017 Heisman Trophy.

The 19-year-old proved to be the dominant force behind the Trojans’ nine-game winning streak down the stretch after taking over the reins from Max Browne, who led USC to just one win in its first three outings of 2016.

Darnold failed to throw a scoring pass in his first college football start, a 31-27 loss at Utah, but soon found his groove, throwing for 29 touchdowns against nine interceptions during the Trojans’ nine-game tear, while also running for a pair of scores and powering USC to three outright victories as heavy betting underdogs.

The Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year has plenty of company at the top of the odds, with Louisville passer Lamar Jackson (+750) and Alabama rusher Bo Scarbrough close behind at +1200.

Jackson kept the Cardinals in College Football Playoff contention for most of his sophomore campaign, throwing four or more scoring passes on four occasions and running for 19 total scores while leading the squad to a 9-1 start. However, the 20-year-old was unable to rescue Louisville from a three-game slide down the stretch, mustering a meagre 153 passing yards in a 29-9 Citrus Bowl loss to LSU.

Scarbrough played a key role in the Crimson Tide’s march to a return date in the national championship game, running for 180 yards and a pair of scores in Alabama’s 24-7 Peach Bowl win, and tallied 11 touchdown runs on just 125 touches last season.

Hurts, Barrett Also Among Heisman Contenders

Much is expected from quarterback Jalen Hurts (+900) in 2017 after he guided the Crimson Tide to an undefeated season until they fell 35-31 to the Clemson Tigers in the championship game.

Hurts threw for 23 scores against nine picks and ran for 13 touchdowns as a freshman, and  is joined by Ohio State pivot JT Barrett at +800 on the Heisman Trophy odds. Barrett returns to the Buckeyes for his senior year after throwing for 2555 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2016.

Beyond the favorites on the Heisman Trophy odds, Washington Huskies passer Jake Browning (+1200) is being closely followed by Nittany Lions rusher Saquon Barkley (+1400) and Florida State pivot Deondre Francois at +1400. Meanwhile three players sport +1600 odds, including Oklahoma State Cowboys quarterback Mason Rudolph, LSU rusher Derrius Grice, and Georgia Bulldogs running back Nick Chubb.