We’ll be talking about a beer can on the field between the Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs for some time. But the fact of the matter remains: Cam Ward impressed voters in a marquee noon matchup that improved his Miami Hurricanes team to 7-0 way before the action in Austin.
As such, Ward closed the gap atop the latest Heisman Odds, surpassing Dillon Gabriel to make it what appears to be a three-player race to New York.
Ashton Jeanty Heisman Odds: +220 (was +160)
Jeanty was off in Week 8, but his odds still shifted a bit. However, it wasn’t a monumental shift if you’re looking to back the Broncos running back, and you’ve probably got a better ticket price had you grabbed some Jeanty shares a while back.
Back in Week 7, Jeanty once again proved why he was the leader in the clubhouse at this time for the Heisman.
It wasn’t quite the performance we’d become accustomed to for Jeanty, but that’s because his torrid 5-game start was certainly unsustainable, even for Jeanty. Still, it’s amazing that we’re talking about a performance that saw Jeanty tote the rock 31 times for 217 yards and a touchdown as ‘not up to standard’ because that’s just how amazing he’s been this year.
For the season, Jeanty now rushed for 1,248 yards and 17 touchdowns while he scored his first touchdown through the air against Hawaii in Week 7. All signs point to him not stopping now, and the invite to New York via Boise should be the first to come out.
Cameron Ward Heisman Odds: +260 (was +550)
For the second week in a row, Ward has shortened his odds, but this time, it’s a substantial movement following Week 8. From +550 to +260, had you grabbed your Ward tickets a few weeks back, you’d be sitting even prettier.
Ward diced up the Louisville defense in Week 8, throwing for 319 yards and four touchdowns in a shootout. He flashed his athleticism with 29 yards on the ground, but his arm talent that was on display against the Cardinals is what has Heisman oddsmakers believing he can challenge Jeanty.
If you got Ward Heisman tickets with bigger plus money, be happy, because his schedule gets a bit easier down the stretch with games against Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest. These are stat-padding, Heisman-odds bumping games if we’ve ever seen.
Dillon Gabriel Heisman Odds: +400 (was +380)
Back on Friday night, Heisman voters were treated to a terrific all-around performance from the Oregon Ducks. Dillon Gabriel was precise and accurate, throwing for 290 yards on 21-of-25 completions.
He had two touchdowns through the air and picked apart a hapless Purdue secondary. Now, seven games into his Oregon career, Gabriel has thrown for 2,080 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 9.2 yards per attempt, the second-highest of his career.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
For Gabriel ticket holders, you’re probably eyeing a Big Ten Championship as a potential Heisman-sealing moment, but he has a couple of games ahead of him that could vault his chances even more so than a Friday night in West Lafayette could ever do.
Gabriel and the Ducks play their two toughest remaining contests in back-to-back weeks, hosting the Illinois Fighting Illini before traveling to the Michigan Wolverines. Both possess stout defenses, specifically against the pass, and could be Heisman showcase games for Gabriel.
Cade Klubnik Heisman Odds: +1600 (was +1200)
Cade Klubnik’s odds only went down because of a boost to the two quarterbacks above him here. Klubnik threw for three touchdowns and 308 yards against Virginia as the Tigers are eyeing the ACC Championship game at this point.
For the season, Klubnik has thrown for 1,836 yards and 20 touchdowns, already hitting a career-high in touchdowns and average yards per attempt.
Fortunately for Klubnik, these are likely the longest odds you’d find at this point, given the remaining schedule for the Tigers. He has games against Louisville, at Virginia Tech, and at Pittsburgh before what would likely be an ACC Championship game berth.
If you’re a believer in Klubnik, now is the time to get your tickets because the Tigers aren’t slowing down and Klubnik is the reason.
Carson Beck Heisman Odds: +2500 (was +1500)
Okay, so, it wasn’t a clean performance from Carson Beck and the Georgia Bulldogs offense in Week 8. In fact, they have their defense to thank for the victory after Beck threw for three interceptions and just 175 yards on just over 50% completion percentage.
It was an ugly offensive game from a passing perspective. Beck was off, his receivers were off, and the timing of the entire passing attack just seemed sluggish.
Yet, they won by two touchdowns and a two-point conversion, and Beck did more than enough with his athleticism to keep the Bulldogs in front. His odds were slashed, and he still finds himself in fourth place in terms of best odds to win the Heisman somehow.
For Georgia, they have a relatively rough road ahead in 2024 and if they make it to the SEC Championship Game, it’ll be because of Beck (and their defense). With games against Florida, at Ole Miss, and hosting Tennessee, Beck and any other Bulldog you want to punch your ticket for will likely present their best value now.
Travis Hunter Heisman Odds: +2800 (was +900)
Travis Hunter’s odds were slashed once again, this time after Colorado’s victory over Arizona, but after Hunter played just a single half of football to rest his injured shoulder. They went from the +500 range ahead of Week 7 to +2800 following Week 8 after Colorado’s loss to Kansas State and Hunter’s injury.
Sadly, though, those injury concerns will likely plague the rest of his season and his Heisman candidacy altogether as he left the game against the Wildcats and it clearly nagged him on defense against Arizona, playing just four snaps at cornerback.
If there’s one non-QB who can have the biggest impact on his team’s success, however, it’s Hunter. And your preseason tickets may still hold value. Just be wary if you’re looking for long-odds at this point of the season, it’s best not to bank on Hunter.
Other Heisman Odds
- Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU: +3000
- Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana: +3500
- Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama: +3500
- Drew Allar, QB, Penn State: +3500
- Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss: +3500
- Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado: +3500
College Football Network has you covered with the latest from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, and every Group of Five conference and FBS Independent program.