Bryce Young Back on Top in Heisman Odds; Aidan Hutchinson Surges

• Alabama’s Bryce Young has retaken his lead in the Heisman Trophy odds
• Michigan’s Aidan Hutchinson became a top-three favorite after his performance vs Ohio State
• Read below to see the updated Heisman Trophy odds after Week 13

The 2021 Heisman Trophy race has gotten interesting following a wild Week 13 of college football. Bryce Young is back on top in the Heisman odds after leading his team past Auburn in the Iron Bowl, albeit barely.

Ohio State’s CJ Stroud saw his Heisman odds fade after losing to Michigan, while Wolverines’ defensive end Aidan Hutchinson became a top-three favorite after playing a starring role in “The Game”.

The table below shows the updated Heisman Trophy odds after Week 13.

Heisman Trophy Odds

Odds as of Nov. 28th at FanDuel.

Bryce Young Retakes Lead

Alabama QB Bryce Young has retaken his lead on Ohio State’s CJ Stroud in the Heisman odds following Week 13. Young passed for 317 yards and two TDs to help Alabama beat Auburn 24-22 in four overtimes in the Iron Bowl. Young’s Heisman odds went from +180 to -220 at FanDuel after the game.

Bryce Young went most of the game without a TD.

Then he led @AlabamaFTBL on a 98-yard game-tying TD drive and won the game in quadruple overtime. pic.twitter.com/orXezIXRC8

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 28, 2021

Young’s Heisman odds were fluctuating throughout the Iron Bowl, which tells you how important the final result was for his chances. The sophomore pivot was sacked a whopping seven times by Auburn, but came through when it mattered. Down 10-0, Young helped Alabama score on two of its final three drives to force overtime.

Young becoming such a heavy Heisman favorite has more to do with Stroud’s loss rather than his heroics vs Auburn. The Tide were close to 20-point favorites in the game and expected the dominate the Tigers. Young faces an even tougher test going up No. 1 Georgia in the SEC Title game next weekend.

CJ Stroud Stumbles at Big House

Ohio State’s CJ Stroud saw his Heisman odds fade from -220  to +450 after losing to Michigan in Week 13. It’s hard to pin the loss on the freshman pivot, as he passed for 394 and two TDs in a 42-27 defeat. The story from the game was Michigan simply dominating Ohio State in the trenches.

Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, visibly upset, said he poured his heart and soul into this and says he’ll do everything he can to correct this loss. pic.twitter.com/we9eRGS757

— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) November 27, 2021

Stroud has had an excellent season, but he squandered a big opportunity in Week 13. Not only will the Buckeyes miss the CFP, but they also lose out on playing for the Big 10 Championship. The Heisman will be voted on before bowl games, so Stroud won’t have another opportunity to pad his stats.

Let’s take an updated look at Bryce Young vs CJ Stroud.

Bryce Young vs CJ Stroud Heisman Comparison

Young has an edge on Stroud, although things could change if the Alabama quarterback gets eaten up by Georgia in the SEC Title game. Young’s Heisman campaign is really going to come down to Atlanta, as Alabama is unlikely to make the CFP unless they put up a great fight vs the Bulldogs.

Aidan Hutchinson Wreaks Havoc on OSU

Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson became a top-three Heisman favorite after wreaking havoc against Ohio State in Week 13. Hutchinson had three sacks to help lead the Wolverines to one of their biggest wins ever. The senior wasn’t even on the board at DraftKings or FanDuel entering the game.

Aidan Hutchinson: Most sacks in season by any Michigan defender, ever (13)@UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/WRjY5hrwFr

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 27, 2021

Hutchinson going from off the board to a top-three Heisman favorite after one game tells you how wild the Heisman race has been this season. No one player has been able to pull away from the pack, which has led to several longshots circulating in-and-out of the odds all season.

Hutchinson has been sensational for Michigan this season, setting a single-season program record with 13 sacks.  He does share the defensive backfield with another excellent pass rusher in David Ojabo, however, which hurts his Heisman value. Ojabo had a sack against Ohio State to put his season total at 11.

𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐀𝐘!!@DavidOjabo with the SACK! pic.twitter.com/Wl59ctcJeR

— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) November 27, 2021

Hutchinson is getting national media attention after his huge performance in “The Game”, so he could be worth a little sprinkle heading into the Big 10 Championship game. Voters are eager to dismiss the notion that the Heisman is a QB award, as they gave WR DeVonta Smith the trophy in 2020.

The only primary defensive player to ever win the Heisman was Michigan CB Charles Woodson back in 1997. Woodson was different, however, as he also played a role in the offense. The star DB racked up 238 receiving yards while scoring three offensive touchdowns and returning punts.

Other Week 13 Notes

Ole Miss’ Matt Corral, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett and Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III all kept their Heisman hopes alive in Week 13. Corral led Ole Miss past Mississippi State, while Pickett threw four TD passes in a win over Syracuse. Walker, meanwhile, rushed for 138 yards and one score in a win over Penn State.

K9 loves the snow #K9ForHeisman pic.twitter.com/vfb3SRJIDH

— Michigan State Football (@MSU_Football) November 28, 2021

Pickett is the player with the most upside, as his Panthers will face a lacklustre Wake Forest defense in the ACC Title game. Corral is going to lose out on the Heisman due to two losses, while Walker is unlikely to win after getting held to 26 yards in his biggest game against Ohio State.

The path for Pickett winning the Heisman involves the senior balling out against the Demon Deacons and having Georgia wreak havoc on Bryce Young in Atlanta. While it’s still no guarantee Pickett would win in that scenario, his final numbers would be among the best in the country and worthy of an invite to New York.