CJ Stroud Closes Gap on Bryce Young in Heisman Odds; Caleb Williams Fades

• Ohio State QB CJ Stroud saw improvement in his Heisman odds after Week 11
• Stroud is now the second-favorite to win the trophy behind Alabama’s Bryce Young
• Read below to see the updated Heisman Trophy odds after Week 11

Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud continues to gain serious traction in the 2021 Heisman Trophy race. The Buckeyes’ pivot is now the second-favorite in the Heisman odds after showing out against Purdue in Week 11.

Alabama’s Bryce Young remains atop the board, while Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III is the third-favorite.

The table below shows the updated Heisman odds after Week 11.

Heisman Trophy Odds

Odds as of Nov. 14 at DraftKings.

Stroud Balls Out Versus Purdue

Ohio State QB CJ Stroud saw his Heisman odds improve yet again after an impressive performance against Purdue in Week 11. The freshman pivot threw for 361 yards and five touchdowns in a 59-31 win over the Boilermakers. Stroud’s Heisman odds improved from +400 to +240 after the game.

.@CJ7STROUD 5 TDs for 357.

SHEESH.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/IcQcYQJ4nP

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) November 13, 2021

Stroud has been steadily rising in the Heisman odds since Ohio State lost to Oregon all the way back in Week 2. On the season, the Buckeyes’ pivot has thrown for 3,036 yards and 30 TDs with five interceptions. Stroud connected with star receiver Garrett Wilson for three touchdown passes against Purdue.

Not only did Stroud’s Week 11 performance bolster his Heisman odds, but it also vaulted Ohio State past Alabama as the second-favorite in the National Championship odds.  The Buckeyes’ offense is scary good, as they torched a Purdue defense that hadn’t give up more than 30 points all season.

Young Stays On Top

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young remains atop the Heisman odds following Week 11 of the CFB season. The sophomore pivot passed for 270 yards and five touchdowns in a 59-3 blowout victory over New Mexico State. Young became the first Alabama quarterback to complete his first 13 passes in a game.

L👀K OUT 🔥🔥🔥

✅ 21-23
✅ 272 YDS
✅ 5 TD pic.twitter.com/MQC6UZ6PBn

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) November 13, 2021

Young has been the Heisman favorite since the early goings of the season, but he hasn’t been able to distance himself from the pack. On the season, the first-year starter has thrown for 3,025 yards and 33 TDs with three interceptions. Young has posted very similar numbers to Stroud, although the OSU QB has played one less game.

Young hasn’t had any “Heisman moments” yet, but his opportunity is coming. Alabama closes out its regular season with a matchup against Auburn before potentially facing undefeated Georgia in the SEC Title game. Young could become the first-ever Alabama QB to win the Heisman if he balls out when it matters most.

Caleb Williams Fades

It didn’t take long for the Caleb Williams Heisman hype to come to a halt. The freshman pivot saw his Heisman odds plummet after getting benched for Spencer Rattler in Week 11 vs Baylor. The Sooners managed just 260 yards of offense in a 27-14 loss to the Bears. It was OU’s first defeat since 2020.

Spencer Rattler has entered the game

Caleb Williams has been benched pic.twitter.com/KPh1xnzl0Q

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 13, 2021

Williams was never a serious Heisman contender due to missed games, but oddsmakers aren’t trying to sell the pipe dream anymore. DraftKings adjusted Williams’ Heisman price from +750 to +4000 after the Baylor loss. The youngster threw two interceptions in the first half, which led to Riley inserting Rattler into the contest.

Williams’ 2021 Heisman campaign may be over, but don’t be surprised to see the dual-threat quarterback open as a top favorite in next year’s Heisman odds. OU has produced two of the last three QB Heisman winners in Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray, and Williams has the tools to follow in their footsteps.

Other Week 11 Notes

The updated Heisman odds tell us this is a three-horse race between Young, Stroud and Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III. The latter saw his Heisman odds stay put at +280 after rushing for 143 yards and two touchdowns in a commanding Week 11 victory over Maryland.

Heisman hopeful Kenneth Walker III with another stellar game 🤩 pic.twitter.com/jgKIABm7Ar

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 14, 2021

While Walker III didn’t see any improvement in his Heisman odds after Week 11, his performance did have somewhat of a ripple effect on other contenders. Ole Miss QB Matt Corral faded from +550 to +700 despite throwing for 247 yards and one TD in a big win over Texas A&M.

Walker III leads the nation with a whopping 1,473 rushing yards, so QB’s need to produce some massive numbers to keep pace with the explosive Wake Forest transfer. Walker III is looking to become the first running back to win the Heisman since Alabama’s Derrick Henry accomplished the feat in 2015.

All three top contenders have chances for Heisman moments in the final stretch, but Walker III is the only one who already has one on his resume. The senior RB accounted for all five of Michigan State’s touchdowns in a huge Week 9 win over Michigan. The matchup averaged 9.3 million viewers on Fox, making it the most-watched college football game of the season.