CJ Stroud, Kenny Pickett See Heisman Odds Improve; Ridder Fades

• Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett both improved their Heisman odds in Week 8
• Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder has faded after a disappointing performance against Navy
• Read below to see the updated Heisman Trophy odds after Week 8

Ohio State’s CJ Stroud and Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett both made big leaps in the Heisman odds following Week 8 of the CFB season. Stroud torched Indiana, while Pickett lead Pittsburgh past Clemson.

Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder saw his Heisman odds fade following Week 8, while Alabama’s Bryce Young has taken a healthy lead on Ole Miss’ Matt Corral atop the board.

The table below shows the updated Heisman Trophy odds following Week 8.

Heisman Trophy Odds

Odds as of Oct. 24 at FanDuel.

Stroud Torches Indiana

Ohio State freshman QB CJ Stroud saw his Heisman odds improve from +700 to +450 after lightning up Indiana in Week 8. The Buckeyes’ pivot went 21 of 28 for 266 yards and four TDs in a 54-7 blowout victory. Stroud has now thrown for 14 TDs with zero interceptions in his last three games.

CJ STROUD. THROW OF THE YEAR. pic.twitter.com/XLvnvcALIt

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 24, 2021

CJ Stroud is closing the gap on Matt Corral and Bryce Young in the Heisman odds. Stroud’s odds faded after an early-season loss to Oregon, but he’s really come into his own ever since. The Buckeyes have won five straight games, beating their opponents by an average margin of 41.6 points.

Stroud leads all Power 5 quarterbacks with an impressive 192.8 passer rating following Week 8. On the season, he’s thrown for 1,965 yards and 22 TDs with three picks. OSU has a very difficult second-half schedule, so if Stroud helps them run the table, he’s sure to end up with an invite to the Heisman ceremony.

Pickett Picks Apart Clemson

Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett continues to make a convincing case for the Heisman. The senior pivot saw his Heisman odds improve from +2000 to +900 after leading the Panthers past Clemson in Week 8. Pickett threw for 302 yards and two TDs in a 27-17 victory at Heinz Field.

Kenny Pickett vs. Clemson 🔥

25-for-39, 317 total yards, 2 TD

RT to start a Heisman campaign 🏆#H2P » @HeismanTrophy pic.twitter.com/Ftp8xV7OWE

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) October 23, 2021

Every season the Heisman race tends to get shaken up by a player who was a massive longshot in the preseason. Kenny Pickett has occupied that role this season. The sixth-year senior was a +10000 longshot and not on anyone’s Heisman board entering the season, but he’s now a top-five favorite.

Pickett has thrown for 2,236 yards with 23 TDs and only one interception in seven games. Pittsburgh is the favorite to win the ACC, which indicates a potential changing of the guard. Clemson had won the conference in six straight years entering the 2021-22 season. It’ll be hard to deny Pickett an invite to New York if he leads his team to the ACC Championship.

Desmond Ridder Fades

Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder has faded from +2000 to +4000 in the Heisman odds after underwhelming against Navy in Week 8. The dual-threat pivot threw for 176 yards and two TDs with one interception in a close 27-20 victory. The Bearcats entered the game as heavy 28-point favorites.

Ridder is facing an uphill battle for the Heisman given that no player from a Group of 5 school has ever won the trophy. Considering the bias towards the Power 5 schools in the Heisman voting, this was the type of performance Ridder couldn’t afford. Cincinnati only has one remaining game against a ranked opponent for Ridder to impress voters.

Another reason Ridder is fading is because Oklahoma’s Caleb Williams has entered the Heisman conversation and is receiving plenty of public betting. The freshman pivot had a couple potential ‘Heisman ‘moments’ in Week 8 against Kansas, but his lack of games will likely cost him a chance at the trophy.

Young Takes Commanding Lead

Alabama QB Bryce Young has increased his lead on Ole Miss’ Matt Corral atop the Heisman odds following Week 8. The sophomore pivot passed for 371 yards and two TDs, while rushing for an additional two scores in a 52-24 victory over Tennessee. Young’s Heisman odds improved from +175 to +125.

QB1 pic.twitter.com/72KuVVFsbR

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) October 24, 2021

Ole Miss QB Matt Corral saw his Heisman odds fade from +175 to +350 after throwing for 185 yards and accounting for two TDs in a 31-17 win over LSU. There was speculation Corral could miss the LSU game due to an ankle injury, so it’s unclear how healthy he was against the Tigers.

On the season, Young has thrown for more yards and TDs than Corral, although the Rebels’ QB has played a much bigger role in the ground game. It was still interesting to see Young scramble and use his legs in the victory over Tennessee. Young learning to run could lead to a ‘Heisman moment’ down the stretch,

Good luck tackling Bryce Young in the open field 🏃‍♂️💨 pic.twitter.com/n6ioJLOEox

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 23, 2021

If Corral is being nagged by an injury, he could end up losing out on the Heisman Trophy. The senior QB has lost head-to-head against Young this season and doesn’t have any top-10 opponents remaining. Alabama is on track to face Georgia in the SEC Championship, which would give Young an opportunity in primetime to impress voters.