Heisman Odds After Week 3: Caleb Williams Stays on Top
- USC quarterback Caleb Williams remains the Heisman favorite after Week 3 of the NCAAF season
- Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. is now the second favorite, while Texas Quinn Ewers is the third choice
- Read below for updated Heisman odds and analysis following Week 3 of the college football season
Even though he had a bye week, USC quarterback Caleb Williams remains atop the Heisman odds following Week 3 of the college football season. Wahington’s Michael Penix Jr. is now the second favorite, while Texas’ Quinn Ewers rounds out the top three.
Let’s take a look at the updated Heisman odds and break down the movement.
Heisman Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Caleb Williams (QB, USC) | +350 |
| Michael Penix Jr. (QB, Washington) | +500 |
| Quinn Ewers (QB, Texas) | +550 |
| Sam Hartman (QB, Notre Dame) | +1000 |
| Jordan Travis (QB, Florida State) | +1400 |
| J.J. McCarthy (QB, Michigan) | +2100 |
| Bo Nix (QB, Oregon) | +2500 |
| Jayden Daniels (QB, LSU) | +2500 |
| Shadeur Sanders (QB, Colorado) | +2800 |
| Dillon Gabriel (QB, Oklahoma) | +3000 |
| Tyler Van Dyke (QB, Miami) | +3000 |
| Marvin Harrison Jr (WR, Ohio State) | +3500 |
| Drew Allar (QB, Penn State) | +4000 |
| Drake Maye (QB, North Carolina) | +4000 |
| Carson Beck (QB, Georgia) | +5000 |
| Kyle McCord (QB, Ohio State) | +5000 |
| Joe Milton (QB, Tennessee) | +5500 |
| Blake Corum (RB, Michigan) | +5500 |
| DJ Uiagalelei (QB, Oregon State) | +6000 |
Odds as of Sep. 17 at FanDuel Sportsbook. Use this FanDuel promo code to bet on the Heisman.
Caleb Williams Heisman Odds
USC quarterback Caleb Williams opened as the repeat favorite to win the Heisman trophy and remains atop the odds board after three weeks of the CFB season. Although the Trojans had a bye in Week 3, Williams remained at his +350 price on FanDuel.
One year after winning the Heisman, Williams is putting together another special season. Through three contests, the junior pivot has thrown for 878 yards and 12 TDs with no interceptions, while rushing for 61 yards and an additional score.
Caleb Williams is unreal throwing on the run pic.twitter.com/OnGGwcYdlC
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) September 10, 2023
In his most recent game against Stanford, Williams turned in what might be his finest performance yet. He went 19-of-21, amassing 281 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. The USC offense had Stanford backpedaling the entire first half, making it look like child’s play.
There’s only been one repeat winner in the history of the Heisman Trophy, so Williams is facing an uphill battle to win in 2023. It’s unlikely for him to suffer a drop-off in performance, so it’s up to one of these other contenders to rise to the occasion and wow voters with their performance.
Michael Penix Jr. Heisman Odds
Washington QB Michael Penix Jr. was the top-10 Heisman candidate to see the most positive odds movement following Week 3 of the season. Penix Jr’s Heisman odds shortened from +1000 to +500 at FanDuel after the senior pivot torched Michigan State on Saturday.
Penix Jr. put on a show against the Spartans, throwing for 473 yards and four touchdowns. On the season, the ex-Indiana quarterback has thrown for 1,132 yards and 12 touchdowns with just one interception.
Michael Penix Jr. Stats vs MSU
| Date | Result | Completions (CMP) | Attempts (ATT) | Yards (YDS) | Touchdowns (TD) | Interceptions (INT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 9/16 | W 41-7 | 27 | 35 | 473 | 4 | 0 |
The Huskies haven’t faced any of their toughest opponents yet, but Penix Jr. is proving he’s a legit Heisman contender in 2023. His case will be strengthened by the fact that the team lost star running back Cameron Davis to a lower-body injury prior to the start of the season.
There’s no need to rush out and place a bet on Penix Jr., as November 4th will be the night that matters, That’s when Penix and the Huskies take on Caleb Williams and the Trojans — a game that will have major implications on the Heisman race. It’s unlikely Penix surpasses Williams in the odds before then.
Other Week 3 Heisman Notes and Odds Movement
It was a relatively quiet week in the Heisman race compared to Week 2, which previously saw Texas pivot Quinn Ewers become a top-three favorite after beating Alabama. That doesn’t mean there still wasn’t some further movement worth discussing.
Popular Heisman longshot pick Travis Hunter was taken off the board entirely after he was taken to hospital following an injury he suffered in Saturday night’s game against Colorado State. While some Heisman winners have missed time, this injury will likely take Hunter out of the 2023 running, albeit through no fault of his own.
Travis Hunter has been taken off the premises to a local hospital for evaluation and is reported done for the night by Colorado pic.twitter.com/wdBnt861UD
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 17, 2023
Oddsmakers weren’t impressed by a couple of Big Ten quarterbacks’ play in Week 3, as they lengthened the odds of both Michigan’s JJ McCarthy and Penn State’s Drew Allar. McCarthy’s odds faded from +1600 to +2100, while Allar’s odds lengthened from +2500 to +4000.
Another notable faller in the Week 3 Heisman odds was Florida State QB Jordan Travis, who saw his MVP odds lengthen from +750 to +1400 after narrowly avoiding an upset loss to Boston College. Travis still threw for 200-plus yards and two TDs with no picks despite the close call.
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Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
