Heisman Odds After Week 8: Justin Fields Surges to +150 After Season Debut; Lawrence Still Favored

• Buckeyes’ QB Justin Fields has surged up the Heisman odds after his first game of the season
• Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence remains the betting favorite after Week 8
• See the updated Heisman Trophy odds after Week 8 along with betting analysis, below

Ohio State QB Justin Fields saw major improvement in his 2020 Heisman Trophy odds after finally playing his first game of the season in Week 8. The Buckeye pivot saw his odds improve from +800 to +150 after impressing in his season debut against Nebraska.

Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence remains the favorite, while Alabama QB Mac Jones is the only player within striking distance of the top two contenders.

Has the 2020 Heisman race already been narrowed down to three players?

2020 Heisman Trophy Odds

Odds taken Oct. 25th at FanDuel.  

Fields Near-Perfect In Season Debut

Ohio State QB Justin Fields showed why he was one of the preseason favorites for the 2020 Heisman Trophy in his opening game of the season against Nebraska. The 2019 Heisman finalist went 20-of-21 passing for 276 yards and two touchdowns to lead his team to a huge 52-17 victory. His only incompletion was a dropped touchdown catch by Chris Olave.

Justin Fields is officially back 😤

What a dime

(via @CFBONFOX)pic.twitter.com/bFUA5aUs8j

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 24, 2020

Fields’ pinpoint accuracy was one of the reasons he was such a strong Heisman bet heading into the season. He developed great chemistry with receivers Olave and Garrett Wilson last season, and it was on full display Saturday. Fields also demonstrated his rushing ability with 54 yards on the ground and an additional score.

Fields saw his odds drop as low as +800 while he remained idle, but it only took one game for oddsmakers to place him back where he belongs. He’s certainly at a disadvantage with the late start, but his Week 8 performance garnered plenty of national attention.

Lawrence Remains Favored

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence remains the Heisman favorite after Week 8 of the season. Lawrence is sitting at -110 after throwing for 289 yards and two touchdowns with an interception as Clemson overcame a slow start to beat Syracuse 47-17.

Lawrence got the victory, but his individual performance actually caused online sportsbooks to lengthen his odds from -150 . Lawrence threw a pick-six in the game and has now thrown an interception in back-to-back games. Prior to Week 7 against Georgia Tech, Lawrence had gone 12 straight games without throwing a pick.

🚨 PICK SIX 🚨

Syracuse picks off Trevor Lawrence and takes it back for the TD 👀 pic.twitter.com/FTtQGvitJL

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 24, 2020

Aside from Fields impressing, the other potential cause of Lawrence’s odds movement was the play of teammate Travis Etienne. Clemson’s star running back had another big day in Week 8, rushing for 86 yards and three scores. Etienne is playing a huge role in this offense and very well could take away Heisman votes from his QB.

Mac Jones Falls To +900

Another player negatively impacted by Justin Fields beginning his Heisman campaign is Crimson Tide QB Mac Jones. The Alabama pivot saw his odds fall from +400 to +900 despite impressing for a fifth straight weekend. Jones went 25-of-31 passing for 387 yards and had a rushing touchdown in a 48-17 win over Tennessee.

One of the biggest storylines from the game is that standout receiver Jayen Waddle injured his ankle in the victory and is done for the season. He was one of Jones’ favorite targets this season and is a massive loss for the Tide. The injury could actually boost Jones’ Heisman case if he’s able to overcome it, but it’ll likely take a toll on his end-of-year numbers.

Even without Waddle in the picture, Alabama still has two other Heisman contenders on his team in Devonta Smith (+5000) and Najee Harris (+3000). Jones has the talent to contend for this award, but the challenge is standing out in an offense loaded with weapons.

Milton Enters Conversation 

The Big 10 beginning play in Week 8 meant that many of the top players in the conference saw significant movement in their odds. Wolverines junior QB Joe Milton was the biggest mover this weekend, seeing his odds improve from +8000 to +3000 after leading his team to a big win over Minnesota.

Milton went 15-of-22 passing for 225 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions while rushing for 52 yards and another score. Milton being listed with the fourth-best Heisman odds after his first game as a starting QB tells you how top-heavy the race has become.

Milton surging up the board also proves how this award is skewed towards quarterbacks. Alabama star running back Najee Harris has the same odds as Milton despite rushing for three TDs in his win over Tennessee and now leading the nation with a whopping 14 scores on the season.

Heisman Analysis After Week 8

The updated Heisman odds will tell you that the race is now down to three players. It’s hard to see one of Lawrence, Fields or Jones falling off a cliff when you look at their performances through eight weeks and the talent of the teams they are playing on.

Justin Fields may not catch Trevor Lawrence for QB1 but if y'all ever catch me referring to him as a "consolation prize", please correct me. He's a grand prize for an NFL team in his own right.

— Kyle Crabbs (@GrindingTheTape) October 24, 2020

There are still some intriguing longshots you can bet on, but the better value might be betting on one of them to receive an invite to New York instead of winning straight up. Both Lawrence and Fields played important roles in making this season happen and make for a great media storyline. Not only are they competing to win the trophy, but they’re also battling to be the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Lawrence will a get a chance for his “Heisman moment” on Nov. 7 against Notre Dame, while Fields can bolster his odds against Penn State next weekend. The better value is with Fields due to his perceived improvement as a passer and the fact Ohio State doesn’t have a stud like Etienne in the backfield.

The Heisman value for Fields is quickly disappearing, but this race could go down to the wire. Michigan might be Ohio State’s biggest threat in the Big 10 this season, and the Buckeyes don’t get the Wolverines until the final week of the regular season. Cash in on Fields while he remains at plus-money.