Penn State’s Sean Clifford Now Among Top-25 Heisman Favorites in 2020
- Penn State QB Sean Clifford has become a top-25 Heisman Trophy over the last two weeks
- Can Clifford improve on his successful first season as starting quarterback and capture only the second Heisman in PSU history?
- Here’s why I believe Clifford is worth betting if you’re looking to fade the favorites
Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford is looking to accomplish something that hasn’t been done since 1973 – win a Heisman Trophy while playing for the Nittany Lions.
Based on the recent movement in the 2020 Heisman Trophy odds, there is a certain element of the betting public that thinks he has a shot.
Heisman Trophy Odds
| Player (Position, Team) | Odds |
|---|---|
| Justin Fields (QB, Ohio State) | +303 |
| Trevor Lawrence (QB, Clemson) | +333 |
| Spencer Rattler (QB, Oklahoma) | +1075 |
| D’Eriq King (QB, Miami) | +1233 |
| Jamie Newman (QB, Georgia) | +1300 |
| Sam Ehlinger (QB, Texas) | +1475 |
| Travis Etienne (RB, Clemson) | +1700 |
| Mac Jones (QB, Alabama) | +2000 |
| Kedon Slovis (QB, USC) | +2050 |
| Chuba Hubbard (RB, Oklahoma State) | +2075 |
| Sam Howell (QB, UNC) | +2125 |
| Myles Brennan (QB, LSU) | +2275 |
| Kyle Trask (QB, Florida) | +2300 |
| Bo Nix (QB, Auburn) | +2575 |
| Kellen Mond (QB, Texas A&M) | +2650 |
| Ian Book (QB, Notre Dame) | +2675 |
| Tanner Morgan (QB, Minnesota) | +4000 |
| Bryce Young (QB, Alabama) | +4000 |
| Derek Stingley Jr. (CB, LSU) | +4067 |
| Adrian Martinez (QB, Nebraska) | +4250 |
| Trey Sanders (RB, Alabama) | +4250 |
| Journey Brown (RB, Penn State) | +4250 |
| Spencer Sanders (QB, Oklahoma State) | +4267 |
| Najee Harris (RB, Alabama) | +4373 |
| Sean Clifford (QB, Penn State) | +4500 |
Odds as of May 29th
Clifford’s odds have improved dramatically over the last two weeks, jumping from +5833 to +4500.
If you’re looking to fade the favorites and place your money on a dark horse, here’s the case why the Penn State pivot may be the right choice.
Great Talent With Good Stats
Replacing popular Nittany Lions quarterback Trace McSorley is no easy task, yet Clifford has done a good job so far. The former 4-star recruit from Cincinnati, Ohio, completed 59.2% of his passes for 23 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first year as starter at Penn State. Clifford added 402 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns, which may not qualify him as a true dual threat, but it does add some sizzle to the steak.
Sean Clifford (@seancliff14) is everything you want in a teammate, leader & quarterback!#WeAre pic.twitter.com/638TL172g3
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) May 12, 2020
Clifford is 6’2 and weighs 216 pounds, so there’s no denying he has the frame to be an elite quarterback. With his elite recruiting ranking, we shouldn’t be surprised he posted some impressive stats in his first season as QB1, and we shouldn’t be surprised if he takes another giant leap forward in his second year at the helm.
Schedule Provides Clifford Opportunity
Penn State has a tough schedule which provides Clifford six different opportunities to impress Heisman voters, not including big-stat performances against cupcake opponents. The Nittany Lions have home games against Ohio State, Iowa, and Michigan State, and also travel to Virginia Tech, Michigan, and Nebraska.
Inside Penn State's plans for a return to football; and an interesting training partner for QB Sean Clifford (VIP)https://t.co/tFhFIhoXBD pic.twitter.com/5ZwcFoOLS7
— Lions247 (@Lions247) May 23, 2020
Clifford was up and down against good opponents last year but he proved capable of stepping up in big games with back-to-back wins over Michigan and Michigan State. In those two contests, he combined for 8 total touchdowns and only 1 interception.
If he can build on those performances and steal victories against the tough opponents on the schedule, Ohio State in particular, he will definitely find himself in Heisman contention.
Could RB Journey Brown Help Clifford’s Case?
Having a teammate appear ahead of you in the Heisman odds isn’t always useful. It could mean they are a bigger star in the offense or you might share votes in the event things do go well for your team. In the case of Clifford and running back Journey Brown, though, it could work a little differently.
If you don’t rock with me now, don’t come around when I’m starting to eat , asking for a bite… STAMPED
— SUNNY-D☀️🦕 (@JourneyBrown6) March 7, 2019
There are only two running backs with better odds to with the award than Brown, so you have to imagine he’ll be headed to the NFL next season if he plays according to expectations. To vault from an NFL draft pick to say, a first rounder, Brown will have to vastly improve his pass catching abilities out of the backfield. He averaged just north of one catch per game last season and will definitely want to build on that. With Journey running the ball less and catching the ball more, Clifford would be able to steal more yards and touchdowns than current projections suggest.
There’s a road map to Clifford winning the first Heisman at Penn State since John Cappelletti back in the 70s. It’s an arduous road with many twists and turns, but it exists, unlike with many other Heisman longshots.
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
