Trevor Lawrence (+225) Jumps Justin Fields (+250) as 2020 Heisman Favorite; Any Reason to Bet Before the CFP Title Game?
- Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence has become the new favorite to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy
- Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields has fallen to second choice after the Buckeyes’ loss to Clemson
- Quarterbacks Kedon Slovis of USC and Mac Jones of Alabama are also among the favorites
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (+225) has jumped Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields (+250) as the early favorite to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy.
Odds to Win The 2020 Heisman Trophy
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) | +225 |
| Justin Fields (Ohio State) | +250 |
| Kedon Slovis (USC) | +400 |
| Mac Jones (Alabama) | +500 |
| Chuba Hubbard (Oklahoma State) | +600 |
| Tanner Morgan (Minnesota) | +700 |
| Spencer Rattler (Oklahoma) | +700 |
| Sam Ehlinger (Texas) | +800 |
| Myles Brennan (LSU) | +900 |
| Sam Howell (North Carolina) | +1000 |
| Kyle Trask (Florida) | +1000 |
Odds taken Jan. 8.
Lawrence has one more chance to make an impression for next season in this year’s title game. The sophomore leads Clemson (14-0) against LSU (14-0) in the College Football Playoff Championship next Monday (Jan. 13) at New Orleans.
Fields and Ohio State lost to Clemson 29-23 in the semifinals on Dec. 28 in the Fiesta Bowl. Lawrence rallied the Tigers from a 16-0 deficit in that game, completing 18 of 33 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 107 yards and a score – which covered 67 yards – on 16 carries.
Fields was 30 of 46 for 320 yards and a touchdown but was also intercepted twice, including in the end zone with 37 seconds remaining as the Buckeyes looked for the game-winning touchdown.
Fields opened as the favorite on Dec. 20 and you can see how things have shifted in the 2020 Heisman Odds tracker.
Lawrence’s Strong Finish
Lawrence entered the season with plenty of hype after guiding Clemson to the national championship last season as a true freshman. However, his Heisman candidacy took an early hit when he did not immediately play up to the lofty expectations.
Through the first five games, Lawrence averaged 226.2 passing yards while completing 61.8 percent of his attempts with eight touchdowns and five interceptions.
In the last nine games, though, Lawrence has been fantastic. He has a 70.9 completion percentage and a 28-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio while averaging 255.6 yards a game.
.@ClemsonFB Trevor Lawrence on Clemson's win streak, "It's not in the rule book that you have to lose. So just believe in that…everything about this program is based around belief…so the biggest thing is believing it can be done." #clemson pic.twitter.com/9VbvVahMJ2
— Julia Morris (@JMorrisWYFF4) January 7, 2020
Fields’ Fine Season
Fields had a phenomenal sophomore season in his first year at Ohio State after transferring from Georgia. The most eye-popping statistics were Fields’ 41 touchdown passes against just three interceptions in 354 attempts. He was picked only once in 308 throws before the loss to Clemson.
Fields completed 67.2 percent of his passes and finished with 3,273 yards. He added 484 yards and 10 TDs on the ground.
What a difference a year can make 👏
Justin Fields announced his plans to transfer from Georgia to Ohio State one year ago today. This season he was a Heisman finalist and led the Buckeyes to the CFP semifinals. pic.twitter.com/szovGOJd7Q
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 4, 2020
However, Fields ceded control of the 2020 Heisman race to Lawrence with the semifinal loss. Ohio State scored on its first four possessions but settled for field goals three times, keeping the game close enough for Clemson for rally. And then there were those two interceptions.
QB-Heavy Field
It is quite fitting that the Heisman race shapes up as Lawrence versus Fields. They grew up 20 minutes apart in the Atlanta suburbs and were considered the two best high school quarterbacks during their senior seasons in 2017.
Not surprisingly, the third and fourth choices for the 2020 Heisman are also quarterbacks – USC’s Kedon Slovis (+400) and Alabama’s Mac Jones (+500). QBs have won 17 of the last 20 Heismans.
Slovis is coming off a fine freshman season in which he completed 71.9 percent of his passes for 3,502 yards and 30 touchdowns with nine interceptions.
Happy New Years Trojans! To new beginnings in 2020 and hopefully a Heisman Campaign for @Kedonslovis ✌️ #FightOn pic.twitter.com/4PXlBwDgIf
— USC Trojans News ✌️ (@FightOn2Victory) January 1, 2020
Jones started four of the Crimson Tide’s final six games in place of injured Tua Tagovailoa. The sophomore threw for 327 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl.
How About Howell?
Lawrence looks like the correct favorite, though it might be wise to reserve judgement until we see how he fares against LSU and 2019 Heisman-winner Joe Burrow in the national title game before making a wager.
If you’re looking for a little action on the 2020 Heisman right now, North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell is worth a shot at +1000.
Howell was little known coming into the season but passed for 3,641 yards and 38 touchdowns as a true freshman. The Tar Heels also followed consecutive nine-loss seasons by going 7-6 in Mack Brown’s first year of his second stint as coach.
North Carolina’s profile figures to be raised next season, which will move Howell out of the shadows and into the spotlight.
John Perrotto has been covering and writing about sports for various outlets for over 40 years. His work has appeared in the likes of USA TODAY, ESPN.com, SI.com, Forbes.com, The Associated Press, Baseball Digest, and more. John is based out of Beaver Falls, PA.
