Verdell’s Heisman Odds Improve; Corral Closing Gap on Bryce Young

• Matt Corral is closing in on Bryce Young in the 2021 Heisman odds after a five-TD game in Week 2 vs Austin Peay
• Oregon RB CJ Verdell improved significantly after powering the Ducks past Ohio State
• Read below to see the updated Heisman Trophy odds after Week 2

Ole Miss QB Matt Corral is closing the gap on Alabama’s Bryce Young in the 2021 Heisman Trophy odds. Corral saw his odds improve to +600 after Week 2 vs Austin Peay.

Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler remains a top-three favorite after a bounce-back performance against Western Carolina, while Oregon running back CJ Verdell saw a huge boost at one sportsbook following his team’s upset victory over Ohio State.

The table below shows the updated Heisman Trophy odds following Week 2 of the season.

2021 Heisman Trophy Odds

Odds as of September 12th, 2021.

Corral Continues to Climb

Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral saw improvement in his Heisman odds for the second straight weekend after Week 2 vs Austin Peay. Corral  threw for 281 yards and five touchdowns, while rushing for 35 yards in a 54-17 victory over the Governors. The junior pivot saw his Heisman odds improve to +600 after the game.

Welcome to the Matt Corral fan club, @katyperry❗️@OleMissFB | @Lane_Kiffin pic.twitter.com/Wq1OXep7bk

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) September 9, 2021

Corral is gaining major traction in the 2021 Heisman Trophy race and even received an endorsement from pop singer Katy Perry. Through two games of the College Football season, Corral has thrown for 662 yards and six TDs with no interceptions. He led the SEC in several passing categories last year.

Ole Miss doesn’t begin conference play until Week 5 against Alabama, which is when we’ll get an idea if Corral is truly a top-tier Heisman contender. If you like the Rebels’ pivot for the trophy, you’ll want to bet him now before he goes up against the top defenses of the SEC.

Young Stays on Top

Alabama QB Bryce Young remains the Heisman Trophy favorite after Week 2 of the CFB season. Young moved past preseason favorite Spencer Rattler following Week 1 and doesn’t appear willing to give up that spot anytime soon. Young passed for 227 yards and three TDs in a Week 2 rout of Mercer.

Roll Tide was in the FULL effect today as Alabama defeats Mercer 48-14 😤

Bryce Young had himself a day 💪

3 TD
227 YDS
19/27 pic.twitter.com/2bJal97zR8

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 11, 2021

Young has been very impressive in his first year as a starter for the Crimson Tide. He’s passed for 571 yards and seven touchdowns without throwing an interception. Young is also thriving facing pressure this season, leading the country with 141.2 passer rating under pressure, according to PFF.

The only concern for Young Heisman bettors is that Bama failed to cover the spread vs Mercer and coach Nick Saban ripped into his team post-game. The offensive line needs to do a better job protecting Young and the receivers need to create more separation. A year after going undefeated, Alabama appears susceptible to a loss or two this time around.

Rattler Bounces Back

In the event you were doubting Spencer Rattler after a mediocre Week 1 showing against Tulane, the Oklahoma pivot reminded everyone in Week 2 why he was the preseason Heisman favorite. Rattler threw for 243 yards and five TDs in the first half of a 76-0 blowout of Western Carolina.

Spencer Rattler’s first half vs. Western Carolina:

🔥 20-26
🔥 272 total YDS
🔥 5 TDs

UNREAL 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZTID1fWx8u

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 12, 2021

Rattler didn’t get the opportunity to pad his stats in the second half, as Lincoln Riley put backup QB Caleb Williams into the game with OU nursing a comfortable lead. Rattler didn’t see any improvement in his odds following the victory, but he remains a top-three favorite at sportsbooks.

Much like the top quarterbacks in the SEC, Rattler’s Heisman campaign is going to center around his top conference matchups. The issue is that Big 12 powerhouses Texas (1-1) and Iowa State (1-1) both disappointed in Week 2. Rattler will have great stats at the end of the year, but he may not have many “Heisman moments” on his resume.

Verdell Enters Conversation

Oregon running back CJ Verdell saw a massive boost at FanDuel after rushing for 161 yards and three TDs in an upset victory over Ohio State. Following the victory, Verdell moved into FanDuel’s top five at +1600. Verdell is listed at +8000 at DraftKings, which is one of the largest pricing discrepancies between two sportsbooks in recent memory.

CJ VERDELL PUT ON A CLINIC AGAINST THE BUCKEYES 📈 pic.twitter.com/l4jTER5fba

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) September 11, 2021

Verdell has had trouble staying healthy over the past few seasons, which is likely a factor in his price at DraftKings. Not to mention, only two running backs have won the Heisman in the past 15 years. If you want to take a flier on the junior, you know which sportsbook to do it at. Oregon has a path to the CFP in 2021, which should keep Verdell’s name in the spotlight as long as he stays healthy.

Other Week 2 Notes 

Week 2 produced some crazy outcomes across the nation, which led to significant odds movement for Heisman contenders. USC’s Kedon Slovis faded to +6000 after suffering an upset loss to Stanford, while UGA’s JT Daniels dropped to +2200 after missing Week 2 with an injury. UNC’s Sam Howell saw hid odds improve to +2500 after bouncing back against Georgia State.

Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder (+2000) continues to climb after padding his stats vs Murray State. The senior’s arm strength was on full display in the victory, connecting on passes of 23, 38 and 48 yards. Ridder is flying under the radar right now, but that could change quickly with upcoming games against Power 5 opponents Indiana and Notre Dame.

Ohio State’s CJ Stroud (+1000) saw slight improvement in his odds after throwing for 484 yards and three TDs in the loss to Oregon. Although Stroud threw for the second-most yards in Ohio State history, he likely didn’t see a bigger odds boost due to Buckeyes’ receivers making several jaw-dropping catches.

Clemson’s D.J. Uiagalelei was the other top Heisman contender entering the season, but he’s quickly falling out of the race. The freshman saw his odds lengthen from +1200 to +1800 after finishing 14-of-24 for 171 yards with an interception against SC State. Given his underwhelming season opener against Georgia, Uiagalelei was going to need to show out every week to remain a top contender.