College Football

College football odds: Bettors backing surprise name to win Heisman

Updated Jun. 20, 2022 12:56 a.m. ET

Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and Alabama's Bryce Young are two of the marquee quarterbacks in college football, so it's no surprise they are the preseason betting favorites to win the Heisman Trophy at FOX Bet.

Young won the Heisman last season and is trying to become the first repeat winner since Ohio State running back Archie Griffin in 1974-75. Stroud also had a great year, finishing fourth in the voting and is the highest-voted returning player behind Young.

But, when it comes to gambling, a lesser-known QB is generating a ton of betting action at a popular sportsbook. Let's dive into the fun.

RELATED: Odds for Heisman Trophy

Currently, quarterback Myles Brennan from the LSU Tigers is leading in both tickets and handle to win the Heisman Trophy at Caesars Sportsbook.

How much of a surprise is the QB? He may not even be his team's starting quarterback this season.

The fifth-year senior has played in only 20 games over the last four seasons, starting just three games in 2021. He is 121-for-201 passing (60.2%) for 1,712 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions in his career.

And Brennan faces competition from Jayden Daniels, who enrolled at LSU from the transfer portal after starting 28 games for Arizona State.

For comparison's sake, 2019 Heisman winner Joe Burrow was 403-for-527 passing (76.3%) for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns and six interceptions. In one season.

Brennan has been gaining traction at Caesars Sportsbook. So much so that his odds to win the award have shortened from +10000 (4/18) to +6000.

So why all the hype on the QB who entered the transfer portal in November but changed his mind?

"College sports rule Louisiana and rightly so," said Craig Mucklow, Caesars Sportsbook vice president of trading. "The public taking the marquee QBs in a market dominated by QB winners in the past is no surprise and the Louisiana faithful are following their belief in these players with significant wagers.

"We will be watching Brennan very closely all season and expect more wagers to come in on him following success on the field."

Another surprising long shot garnering a lot of Heisman betting attention at FOX Bet is Alabama All-American linebacker Will Anderson.

Anderson won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player) and was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 after leading the nation with 17.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss.

Historically, the only defensive player to win the Heisman was Michigan's Charles Woodson in 1997. Woodson, now an analyst at FOX Sports, also returned kicks and caught passes.

"Personally, I think Anderson has the best shot at winning the Heisman out of any defensive player in the last decade," FOX Bet Sports Trader AJ Devine stated. "He's just an absolute freak."

Here's everything you need to know about the odds for the Heisman Trophy (odds via FOX Bet). For more NFL odds, check out the title odds for the upcoming season at FOX Bet.

HEISMAN ODDS AT FOX BET

Myles Brennan to win Heisman: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)

Will Anderson to win Heisman: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)

Per FOX Sports Research, here were the odds heading into Week 1 for the past eight Heisman winners:

2021: Bryce Young (+800)
2020: DeVonta Smith (+10,000)
2019: Joe Burrow (+4000)
2018: Kyler Murray (+3000)
2017: Baker Mayfield (+1000)
2016: Lamar Jackson (+10,000)
2015: Derrick Henry (+2500)
2014: Marcus Mariota (+425)

So do you want to take a flyer on a long shot to win the Heisman? If so, head over to FOX Bet now!

Looking for even more college football content? Head over to the college football section on the FOX Sports app and website for all the latest news, and make sure to favorite your favorite team — or teams! — while you're there.