College football - Full list of latest 217 Heisman trophy odds

Top 5:

Sam Darnold 5-1

Baker Mayfield 10-1

Lamar Jackson 10-1

JT Barrett 12-1

Deandre Francois 12-1

The motivation for Lamar Jackson, not that he needs any, just keeps piling up.

I don't get why he isn't #1. Didn't those guys play last year also and he was much better with the hardware. I think Jackson did it last year with average talent around him. I am not a Card guy but the guy is special.

Manziel, Tebow, Bradford, Leinart, and Winston are all recent players that were back to school following a Heisman campaign. The reality is, it is incredibly tough to replicate the success (and you pretty much have to do that) one has during the winning season. There is a reason it has only happened once.

The motivation for Lamar Jackson, not that he needs any, just keeps piling up.

 

I hope it continues.

Manziel, Tebow, Bradford, Leinart, and Winston are all recent players that were back to school following a Heisman campaign. The reality is, it is incredibly tough to replicate the success (and you pretty much have to do that) one has during the winning season. There is a reason it has only happened once.

 

I think he is better than any of those. Winston is the best of that group that should have done it again. Personal stuff distracted him, I think.

Manziel, Tebow, Bradford, Leinart, and Winston are all recent players that were back to school following a Heisman campaign. The reality is, it is incredibly tough to replicate the success (and you pretty much have to do that) one has during the winning season. There is a reason it has only happened once.

Lamar is at the fifth on that list as far as I'm concerned and that is no disrespect to Lamar.

I think he is better than any of those. Winston is the best of that group that should have done it again. Personal stuff distracted him, I think.

Better than Tebow? No way. Tebow is the greatest college football player ever as far as I'm concerned.

Saquon Barkley is the best value I've ever seen at 20-1. If I was a gambler I would be laying a couple bills on Barkley.

Lamar is at the fifth on that list as far as I'm concerned and that is no disrespect to Lamar.

 

Haters gonna hate... Fifth? :lol:

I think he is better than any of those. Winston is the best of that group that should have done it again. Personal stuff distracted him, I think.

 

You think he's better than Tim Tebow? That Tim Tebow wouldn't even be second on that list? That's a bridge too far, and I say that as a Seminole fan who isn't exactly fond of Gators. I believe Tim Tebow to be the greatest collegiate football player ever.

 

To the topic at hand, the odds are what they are because they're gauging the likelihood Jackson does it again. It's not a knock on him as a player, it's betting odds on whether he'd actually win two times in a row. The scarcity of the accomplishment is a big reason why. People who have great years don't often follow it with one of equal caliber. The Heisman voters have also shown that they hold those going for a repeat to a higher standard. Tim Tebow followed his Heisman win with a campaign that saw him throw 28 touchdowns and 2 INTs heading into Heisman voting, with an additional 12 touchdowns on the ground. He did this en route to another SEC title (and eventually national title). He didn't even come in second, falling behind Colt McCoy's 32/7 and 10 rushing TD line in addition to the Heisman winner Sam Bradford. Statistically Tebow wasn't worlds off of his 2007 campaign, but those going for a repeat have to match or exceed to have a shot.

Yes, I do think he is better than Tebow was. Not a Timmy fan, tough gritty player and very good but not the game changer in my mind as Lamar.

 

However, Herschell Walker is the greatest college football player I ever saw, only Earl Campbell and Johnny Rodgers were close to him.

Lots of the questions are legitimate based on his last 3 games of last year (Houston, UK & LSU). Throw in the awful 1st half against Wake and it's 3.5/4.

 

Would be interested to see if most of the underclassman Heisman winners came into the following season as the favorite. If yes, which would be understandable, there is not much of a "story" in the favorite going wire to wire unless he dominates. As such, maybe it helps him to be ranked 5th.

 

@UNC and v. Clemson in Weeks 2 and 3 will allow him to get into the conversation early (or continue to fade away). He won't get much credit for padding stats until @ FSU on OCT 21. Depending on how the season goes, a big performance AND a win in that game would be huge. That said, FSU is definitely going to be looking for revenge based on the thumping the Cards gave them in 2016.

 

Should be fun to watch - if he has any semblance of an OL in front of him!

The motivation for Lamar Jackson, not that he needs any, just keeps piling up.

 

He peaked way early, then Louisville fell flat on its face.

He peaked way early, then Louisville fell flat on its face.

 

More important than any of that, he plays for Louisville.