Heisman odds: Travis Hunter overtakes Top CFB QB for the first time to become the favorite to win the coveted trophy
There's been a shift atop the betting odds leaderboard for the Heisman Trophy. This prestigious individual honor in college football is always the subject of intense debate and discussion. Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter seems to be climbing the Heisman consideration ladder if a shift in betting odds is any guide. Here's more on the Heisman field.
Heisman odds shift for Hunter
ESPN's online odds jumped Travis Hunter to a +165 favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. This gives him a substantial edge over the next closest competitors, Miami quarterback Cam Ward and Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, each sitting at +275 odds in ESPN's book.
Perhaps the most intriguing Heisman prospect remains Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. He is at +600 and is putting together one of the best seasons by a running back in potentially decades while playing Boise's schedule. After Jeanty, there is a massive dropoff to the next potential Heisman candidate, Clemson's Cade Klubnik, who has +2200 odds.
Hunter's Colorado teammate Shedeur Sanders is also a distant hopeful in the field, sitting at +5000 odds. Perhaps the biggest knock on Colorado is that at 6–2, while the Buffs have improved from recent seasons, they remain unlikely to end up in the College Football Playoff, while Ward and Gabriel will likely end up playing in those games.
Hunter's season
A two-way star, Hunter has had amazing seasons to date. The wide receiver has 60 catches for 757 yards and eight touchdowns. Hunter has put up five 100+ yard games, including his last outing, where he had nine catches for 153 yards and a pair of TDs against Cincinnati.
Defensively, Hunter has 21 tackles and has broken up nine passes, including a pair of interceptions. He remains one of the nation's top-rated defensive backs and if his statistics are modest, it's mostly because offenses have learned not to throw the football in his direction.
Hunter's 60 receptions are tied for sixth in the nation, and his 757 yards are 11th best. His eight touchdowns also tie for sixth nationally, as Hunter leads the Big 12 in that category and ties for the conference high in catches.
The other top candidates
Miami's Ward has helped the Hurricanes jump to an 8–0 start while averaging 46.8 points per game. Ward has thrown for 2,746 yards and 24 touchdowns on the season. He's second in the nation in each category and sixth overall in QB rating.
Oregon and Dillon Gabriel are also 8–0, and the veteran QB has been rock-steady for the Ducks. Gabriel's 76.2% completion rate leads the nation. He has thrown for 2,371 yards and 18 touchdowns, placing him in the top ten in each category and fifth nationally in QB rating.
Boise's Jeanty came in as something of an unknown, but Boise is 7–1, with its only loss coming by three points to Oregon in Week 2. Jeanty has a whopping 1,525 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 190 total carries. He is first in the nation in yardage and scores and is on track to become the first 2,000-yard regular-season rusher in college football since JK Dobbins in 2019.
Which award hopeful would you pick? Share your thoughts below in our comments section!