I have good news, and I have bad news
The bad news first — this college football season is flying by. Week 8 indicates we are more than halfway through the season. However, the good news is that there's a clear No. 1 for the Heisman, and he's still at a rather favorable price over at WynnBET.
For those who don't have a dog in the fight just yet, there's one man you should seriously consider hitching your wagon to for the long haul while keeping your eye on several others.
5.
Texas RB Bijan Robinson (+3000)
Texas suffered yet another loss in which the Longhorns held a lead late in the third quarter and squandered it away. The loss gives Texas three on the season, and as history indicates, it's very hard and rare for a Heisman winner to come from a team with three losses on the season.
The loss surely hurts Bijan Robinson's Heisman campaign. However, I'm not quite ready to throw in the towel on behalf of the talented running back just yet.
Robinson found the end zone three times and racked up 173 total yards on 24 touches for the Longhorns. So far on the season, Robinson sits with 930 yards rushing — the third-most yards of any back in the country — and has ignited the Texas fight song 13 times. Robinson also leads the country in forcing missed tackles, according to PFF.
Bijan Robinson: 66 missed tackles forced
Most in college football💪 pic.twitter.com/6XYAlZx5Ue
— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 18, 2021
To put it bluntly, Robinson is different.
Should Texas suffer one more loss this season, you can kiss this bet goodbye. But there's reason to believe his odds are not off the table just yet.
4.
Pitt QB Kenny Pickett (+700 Top 3)
You know when you were a kid playing NCAA Football 14 and you would create a player for Road to Glory but would choose a smaller school in hopes of a difficult path to winning the Heisman?
Well, the numbers your player would put up in the game is what Kenny Pickett is currently doing right now for Pitt.
Through six games this season, Pickett ranks third in QBR, fourth in total touchdowns and 11th in passing yards. He has a 21:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and has accounted for three or more touchdowns in every game so far this season.
Pitt pummeled Virginia Tech this weekend, 28–7, giving the Panthers two impressive road victories with a Tennessee win already under their belt.
What Pickett is doing right now is very impressive, and he should receive some consideration at the very least.
3.
Alabama QB Bryce Young (+200)
Alabama got back to its winning ways this weekend against Mississippi State, which means there's no reason to panic for Bryce Young ticket holders.
The season statistics look phenomenal for Young. So far, the Bama quarterback has thrown for 24 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Tennessee and LSU are on the schedule for the Tide in the next two weeks, and there's a good chance that ratio improves each game.
With the Heisman conversation being centered more and more around Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral — and deservedly so — there's reason to believe Young's odds will continue to rise.
Where Young will not receive any help in his Heisman case is via the ground. So far this season, Young has just two games in which he has posted a positive rushing total and sits at -2 yards rushing on the season.
It's not a back-breaking stat for Young, but it certainly won't be something voters will look at as a positive at the end of the year.
2.
Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III (+280 Top 3)
Compared to what we have seen from Kenneth Walker III so far this season, Week 7 may go down as a down week for the Spartans running back. Even so, he finished with 84 yards on the ground but did not find the end zone.
It is a small setback for a campaign that really gained steam in what was a wide-open Heisman race. However, Walker couldn't take advantage of an underwhelming Indiana team.
Luckily, the season statistics still back Walker as a legitimate Heisman candidate. Just three yards shy of 1,000 on the season, Walker leads the country in rushing yards and is doing so at a 6.6 yards per carry clip.
If you're banking on Corral not winning the Heisman at this point, the best option in, my opinion, is the MSU back.
Walker gets two straight ranked opponents in the coming weeks with a top-10 matchup against Michigan on Oct. 30. That's quite the opportunity.
1.
Ole Miss QB Matt Corral (+175)
Everything was thrown onto the field Saturday night at Neyland Stadium, as Ole Miss escaped Tennessee with a frantic victory that may have landed Lane Kiffin on this list had he been able to complete the catch when a fan threw a water bottle at him after the game.
Asked for one for the road and u threw me this 🤷🏼 great game and atmosphere last night need that same thing here @OleMissFB this weekend for @EliManning#ComeToTheSippic.twitter.com/wmxLXGjrBl
— Lane Kiffin (@Lane_Kiffin) October 17, 2021
Corral's Heisman resume is only getting better and better. Corral did throw his first interception of the season on Saturday and was sacked five times, but that's not going to dethrone him from the top spot this list.
The Rebels' signal-caller ran for 195 yards and added 231 more via the air. He was simply ridiculous against Tennessee.
It's a performance like this, on the road in a hostile environment, where Heisman winners earn their keep. He certainly did that on Saturday and proved to be the best player on the field.
If you haven't yet, head over to WynnBET now and place your bet before it's too late.
