It appears no week in college football this season has gone according to plan.
You can kiss goodbye the Caleb Williams Heisman talk, which always felt premature, might I add. Cincinnati is a top-three team in the country, there are nine 9–1 teams in the country that are options for the College Football Playoff, and Georgia's defense did that thing again where they shut down an opponent's offense.
As for the Heisman Trophy, there again is not a true frontrunner. But that's why I get paid the big bucks to provide reasoning behind the best values of those remaining in the Heisman race.
Let's dive into things.
Odds as of Week 12 and via BetMGM.
5.
Pitt QB Kenny Pickett (+2000)
It's a shame there's not a defensive player with Manti Te'o or Ndamukong Suh numbers this year on Georgia or Oklahoma State to claim this fifth spot, so for that reason, we're rolling with Kenny Pickett.
How unfortunate is it Pitt lost to Miami and Western Michigan of all teams? An undefeated Pitt team would have been a lot of fun to fantasize about with the current CFP picture.
Pickett lit up the stat sheet in the first half against North Carolina this past week before laying an egg in the second half.
Regardless, the victory is what matters. In the end, Pickett totaled 346 passing yards and three touchdowns while tossing an interception in the mix as well.
4.
Ole Miss QB Matt Corral (+500)
A big win for Ole Miss and Corral over Texas A&M provided a lifeline for Corral's Heisman odds.
Will it be enough to punch Corral's ticket to New York? No. But it was a good first step back in the right direction.
The statistics from the A&M game will go down as rather pedestrian to the blind eye. However, that's a very impressive A&M defense, and to add another notch in the win column is as important as any statistic at the end of the day.
Again, Corral's odds are still pretty, and with the race as open as it is, there's still life. Should the two quarterbacks still on this list miss the playoff, the odds on Corral will not get back to this level for the remainder of the season.
3.
Alabama QB Bryce Young (+150)
The betting favorite comes in at No. 3 on our list. To no fault of Young, at the moment, I just believe the two remaining players on this list offer more value for how close the race is at this junction of the season.
Also, the looming matchup with Georgia at the end of the season is another reason why I'm skeptical about going all-in on Young for the Heisman this season.
Should Alabama lose to Georgia in the SEC Championship, the Tide may not make the College Football Playoff, and Young's Heisman odds are as good as gone.
But again, there's a reason why Young is the favorite at the moment, and if you are of the belief the Tide will knock off the top-ranked Bulldogs and make the CFP, that game will all but lock up the Heisman.
2.
Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III (+300)
Walker would be in the driver's seat for this power ranking had the Spartans not lost to the same Purdue team that Ohio State just pounded. But as long as Michigan State continues to win, he will remain in the mix here.
All Walker did against Indiana this weekend was record 172 total yards and find the end zone twice, adding to his already video game-like numbers from this season.
The talented running back is still sitting at a 6.5 yards per carry clip, impressive this deep into the season — and even more so in the conference he plays in.
Walker is back to leading the country in rushing yards with 1,473 on the season. If the Spartans earn a spot in the CFP and Walker finishes the season with the most rushing yards of any player in the nation, it will be a hard case for anyone else in the race.
Right now, the odds are still pretty for Walker.
1.
Ohio State QB CJ Stroud (+300)
Welcome to the top spot, Mr. Stroud!
For the first time this season, Stroud earns the No. 1 spot in our Heisman Trophy power rankings and it's been well deserved.
There's not a more high-powered offense in the land than what the Buckeyes are deploying on a week-to-week basis right now. How about 59 points put up on Purdue this weekend — a top 25 Purdue at that?
Stroud did everything you want to see from someone in the Heisman race at this stage in the year. A 361-yard performance with five touchdowns and no turnovers is a pretty solid mark. And again, he did it against a top-25 team.
It certainly helps that the Buckeyes boast the best receiving corps in the country, but Stroud is making the big plays when needed, and it's looking likely that the Buckeyes will slide through the backdoor for the CFP and Stroud will make a trip to New York on Dec. 11.
Take his odds now if you haven't.
