Heisman Odds: Caleb Williams heads the final 4

The Heisman odds in 2022 took another turn over the weekend as red-hot lock Caleb Williams suffered his first L of 2022.

The USC QB was -2500 going into the showdown with Utah on Saturday but the Trojans lost the Pac-12 Championship game by a stunning 47-24 final. As a result he’s now ‘only’ -1800 heading into Saturday’s big reveal on national TV.

Williams though does still head the shortlist of 4 college football stars for Saturday’s ceremony. The other three are TCU signal caller Max Duggan, Ohio State QB and longtime favorite C.J. Stroud and Georgia QB Stetson Bennett.

Here is all we know as it stands as we head towards the big Heisman ceremony – and even closer to the 2023 NFL Draft.

Latest Heisman Trophy Odds in 2022

That USC loss to Utah saw Caleb’s odds lengthen a little but he remains a red-hot Heisman favorite. The eother three candidates have very little chance if you believe the online sportsbooks.

Stroud, who had been a hot favorite himself a few short weeks ago, is now the outsider of the 4 finalists.

Right now the odds look like this:

• -1800 Caleb Williams (QB, USC)
• +2500 Max Duggan (QB, TCU)
• +3000 Stetson Bennett (QB, Georgia)
• +4000 C.J. Stroud (QB, Ohio State)

NB: Odds correct on December 6, 2022

Heisman Watch 2022

We’ll keep you updated on how all of the major contenders are performing every week during the 2022 season:

Caleb Williams: It’s not like Caleb was bad vs Utah on Saturday, but his team still lost by 23. He completed 28 of 41 passes for 363 yards, three TDs and one INT. He also rushed 12 times for 21 yards, but was sacked 7 (SEVEN) times.

Max Duggan: This young man was in tears at the podium after the Horned Frogs suffering an agonizing 31-28 overtime loss to Kansas in the Big 12 Championship game. He completed 18 of 36 passes for 251 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. He also ran 15 times for 110 yards and a score.

Stetson Bennett: Was stellar on Saturday as the national champion Bulldogs routed LSU 50-30 in the SEC Championship game. Completed 23 of 29 passes for 274 yards and 4 TDs.

When is the Heisman winner announced?

Okay so a few dates for your diary here, and this will help you work out when players need to perform at their best.

• November 28, 2022: Heisman ballots are distributed
• December 5, 2022: This is the voting deadline for the Heisman
• December 5, 2022: Right after the voting deadline, the Heisman finalists are announced

Then, after all of that, the winner is announced during a primetime ceremony aired on ESPN on December 10, 2022 at 8pm Eastern Time.

Who won the Heisman Trophy?

So we know that Caleb Williams is now hot favorite to win the Heisman in 2022, but who won it in the past?

From a statistical standpoint, like most awards in football now, QBs are by far the likeliest winners. The trophy has been awarded 86 times since 1935, and we have 85 winners total (and one two-time winner, Ohio State RB Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975. A total of 16 out of the last 20 winners have been quarterbacks.

Only one true defensive player has ever won the Heisman – Michigan CB Charles Woodson back in 1997. The odds are definitely not with Will Anderson here…

The schools with most winners are Notre Dame, Oklahoma and Ohio State – who have all provided seven Heisman standouts. USC does also have 7 players to collect the trophy but only 6 wins after Reggie Bush vacated his 2005 award.

The last 10 Heisman winners are:

• 2021: Bryce Young (QB, Alabama)
• 2020: DeVonta Smith (WR, Alabama)
• 2019: Joe Burrow (QB, LSU)
• 2018: Kyler Murray (QB, Oklahoma)
• 2017: Baker Mayfield (QB, Oklahoma)
• 2016: Lamar Jackson (QB, Louisville)
• 2015: Derrick Henry (RB, Alabama)
• 2014: Marcus Mariota (QB, Oregon)
• 2013: Jameis Winston (QB, Florida State)
• 2012: Johnny Manziel (QB, Texas A&M)

Who chooses the Heisman winner?

So as with most awards like this, a panel of journalists are key to choosing the Heisman winner annually. Staggeringly, your faithful scribe Stryker has yet to get the call to add to that panel.

There are 870 journalists on the panel which votes for the Heisman winner. They are split equally across six regions of the United States – Far West, Mid Atlantic, Mid West, North East, South and South West.

The 57 living Heisman winners also get a vote, and then fans get into the action too but their votes only count as one ballot. So effectively we have 928 voters in total.