Week 7 brought chaos to college football, and it carried over to the Heisman odds. Jeremiah Smith remains the overall favorite, but Darian Mensah and Trinidad Chambliss are gaining ground.
Among other changes, Gunner Stockton (Georgia) and Keelon Russell (Alabama) have dropped out of the Heisman conversation completely after their losses. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin also dropped out of Heisman contention with his injury. Meanwhile, two Big 12 quarterbacks are in the top eight, along with a Pac-12 player.
Below are the eight players with the best Heisman Trophy betting odds entering Week 8 via BetMGM:
QB Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
Current Odds: +5000
The odds are about as long as they can get and are actually worse than last week, but Mestemaker is still in the Heisman
race despite losing to Houston over the weekend. However, Mestemaker had a strong individual effort, throwing for 365 yards and three touchdowns. If Oklahoma State somehow got themselves into the playoff conversation, his Heisman odds could skyrocket.
QB Bear Bachmeier, BYU
Current Odds: +2500
It's a crime that it took this long for Bachmeier to be considered a Heisman candidate. BYU has been the top team in the Big 12 all season and one of the best teams in the country. It took the Cougars beating Notre Dame for oddsmakers and Heisman voters to finally notice him. Honestly, his numbers aren't that great: only 1,257 passing yards and nine touchdowns through six games. Still, he is an amazing athlete and deserves to be in the conversation at least.
WR Malachi Toney, Miami
Current Odds: +2200
Toney went off against Florida State, catching 11 for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He is easily one of the best receivers in the country with 758 receiving yards and eight touchdowns so far. However, other college football wide receivers have overshadowed him so far.
WR Jesse Legree, Oregon State
Current Odds: +1800
The Pac-12 has entered the Heisman conversation. Oregon State wide receiver Jesse Legree has performed all season, including eight receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns in the Beavers' last game. He leads the nation in receiving yards (1,040) and receiving touchdowns (14), a remarkable feat given the competition. While I highly doubt Legree will win the Heisman, it is fascinating to see the Oregon State prospect get enough attention to be in consideration and favored ahead of Toney.
QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame
Current Odds: +1400
Carr's odds dipped a little after the Fighting Irish lost to BYU over the weekend. Carr is partly to blame for the loss after a botched spike led to a red-zone turnover right before halftime. Heisman winners do not make these kinds of simple mistakes. He certainly could be a finalist at the end of the season, but he will not win the Heisman.
QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss
Current Odds: +700
With so many talented teams upset over the weekend, Ole Miss was not one of them. In fact, they defeated a ranked Missouri team 31-3, powered by Chambliss' four total touchdowns - three through the air and one on the ground. With all of the talk about other teams in the SEC, it is easy to forget about Chambliss and Ole Miss sometimes. However, he cannot be forgotten about in the Heisman conversation.
QB Darian Mensah, Miami
Current Odds: +350
Mensah had a solid game against Florida State, throwing for 326 passing yards and three touchdowns, two to Toney. It is a little hard to tell how much of his stats are because of his talent versus the talent of the receivers he has to work with. Mensah is obviously a talented quarterback, but I question whether he is truly Heisman material.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Current Odds: -130
It is not surprising that Jeremiah Smith is still considered the Heisman favorite. He scored what would ultimately be Ohio State's game-winning touchdown against Indiana and once again led the Buckeyes' receiving corps. However, Sayin's injury could hurt Smith's receiving numbers for the rest of the season. If his numbers drop too much, it could put his Heisman-favorite status in jeopardy.
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Heisman Trophy odds, top contenders entering Week 8
