Injuries have completely altered this Heisman race. First, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin suffered an injury that took him out of the Heisman conversation and hurt Jeremiah Smith's Heisman chances. Then, Miami receiver Malachi Toney suffered a high ankle sprain.
Watching Miami's game against Notre Dame made it clear the Hurricanes offense was not the same without Toney. Quarterback Darian Mensah still had a strong performance, but not as well as he did before. On the other hand, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr lit up Miami's defense with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns, propelling him into the new Heisman favorite.
Two Big 12 quarterbacks have also emerged as potential Heisman candidates: Drew Mestemaker with Oklahoma State and Devon
Dampier with Utah. Mestemaker has some of the best passing stats of any quarterback in college football, while Dampier leads the undefeated Utes, widely considered one of the best teams in college football. Outside of the top five Heisman candidates, everyone is considered a long shot.
Below are the five players with the best Heisman Trophy betting odds entering Week 11 via BetMGM:
QB Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State
Current odds: +1500
It is honestly surprising Mestemaker did not emerge as a Heisman candidate sooner. He has the second-most passing yards and the most passing touchdowns of any FBS quarterback right now. His team just put up 66 points thanks to his performance against Kansas State, and he is now considered the top quarterback prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft. Despite his longer odds, Mestemaker should be considered a real Heisman candidate in the last few weeks of the season.
QB Devon Dampier, Utah
Current odds: +1500
His numbers are not as flashy as Mestemaker's, with only 2,053 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns through nine games. But he is still a solid quarterback, leading his team to an undefeated season. Dampier has also shown his ability on the ground with 150 rushing yards against Houston and 89 rushing yards against BYU. He also had two rushing touchdowns in each of those games. I would bet on Mestemaker before Dampier, but he is still in the conversation entering Week 11.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Current odds: +300
If Sayin had not been injured, Jeremiah Smith may have won in a landside. He was widely considered the favorite before his injury. Since then, Ohio State's season has crumbled. Smith has continued to put up strong numbers, including his 133-yard performance against Oregon last week. But how bad the Buckeyes are is overshadowing his season.
QB Darian Mensah, Miami
Current odds: +300
There is always a question with a quarterback who has a talented receiver like Malachi Toney: is the elite quarterback production because of the receiver? After one week without Toney, the answer appears to be yes. He was not bad by any means, finishing the game with 269 passing yards and three touchdowns, but he still did not look the same. Unless the Hurricanes offense can get things back on track without Toney in the lineup, his Heisman odds will probably plummet.
QB CJ Carr, Notre Dame
Current odds: +165
This honestly makes me sad. Carr has only 2,168 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, but he's also thrown only one interception and has the seventh-highest quarterback rating in the FBS. Still, Carr winning the Heisman feels like a consolation prize after college football's favorite Heisman candidates had their season affected by injuries. Watching Carr, he does not seem like a Heisman winner. So I truly hope he does not win it.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Heisman Trophy odds, top contenders entering Week 11
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