Heisman Odds 2025: Track The Favorites
By Chris Wright
Last Updated:
- Heisman odds are available for the 2025 college football season.
- LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier is the current betting favorite after Week 2. Jeremiah Smith has the best Heisman odds among non-QBs.
- Track the 2025 Heisman odds for the favorites and longshots throughout the 2025-26 season.
Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter was the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, well-deserved after starring at defensive back (11 PDs, 4 INTs) and wide receiver (1,258 yards, 15 TDs).
Who will win the Heisman Trophy in 2025? Who has the best Heisman odds? Who are the longshots in terms of Heisman odds?
Quarterbacks lead the way in Heisman odds. Arch Manning (Texas) had been the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy since odds opened in January, but Garrett Nussmeier (LSU) took over the top spot after Week 1.
Nussmeier remains the Heisman favorite after Week 2, as well. ESPNBet, for instance, has Nussmeier’s odds at +800 to win the Heisman after 2 weeks.
Clemson QB Cade Klubnik, once viewed as a Heisman Trophy longshot, has slipped in the Heisman odds. Receivers Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State) has the best Heisman odds among top non-QB contenders. Of course, there could be a new star on the scene this fall, too.
We’ll discuss all that and more, further down this page as we explore all facets of the Heisman Trophy odds and, ultimately, who the Downtown Athletic Club will announce as the 2025 winner of the Heisman Trophy — the most prestigious individual trophy in college football.
Top Heisman Contenders for 2025
The Heisman Trophy futures market is one of the most popular college football futures among casual and serious bettors.
Heisman odds reflect the likelihood of a college football player winning the Heisman Trophy, updated weekly by major sportsbooks.
Quarterbacks have the best Heisman Trophy odds in 2025. Arch Manning opened as the betting favorite to win the Heisman when Heisman odds opened in January, but he stumbled out of the gate in Week 1 at Ohio State. Some online sportsbooks had given LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier the same odds to win the Heisman Trophy as Manning.
Oklahoma QB John Mateer is the fastest riser, soaring to second-lowest odds to win the Heisman as of Sunday morning, Sept. 7.
If you’re looking for a longshot to win the Heisman, keep an eye on South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers. His Heisman Trophy odds already have improved since January. The South Carolina star is one of the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.
Compare Heisman odds across sportsbooks for the 2025 Heisman Trophy. These Heisman odds update automatically every time they change.
Arch Manning
2025 stats entering Week 3: 36-for-60 (60%), 465 yards, 5 TDs, 2 INTs.
Arch Manning was the Heisman Trophy favorite for 2025, with sportsbooks like BetMGM offering odds as low as +600.
His odds fell to +2000 on ESPNBet after he struggled in Texas’ opening loss at Ohio State. His Heisman odds improved to +1500 after he rebounded in Week 2 by throwing 4 TD passes.
Manning has patiently waited 2 years to take over at Texas. He could become the third Manning to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. Will Arch become the first Manning to win the Heisman?
Uncles Peyton and Eli were finalists for the Heisman Trophy. Peyton Manning was runner-up in 1997; Eli Manning finished third in 2002. Grandfather Archie Manning also finished third in 1970 and fourth in 1969.
Should bettors be concerned that Arch Manning hasn’t played a lot? Not necessarily. Remember, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel won the Heisman in 2012 as a redshirt freshman. The very next year, FSU quarterback Jameis Winston won the Heisman in 2013 as a redshirt freshman. In 2010, Auburn legend Cam Newton won the Heisman in his first year as a Division I college football starter.
So, in terms of Arch Manning, there is plenty of recent precedent for a quarterback without a lot of reps to step in, stand out and win the Heisman.
Garrett Nussmeier
2025 stats entering Week 3: 54-for-79 (68.4%), 469 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
Garrett Nussmeier remains the betting favorite to win the Heisman at most online sportsbooks, with odds as low as +650 at Bet365 following his Week 1 performance. After Week 2, ESPNBet listed Nussmeier’s Heisman odds at +800 — still the lowest odds on the board.
Nussmeier opened the 2025 season with an outstanding performance at Clemson, throwing for 230 yards and a TD in a critical road win over the No. 4 ranked team in the country.
His Week 1 showing shouldn’t have been a surprise. Nussmeier was the leading returning quarterback in the SEC after throwing for 4,052 yards in 2024. Nussmeier has a chance to become the only LSU quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season twice in a career. He’s also trying to join Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels and become the next LSU quarterback to win the Heisman.
John Mateer
2025 stats entering Week 3: 51-for-71 (71.8%), 662 yards, 4 TDs, 2 INTs.
New Oklahoma QB John Mateer was the biggest riser after Week 1, moving all the way up to No. 2 in the Heisman odds among most sportsbooks. He continued his rise in leading Oklahoma past Michigan in a prime-time showdown in Week 2.
ESPNBet now lists Mateer’s Heisman odds at +900, behind only Nussmeier.
As of Sunday morning, Sept. 7, Mateer’s average Heisman odds are +1067, tied with Miami QB Carson Beck for second-lowest across the major sportsbooks.
Gunner Stockton
2025 stats entering Week 3: 40-for-58 (69%), 417 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs.
Sportsbooks were in wait-and-see mode with Gunner Stockton, who replaced Carson Beck as Georgia’s starting quarterback.
Stockton is now among the top 7 in Heisman odds at most sportsbooks. His average odds dropped to +1350 on Sept. 7 after Georgia struggled, relatively, to put away Austin Peay in Week 2. Stockton was efficient — 26-for-34 for 227 yards but didn’t throw a TD pass.
Cade Klubnik
2025 stats entering Week 3: 37-for-62 (57%), 426 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs.
Cade Klubnik is trying to become the first Clemson player to win the Heisman Trophy. National champion quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence were Heisman finalists.
Klubnik opened the season among the Heisman favorites but he has dropped considerably since. He lost the showdown with Garrett Nussmeier in Week 1 and then Clemson needed a second-half rally to hold off Troy in Week 2. Klubnik threw for just 223 yards and 1 TD in the Week 2 victory.
On Sunday morning, Sept. 7, his average Heisman odds were +1925.
Clemson has favorable odds to win the ACC Championship and is among the betting favorites to win the national championship. As long as the Tigers remain in the hunt, Klubnik will be among the betting favorites for the Heisman.
Jeremiah Smith
2025 stats entering Week 3: 11 catches, 162 yards, 2 TDs.
Week 1 didn’t impact Jeremiah Smith’s odds all that much, even though he had a limited role in Ohio State’s victory over Texas.
In Week 2, Smith reminded fans and bettors why he is considered a Heisman contender. Smith had 5 catches for 119 yards and 2 touchdowns.
His average Heisman odds on Sunday, Sept. 7, are +1625.
The standout wide receiver was the driving force in Ohio State’s run to the 2024-25 national championship — and he’s by far the primary reason the Buckeyes have favorable national championship odds in 2025-26.
Ohio State has a rich Heisman Trophy history, but Ohio State hasn’t produced a Heisman Trophy winner since Troy Smith in 2006. Can Jeremiah Smith win the Heisman and add to Ohio State’s Heisman total in 2025? Just like 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, Jeremiah Smith is a threat to strike a Heisman pose every time he touches the football. Ohio State will have a new starting quarterback in 2025, but as long as Jeremiah Smith gets his touches, he and Ohio State will contend for trophies.
Ryan Williams
2025 stats entering Week 3: 5 catches, 30 yards, 0 TDs.
Ryan Williams was so dominant as a freshman in 2024 that the Crimson Tide’s offense went as he went. Defenses adjusted, but there’s no denying Williams’ singular talent.
The Alabama star receiver has longer Heisman odds than Jeremiah Smith, but those odds could change if Alabama contends for the SEC Championship.
DJ Lagway
2025 stats entering Week 3: 38-for-51 (74.5%), 342 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT.
DJ Lagway might be the most talented quarterback in college football. Lagway went 6-1 as a freshman starter for Florida in 2024, but he produced enough Heisman moments to attract favorable Heisman odds in 2025. Few quarterbacks, if any, can match Lagway’s arm strength. Florida’s schedule is brutal, which probably hampers Lagway’s odds to win the Heisman.
Drew Allar
2025 stats entering Week 3: 41-for-59 (69.5%), 417 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs.
Penn State legend John Cappelletti is the only Nittany Lion to win the Heisman Trophy.
Drew Allar opens the 2025 season with odds as low as +1800 on Bet365 Sportsbook. Allar led Penn State to the College Football Playoff in 2024-25 and is a key reason the Nittany Lions have some of the best national championship odds in 2025-26.
Allar threw for 3,327 yards in 2024 — the third-most in a single season in Penn State football history.
Julian Sayin
2025 stats entering Week 3: 31-for-39 (79.5), 432 yards, 5 TDs, 1 INT.
Julian Sayin is trying to become the first Ohio State quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy since Troy Smith won it in 2006.
Sayin opens the 2025 season with Heisman odds as low as +1800 on BetMGM. His biggest Heisman competition might come from his teammate and top target, Jeremiah Smith.
Sayin transferred to Ohio State in January 2024 after originally committing to Alabama. He transferred after Nick Saban retired. Sayin was a 5-star recruit and the No. 3-ranked quarterback in the 2024 recruiting class. He was the No. 1-ranked quarterback in the transfer portal.
Best Heisman Odds for Quarterbacks
Here are the best average betting odds for quarterbacks to win the Heisman in 2025, entering Week 1.
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Heisman Trophy Betting Strategy for 2025
The winner of the Heisman Trophy is consistently one of the top college football futures betting markets. One wonders if John Heisman, the first athletic director of the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City and namesake of the trophy, envisioned the magnitude of today’s Heisman-sports betting market back in 1935. In a betting world, the odds aren’t great on that thought.
In order to bet on who wins the Heisman Trophy, follow these simple steps:
- Register for an online sportsbook account (SDS recommends Caesars Sportsbook).
- Log into your account and make a deposit.
- Find the college football betting menu and select the “futures” option.
- Select “Heisman Trophy” and then pick a player.
Where to Find the Best Heisman Odds Online
There are plenty of legal online sportsbook options that offer Heisman Trophy betting. Here are some of the top options:
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Heisman Trophy 2025 News & Articles
Keep up with the latest 2025 Heisman Trophy odds by sticking with Saturday Down South‘s legendary news coverage.
Past Heisman Trophy Winners (NCAA College Football History)
Here is a look at the past Heisman Trophy winners, dating to the 2000 season. (Interestingly, Notre Dame has produced 7 Heisman winners — tied for second all-time. But Notre Dame hasn’t produced a Heisman winner since Tim Brown in 1987. Notre Dame doesn’t have a betting favorite to win the Heisman in 2025.)
Heisman Trophy Winners by school (2000-present): Oklahoma (4), USC (4), Alabama (3), Florida State (2), Nebraska (1), Ohio State (1), Florida (1), Baylor. (1), Oregon (1), LSU (2), Auburn (1), Texas A&M (1), Louisville (1), Colorado (1).
Heisman Trophy Winners by position: QB (19), RB (3), WR (2)
Heisman Betting Strategy
The Heisman Trophy race is often misunderstood by the general betting public. Learning how to how bet on college football futures is critical.
The general public still views Heisman candidates in the same way that political parties view their candidates — through the lens of electability. Or, in the case of the Heisman, viability. Conventional wisdom dictates that you have to be an established player from an established and powerful program to even entertain the notion that you could be enshrined as one of the game’s greats.
The preseason Heisman Trophy odds going into the 2019 college football season offer us an important example. Trevor Lawrence and Tua Tagovailoa entered the 2019 season as co-favorites to hoist the trophy at 3:1 odds. They had just played against each other in the national title game and were the faces of the two most dominant programs in the sport. To casual fans, it was a no-brainer for them to share the spotlight as preseason favorites. But to savvy veterans of the sports gambling space, the only thing noteworthy about two players separating themselves from the pack over the summer was that it inflated odds for everyone else.
To put it bluntly, the prevailing wisdom surrounding Heisman odds is wrong and that disconnect is born out in the final Heisman voting year after year. Only one preseason favorite has gone “wire-to-wire” since 2000. All it took from Marcus Mariota (9:2 preseason odds) was a near-flawless season (TD-INT Ratio 42:4) and a berth in the inaugural College Football Playoff. In contrast to Mariota’s favorite-to-recipient feat, is the fact that eight of the past 10 Heisman winners weren’t considered Top 10 candidates in the preseason by oddsmakers. Joe Burrow (40:1), Kyler Murray (30:1), Lamar Jackson (100:1) and Derrick Henry (25:1) represent a new wave of Heisman profitability for sports gamblers. And after a run of one-year wonders who took home the hardware as preseason “FIELD” bets (Cam Newton, Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston) in the early 2010s, sportsbooks finally started to post more comprehensive preseason lists. The average offering has essentially doubled from the 20-25 player range in 2010 to a 35-40 range in 2019.
Heisman longshots have proven to be incredibly profitable in the past 10 years, but their odds quickly come down to earth once the general public has seen them play. The Heisman winners over the 2015-2019 seasons saw their preseason odds fall by an average of 68% from the preseason through Week 3.
This illustrates that for a gambler to capture worthwhile value, they often need to have skin in the game before the season starts.
The start of the 2020 season offered a similar situation as our 2019 example. Neither Lawrence nor Tagovailoa were Heisman finalists in 2019, but that didn’t stop oddsmakers from setting up the 2020 preseason Heisman odds in nearly identical fashion. Lawrence was joined by Justin Fields as a co-favorite falling in the 4:1 to 9:2 range. And as we now know, of course, neither Lawrence or Fields are expected to win the trophy.
Hedging Strategies When Betting The Heisman
Hedging is when a gambler places a bet on the opposite side of their original wager in order to reduce losses or to guarantee a profit. Despite the simplicity of the tactic, casual gamblers often fail to consider hedging opportunities. For small-stakes gamblers, in-game hedging might not be worth their time, but that isn’t true of futures betting. Even small wagers can net huge returns and are worthy of thoughtful hedge strategies.
Season-long futures for individual players and teams present a host of hedge opportunities, some clear and others more convoluted. As shown above, pundits and the public are awful at predicting who will end up as a Heisman finalist. In fact, four of the five Heisman Trophy presentations between 2015-2019 have included at least 1 finalist who entered the season as a 100:1 longshot or higher. Simply having a finalist with long odds can guarantee you money by properly hedging is a game-changer for most casual bettors.
If you were fortunate enough to place a bet on Joe Burrow before Week 3 of the 2019 season, you had a ticket paying out between 40:1 and 200:1 on the Bayou Bengal. Even if you had waited until the end of the regular season to hedge, the 3 other eventual finalists all presented decent value and insurance with Fields (6:1), Jalen Hurts (17:1), Chase Young (100:1) all offering handsome payouts.
While it appeared that Burrow was a “lock” by Week 13 during the 2019 season, this same hedge strategy would have saved Tagovailoa bettors the year prior. The Crimson Tide signal-caller was listed as a -900 favorite during Week 13 but would be overtaken by Kyler Murray just two weeks later. If you had spread out your risk by betting the likely finalists in Week 13 (Murray+600, Dwayne Haskins+6000, Will Grier+1100) you would have turned a gambling heartbreak into a decent payday.
If you are making preseason Heisman bets, targeting longshots with the potential to become finalists instead of winners is one way that you can turn an all-or-nothing proposition into a less volatile and more profitable long-term strategy. This brings into play running backs, wide receivers and defensive players that you might not have considered at all in previous seasons.
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Heisman Odds 2025 FAQ
Who was the Heisman Trophy betting favorite for the 2024 college football season?
Colorado WR/DB Travis Hunter was the betting favorite and won the Heisman Trophy.
Who will win the Heisman Trophy for the 2025 college football season?
It's too soon to tell, but Texas QB Arch Manning, LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier and Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith will all be mentioned in the conversation.
Which players has won the most Heisman Trophies all time?
Ohio State running back Archie Griffin has won the most Heisman Trophies (2), as he remains the only player to win the award more than once (1974 and 1975)
Which school has won the most Heisman Trophies?
Three teams feature players to win the award on seven occasions: Ohio State, Oklahoma and Notre Dame. Ohio State has yielded just six players to win the Heisman, however, as running back Archie Griffin remains the only man to win the award more than once. USC is next on the list with six Heismans, while Alabama has four, and six schools round out the top 11 with three Heisman Trophy winners (Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, Navy and Nebraska).
Managing Editor
A 30-time APSE award-winning editor with previous stints at the Miami Herald, The Indianapolis Star and News & Observer, Executive Editor Chris Wright oversees editorial operations for Saturday Down South.
