The college football season is nearly here, and it is time we began discussing the leading candidates to take home the sport’s most prestigious individual award – the Heisman Trophy. Let’s analyze the players who have a shot at the hardware and examine their corresponding Heisman Trophy odds.
2025-26 Heisman Trophy Odds
| Player | Position | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arch Manning | QB | Texas | +700 |
| Garrett Nussmeier | QB | LSU | +900 |
| Cade Klubnik | QB | Clemson | +900 |
| Jeremiah Smith | WR | Ohio State | +1100 |
| Ty Simpson | QB | Alabama | +1600 |
| LaNorris Sellers | QB | South Carolina | +1700 |
| Carson Beck | QB | Miami-FL | +1800 |
| Drew Allar | QB | Penn State | +1800 |
| Julian Sayin | QB | Ohio State | +2000 |
| Sam Leavitt | QB | Arizona State | +2000 |
Heisman Trophy Contenders, Sleepers to Watch
Arch Manning (+700)
In a college football landscape that is constantly evolving thanks to the hyperactive transfer portal, Arch Manning sat patiently behind Quinn Ewers and never uttered an unkind word about playing backup despite spending two seasons as the Texas star’s understudy.
Rather than opt for immediate playing time elsewhere, Manning waited patiently and developed nicely, completing 61 of 90 passes for 939 yards, 9 passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and 4 plunges into the end zone.
The 21-year-old is now ready for the spotlight, and if things go according to plan, the talented nephew of uncles Peyton and Eli could be a one-and-done starter for the Horns. At 6’4”, 205 pounds, Manning has the requisite size and skillset to light up the scoreboard this season with a team that was ranked No. 1 in the preseason.
Although Manning has a limited body of work, once the season gets rolling, these +700 odds at Caesars Sportsbook may plummet as the weeks go by.
Jeremiah Smith (+1100)
If you want to walk on the wild side just a bit, you can skip the quarterbacks on this list and get +1100 odds on the most talented wide receiver in college football. It doesn’t hurt that Jermiah Smith will be an integral part of a high-octane offense that contributed mightily to the Buckeyes’ national championship last season.
Smith tore it up in his true freshman campaign last season, catching 71 passes for 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns, leading the Big Ten. He was the No. 1 recruit coming into college football and dropped only one of his 105 targets. Needless to say, he fulfilled all the lofty expectations that came with his highly touted pedigree.
Last year’s Buckeyes quarterback, Will Howard, left for the limelight of the NFL, and he will be catching passes from either Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz, or Tavien St. Clair this season. But depth is what the big-time teams have oodles of, and we can assume that whoever is pulling the trigger will find Smith early and often.
The caveat to this wager is that only four wideouts have won the Heisman, including Johnny Rodgers (Nebraska—1972), Tim Brown (Notre Dame—1987), Desmond Howard (Michigan—1991), and DeVonta Smith (Alabama—2000). But Smith is as talented as they come, and with a year of seasoning under his belt, he could be a sharp wager at Heisman Trophy odds of +1100.
Drew Allar (+1800)
When you are pulling the trigger for the No. 2-ranked team in the nation, Heisman consideration is certain to come your way. Penn State’s fourth-year senior starter has compiled two consecutive stellar seasons, with last year revealing an uptick in completion percentage when he connected on 66.5% of his passes for 3,327 yards, 24 TDs, and 8 picks.
The Nittany Lions were ousted from the CFP by Notre Dame, 27-24, in the semifinals, but Allar’s offense comes equipped with one of the mightiest one-two punches in the backfield, with Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton both returning, which should allow some easy aerial matchups for Penn State’s gunslinger.
Although the prevailing Heisman Trophy odds of +1800 on Allar are enticing, we should note that he will be without his prime target from last season, tight end Tyler Warren, who went in the first round to the Colts in April’s NFL Draft.
Heisman Betting Tips and Trends
If you are interested in betting on the Heisman Trophy, make sure to take advantage of the many tools available at OddsTrader. Review the teams’ opening schedule and find out if the offenses have a chance to get to know each other, courtesy of the weak defenses they may face in the early going. Building confidence early is a major advantage, and we will likely see this chemistry come about early and continue to improve.
Make sure to scour the IR; the injury bug can bite any player at any time, so don’t get caught without information. There is plenty of it out there, and the sooner you have it, the better your decisions will be going forward.
Lastly, the leading Heisman candidate will likely feast on the weak defenses they will face early in their respective schedules, which means the generous odds you see right now may plummet once the season begins. So, make sure you open accounts at multiple online sportsbooks and get the sharpest number for your Heisman futures and game-by-game point spreads, totals, and moneyline odds.
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*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
