Heisman Watch 2022: Odds for Top Race Candidates Before Championship Games
The 2022 Heisman Trophy race took an unexpected turn in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday night.
USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams struggled on one healthy leg in the second half of a loss to the Utah Utes.
Williams had 363 passing yards and three touchdown passes, but he left the door slightly open for TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan to steal the award in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday.
Williams is still a heavy favorite to win the Heisman at DraftKings Sportsbook. Duggan is second on the odds board and the only candidate with a true case to chase down Williams.
Even if Duggan does not steal the Heisman, he could make the first-place voting tighter.
Williams has had a fantastic season, but some voters may be turned off by USC’s loss and the lack of a College Football Playoff berth compared to a potential undefeated season for Duggan and the Horned Frogs.
Any other player still listed on the Heisman odds board is hoping for an invite to the award ceremony next week. Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud leads that list of players.
Caleb Williams (-1600)
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Caleb Williams deserves credit for gutting out an apparent leg injury in the Pac-12 Championship Game.
The USC signal-caller brought his team within three points of the Utah Utes with a scoring drive at the start of the fourth quarter.
At that point, Williams might have confirmed first place in Heisman voting because he delivered another signature moment.
He struggled after that drive with any mobility in the pocket, which Utah took advantage of with pressure right up the middle.
The lack of a College Football Playoff berth and a conference championship could hurt Williams in the minds of some voters. Others will be inclined to point out that he may win that game if he’s 100 percent.
Williams’ overall resume is deserving of the Heisman trophy. He threw for 4,075 yards and 37 touchdowns in his first season at USC with only four interceptions.
The 363 yards and the passing scores from Friday should cancel out the negative results in the fourth quarter when he could not move.
It would be a stunning turn of events if Williams does not win the Heisman, but there is a small chance Max Duggan makes the voting close with a flawless outing on Saturday.
Max Duggan (+1500)
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Max Duggan needs to be flawless in the Big 12 Championship Game on Saturday to even have a shot of stealing the Heisman.
The TCU quarterback comes into the matchup versus the Kansas State Wildcats with 3,070 passing yards, 29 passing scores and five rushing touchdowns.
Duggan’s numbers are not as impressive as Williams’ totals, but he can hold something over the USC quarterback that some Heisman voters value.
A win over Kansas State would give Duggan and TCU the Big 12 title, an undefeated season and a spot in the four-team playoff. USC can’t claim any of those achievements.
Duggan needs to turn in the game of his career to make the voting interesting. He likely needs 350-400 passing yards and four or five total touchdowns.
An average performance will not get the job done, but if he marvels in the national spotlight, Duggan can at minimum make the voting close.
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