Heisman Watch 2020: Examining Odds and Highlights for Finalists

Alabama has only had two Heisman Trophy winners in its illustrious history, and both were running backs: Mark Ingram II (2009) and Derrick Henry (2015). This season, a third Crimson Tide player could join that list, but it won't be a running back.

Quarterback Mac Jones and wide receiver DeVonta Smith are among the four Heisman finalists for the 2020 season, along with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Florida quarterback Kyle Trask. The winner will be announced Tuesday in a virtual ceremony on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET.

The deadline for Heisman voting was Dec. 21, so performances during the College Football Playoff semifinals won't be considered. Jones and Smith led Alabama to a victory over Notre Dame in the Rose Bowl, while Lawrence and Clemson lost to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.

Here are the Heisman Trophy odds, followed by a look at some of the highlights from each of the four finalists for this season.

Heisman Trophy Odds

Alabama WR DeVonta Smith: -455 (bet $455 to win $100)

Alabama QB Mac Jones: +450 (bet $100 to win $450)

Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence: +700

Florida QB Kyle Trask: +5000

Via DraftKings Sportsbook.

DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama

In Smith's first two games of the season, he had 14 receptions for 152 yards and a touchdown. And based on what was still to come, that could be considered a slow start for the Alabama senior wide receiver.

After that, Smith had more than 100 yards in six of the Crimson Tide's next seven games. He also scored multiple touchdowns in a game six times during that stretch. One of his first big showings came in a matchup against Georgia, one of the other top teams in the SEC, on Oct. 17, when he had 11 receptions for 167 yards and two touchdowns.

Smith had a season-high four touchdowns in a win over Mississippi State on Oct. 31, when he had 11 catches for 203 yards. He had eight receptions for a season-high 231 yards and three touchdowns in a win at LSU on Dec. 5. And in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 19, Smith had a season-high 15 catches for 184 yards and two touchdowns.

While Smith's Rose Bowl performance couldn't influence the Heisman voters, it's still worth noting that he had seven receptions for 130 yards and three touchdowns in the victory over Notre Dame. Entering the CFP National Championship, he has 105 receptions for 1,641 yards and 22 total touchdowns.

There hasn't been a wide receiver to win the Heisman since Michigan's Desmond Howard in 1991, but Smith could soon end that drought, as he's the favorite to win the award. Either way, it's been another special season for Smith during his impressive career at Alabama.

Mac Jones, QB, Alabama

During the 2019 season, Jones got a bit of starting experience for the Crimson Tide after Tua Tagovailoa went down with a hip injury. And this season, he's taken his game to another level while leading Alabama to the CFP National Championship.

Jones wasted no time getting off to a strong start for the Tide, throwing 12 touchdowns over their first four games. And during that stretch, he had a pair of four-touchdown games against strong opponents in Texas A&M (on Oct. 3) and Georgia (on Oct. 17). He had seven four-touchdown performances through Alabama's first 12 games this year.

In the SEC Championship Game against Florida, Jones had a season-high-tying five touchdown passes while also throwing for 418 yards, a record for the SEC title game. He followed that up by passing for 297 yards and four touchdowns in the Rose Bowl against Notre Dame.

Entering the Crimson Tide's final game of the season, Jones has passed for 4,036 yards, 36 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Although Alabama has had some strong quarterbacks over the years, it's never had one win the Heisman. Jones could change that, but only if he ends up with more votes than his top offensive weapon, Smith. Either way, the award is likely to be given to a Crimson Tide player.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Lawrence's numbers may not be quite as impressive as the ones put up by the other quarterbacks who are Heisman finalists, but he still had a strong season for the Tigers, which was likely his last before heading to the NFL.

He accounted for at least three touchdowns in each of Clemson's first five games this season, passing for 15 and rushing for four during that stretch. His biggest showing of the year came in a win over Georgia Tech on Oct. 17, when he passed for 404 yards and five touchdowns, both season highs.

After Lawrence's strong start, he missed a pair of games after testing positive for COVID-19. And although the Tigers beat Boston College without him Oct. 31, they suffered a rare regular-season loss the following week, falling to Notre Dame 47-40 in double overtime. If Lawrence had played, perhaps that game would have gone differently.

In fact, Clemson went on to win its rematch against Notre Dame in the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 19, when Lawrence passed for 322 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a season-high 90 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers' victory. Lawrence went on to finish the season by passing for 400 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for a score in Clemson's Sugar Bowl loss to Ohio State.

In 10 games this season, Lawrence passed for 3,153 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions, while also scoring eight rushing touchdowns.

Lawrence has had an impressive three-year career with the Tigers, and there's a strong chance he will be the first player selected in the 2021 NFL draft. But will the voters reward him with his first Heisman?

Kyle Trask, QB, Florida

No quarterback in the country passed for as many yards (4,283) or touchdowns (43) as Trask this season, as the Florida quarterback had a breakout 2020 season. And he got off to an incredible start early for the Gators.

Trask threw at least four touchdowns passes in each of Florida's first six games, a stretch that also included a pair of six-touchdown games, which came against Ole Miss on Sept. 26 and Arkansas on Nov. 14. He threw at least three touchdown passes in all but one of the Gators' first 11 games. And that one game was against LSU on Dec. 12, when he had two passing touchdowns and two rushing scores.

Although Florida lost the SEC Championship Game to Alabama, Trask still had a strong showing, passing for 408 yards and three touchdowns and registering a rushing score. The only quarterback to have ever passed for more yards in the SEC title game was Jones on the other side of this year's matchup.

Fortunately for Trask, the Heisman voters sent in their ballots prior to the Cotton Bowl. Trask passed for 158 yards and three interceptions in Florida's loss to Oklahoma, as the Gators were without many of their top offensive playmakers.

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