The Heisman race got a little more interesting this past weekend as the Sportsbooks have a new favorite for the third straight week, moving on from Arch Manning and Garrett Nussmeier to another quarterback — John Mateer!
The only receiver worth mentioning for the award, Jeremiah Smith, made his impact felt with two touchdowns for Ohio State last weekend, while Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love had a bye week to stew over the Miami loss and how he will respond in what’s a make or break game in his Heisman campaign as the nations top running back.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the College Football schedule!
Vaughn Dalzell’s Heisman Trophy Week 3 Poll
1. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (+850)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET vs Florida
Last Game: 237 passing yards on 26/41, 1 TD, 1 INT vs Louisiana Tech (23-7 win)
Garrett Nussmeier didn’t knock any socks off with his most recent performance against Louisiana Tech, tossing 237 yards, one score, and one interception on 26-of-41 (63.4%).
His odds stayed the same as last week’s win over Clemson, which is his calling card to the front of the line for this award. However, Clemson was trailing Troy at the half, so that win may not be as advantageous as time goes on.
LSU hosts Florida in Week 3 as a -9.5 point favorite. If Nussmeier and LSU wins that game, his odds should move in his favor. If LSU loses, well, the climb back to the top is always tougher than the fall.
2. John Mateer, Oklahoma (+800)
Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET at Temple
Last Game: 344 total yards, 3 total TDs, 1 INT vs Michigan (24-13 win)
Electric is one word you could use to describe John Mateer as he has those little wrinkles of Johnny Manziel to his game. Mateer balled out against Michigan with splash play after splash play.
Mateer finished with 270 passing yards on 21-of-34 and added 74 rushing yards on 19 carries (2 sacks) for two total touchdowns and one interception. Mateer has seven total touchdowns on the year (4 pass, 3 rush) and almost 800 yards of offense.
Oklahoma goes to Temple this weekend, then the Sooners host Auburn before a bye week. While the Auburn game is one to circle, following the bye week is Kent State then seven consecutive ranked SEC opponents. If you bet anyone in the SEC to win the Heisman, even Mateer, be prepared to watch the odds fluctuate week to week with all the upsets.
3. Carson Beck, Miami (+1100)
Next Game: Saturday at 4:30 PM ET vs #18 South Florida
Last Game: 267 passing yards on 22/24, 2 TDs vs Bethune-Cookman (45-3 win)
Carson Beck was as efficient as they come on Saturday when he went 22-of-24 passing for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Miami routed Bethune-Cookman 45-3 as Beck played the first series of the third quarter before sitting with a 35-3 lead. Miami scored a touchdown on all five drives that Beck directed stretching 90, 74, 68, 71, and 75 yards.
Newly ranked South Florida is on deck and after they upset two ranked teams, Boise State and Florida, the Hurricanes have to be careful not to trip up. With Clemson not being their best, Louisville looking like a fade, and Florida State coming on strong — Miami could be the top dog in the ACC especially with Beck’s SEC Championship experience.
4. Dante Moore, Oregon (+1400)
Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET at Northwestern
Last Game: 266 passing yards, 3 TDs vs Oklahoma State (69-3 win)
Last week I said Dante Moore at +1700 to +2200 might be one of the best bets in College Football and his odds dropped again to +1400 after another massive performance.
Moore has six touchdowns, 479 yards, and a 77.3 completion percentage through two games (34/44). The most magnifying aspect of Moore’s Heisman race will come down to whether or not Oregon wins at Penn State in a night game.
If Oregon beats Penn State, Moore will be a top-three candidate and a likely winner in my book with the Big Ten schedule at hand. If Oregon loses, Moore’s Heisman odds are like a duck at Thanksgiving dinner — All gone.
5. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (+1300)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:45 PM ET vs Vanderbilt
Last Game: 151 total yards, 11/19 passing, 1 TD vs South Carolina State (38-10 win)
LaNorris Sellers has a path to the Heisman but his previous start was underwhelming. Sellers has three combined touchdowns through two games and 385 total yards. The Gamecocks offense went 3-of-12 on third down against South Carolina State after going 4-of-12 versus Virginia Tech, so there’s a lot of work to be done.
With Vanderbilt and Missouri over the next two games, will we see the Sellers breakout performance? Or will we get 200 or fewer yards and a touchdown or two? South Carolina plays six ranked opponents over the next seven games, so it’s now or never for Sellers.
Analyzing Arch’s performance vs. SJSU in Week 2
Chris Simms, Nicole Auerbach, Joshua Perry and Ahmed Fareed break down Arch Manning’s showing against San Jose State in Week 2, discussing his potential and Texas’ outlook this season.
Honorable Mentions
Arch Manning, Texas (+1300)
Next Game: Saturday at 4:15 PM ET vs UTEP
Last Game: 318 total yards, 5 total TDs, 1 INT vs San Jose State (38-7 win)
Arch Manning had a bounce back performance against San Jose State totaling five touchdowns. Four of those came through the air for scores of 83, 3, 36, and 16 yards — all in the first half and it was capped off with a 20-yard rushing touchdown in the third.
Texas hosts UTEP and Sam Houston State over the next two weeks before conference play starts. Those are excellent opponents for Manning to get his numbers back on track after the loss to Ohio State.
Cade Klubnik, Clemson (+1800)
Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET at Georgia Tech
Last Game: 196 passing yards on 18/24, 2 TDs, 1 INT vs Troy (27-16 win)
It’s scary times for Clemson. The Tigers were down 16-3 at the half to Troy before pulling a second-half comeback and shutout to win 27-16. Cade Klubnik finished with 196 passing yards on 18-of-24 for two touchdowns and a pick. The positive was his yards per completion went from 6.1 vs LSU to 8.2 vs Troy, but isn’t that expected?
If Clemson loses to Georgia Tech on Saturday, which I think they will, then Klubnik’s Heisman odds are finished. Clemson has won nine straight matchups versus Georgia Tech but they did not meet last season due to the ACC’s expansion.
Tommy Castellanos, Florida State (+2500)
Next Game: Bye Week — Vs Kent State in Week 4
Last Game: 237 passing yards, 3 TDs vs East Texas A&M (77-3 win)
It’s hard to do much with 11 pass attempt in a game, but Tommy Castellanos found a way. In a 77-3 win over East Texas A&M. Casellanos tossed 237 yards and three touchdowns. His completion percentage for the season is at 68% on 17-of-25, so he’s not being asked to do anything out of his comfort zone, which is crucial in Florida State’s success (see QB carousel last year).
Florida State is on a bye week, then play host to Kent State who just lost to Texas Tech, 62-14, before a road trip to Virginia who also lost, 35-31 at NC State last week. Castellanos will likely stat pad off the bye week, but his odds shouldn’t change until conference play on the 26th.
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (+4000)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET vs #19 Texas A&M
Last Game: 10 carries, 33 rush yards, 4 receptions, 26 rec yards vs Miami (27-24 loss)
Love is the top running back for the award, and coming off a Week 1 effort that left much to be desired (14 touches, 59 total yards), the bye week was just what the Irish needed.
Love hasn’t carried the rock in a single game more than 16 times in his career, but a Week 3 matchup versus Texas A&M would be good timing. Love recorded 14 rush attempts for 91 yards and a touchdown in last season’s 23-13 Week 1 win over the Aggies. We need to see that here or else there is nothing that suggests Love, or another running back could win the Heisman this season.
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State (+1600)
Next Game: Saturday at 7 PM ET vs Ohio
Last Game: 5 receptions, 119 yards, 2 TDs vs Grambling (70-0 win)
While the opponent wasn’t anything to brag about, Jeremiah Smith went ham in a 70-0 win over Grambling with five receptions, 119 yards, and two first-half touchdowns of 9 and 87 yards! Smith was able to get behind a soft zone coverage for the 87-yard score, and a miscue from Gambling allowed a gimmie of a score from nine yards out. Smith needed a big outing after being bottled up for six receptions and 43 yards in a win over Texas.
Smith has now scored in four of five non-conference games for his career with six total touchdowns (no score vs Texas). The Ohio Bobcats are up next, so Smith likely adds one or two more touchdowns to his Heisman resume this weekend before a bye week.
Stock Up: Dante Moore, John Mateer
Dante Moore, Oregon (+1400)
Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET at Northwestern
Last Game: 266 passing yards, 3 TDs vs Oklahoma State (69-3 win)
John Mateer, Oklahoma (+800)
Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET at Temple
Last Game: 344 total yards, 3 total TDs, 1 INT vs Michigan (24-13 win)
Two of the hottest quarterback in football right now are Moore and Mateer. Despite Oregon playing cupcakes, Moore has dominated and led arguably the best offense in College Football, while Mateer earned a nationally televised win over a talented Michigan team at home. In a week or two, these two could be at the top of the Heisman board, especially because the SEC could cannibalize itself this year.
Stock Down: DJ Lagway, Cade Klubnik
DJ Lagway, Florida (+2500)
Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET at #3 LSU
Last Game: 222 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT vs USF (18-16 loss)
Cade Klubnik, Clemson (+1800)
Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET at Georgia Tech
Last Game: 196 passing yards on 18/24, 2 TDs, 1 INT vs Troy (27-16 win)
I was excited about DJ Lagway, Cade Klubnik and the 2205 Florida Gators and Clemson Tigers, but the past two weeks have been dreadful for supporters of the programs. Florida’s loss South Florida put Lagway on the back burner and despite Clemson beating Troy, it kind of feels like a loss in a ton of way.
If Florida beats LSU, Lagway is back in the conversation and allows Moore, Mateer, Beck, or Sellers to jump Nussmeier. Klunik and Clemson will have to run the table if he wants a chance and right now, that doesn’t look feasible.
If Florida loses to LSU, Lagway is out of the Heisman conversation unless the Gators follow up with a 10-game win streak, which is as likely as me winning the Powerball this Saturday.
Ohio State, Penn State and LSU remained the top three teams in The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll Sunday.
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