Archived: Burrow Odds on Favorite to Win Heisman

With just two weeks remaining in the college football schedule, it appears that sportsbooks would need something catastrophic to happen for LSU senior QB Joe Burrow to not win the 2019 Heisman Trophy.

Online sportsbook BetOnline has Burrow as the massive favorite at -2000, followed by Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts at +900 and Ohio State QB Justin Fields at +1000 to round out the oddsboard.

Burrow Has Been Brilliant

The LSU Tigers have captured many people’s hearts this year and can you blame them? After years of falling to Alabama and with the admirable head coach Ed Orgeron at the helm, it’s hard to cheer against them. LSU is a perfect 10-0 on the season, including a massive 46-41 triumph at then-No. 3 Alabama, and is averaging the second-most points per game in the nation.

A lot of that offense can be attributed to QB Joe Burrow, who is second in college football in passing yards with 3,687, just shy of 700 fewer than leader Anthony Gordon, but has 174 fewer pass attempts. Furthermore, Burrow has 38 passing touchdowns to just six interceptions. To pull all of this off in the defensively sound SEC is outstanding. The season he’s putting together may lead LSU to a national title and may earn him the No. 1 overall draft position for the 2020 NFL Draft.

Can Hurts Be the Third Straight Oklahoma Heisman Winner?

Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts. Could that be three straight Oklahoma QB Heisman Trophy winners? Hurts climbed to second on the oddsboard after the Sooners’ ferocious come-from-behind victory over previously unbeaten Baylor in Week 12. Oklahoma trailed 31-10 at the half and pulled out the 34-31 triumph in the end. Hurts had 297 passing yards with four touchdowns, while also gaining an extra 114 yards on the ground.

Hurts, the former Alabama QB, has thrown for the seventh-most yards and touchdowns, while only tossing six interceptions. Additionally, he has the third-most rushing yards by a QB and is sixth overall in the nation in rushing touchdowns, regardless of position. This dual-threat capability gives him more of an opportunity to win the Heisman, as we saw a similar situation last year involving Kyler Murray, Tua Tagovailoa and Dwayne Haskins, with Murray winning with a much more dangerous run attack.

Fields Flying Under the Radar

The Ohio State Buckeyes lead the nation in points scored and in fewest points allowed this season, yet it seems they have been overshadowed by bigger storylines all season long and that may have also hurt Justin Fields’ Heisman Trophy odds. Statistically speaking, Fields is a step behind Burrow and Hurts with fewer passing yards and a lower pass completion percentage. However, he has a remarkable 31-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio and is leading this potent offense.

Much like Hurts, Fields does have dual-threat capability as he has gained 377 yards on the ground while adding 10 rushing majors. He has an opportunity to shine in the next two weeks against No. 9 Penn State and at No. 15 Michigan, and that could help build his case for a Heisman if he puts on terrific performances. At this point, in my opinion, he deserves to be in the conversation but is just a step behind the other two.