Media by Associated Press – Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker (5) runs for yardage during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kentucky Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
There is a new leader in Heisman odds as we head into November, and this is the time of the year the award can be won or lost in one game. While the final award ceremony in December will likely have at least three and as many as five finalists, this year’s race is really down to two players: Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker and Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Hendon Hooker
Hendon Hooker is the new favorite to win the 2022 Heisman Trophy at -110. He was over +1500 before leading Tennessee to a 52-49 upset of Alabama last month. Last Saturday, he led the Vols to a 44-6 win over No. 19 Kentucky with three passing touchdowns, a rushing touchdown, and no turnovers.
This is a big weekend for Hooker and the Vols. With a win at No. 1 Georgia, Tennessee likely climbs to No. 1 in the polls and all but clinches a berth in the SEC Championship Game. Hooker, who has completed 71% of his passes for 2,338 yards, will also strengthen his case for the Heisman and would grab another big game before ballots are due, with the SECCG in Atlanta.
Hooker directs one of, if not the most explosive offenses in college football. The Vols average just under 50 points per game, and Hooker has accounted for 25 total touchdowns with just one interception. He has a 14/1 TD:INT ratio against ranked teams, and if he plays well against Georgia on the road Saturday, the Heisman race may be over.
C.J. Stroud
C.J. Stroud has been the Heisman favorite since the summer, but he fell behind Hooker this week, now at +190. The No. 2 Buckeyes won at Penn State 44-31 on Saturday, but Stroud had just one touchdown pass in the win.
Stroud’s numbers are right there, with Hooker’s on the season with 2,377 yards, 71.4% completion rate, and 29 passing touchdowns. He has four interceptions and has done nothing on the ground this season, with zero touchdowns and -4 yards rushing.
On the season, Stroud is 2-0 against teams ranked at the time (Penn State and Notre Dame), while Hooker is 5-0 against ranked teams. Stroud will be able to rack up stats over the next three weeks against Northwestern, Indiana, and Maryland before a massive game, at home, against Michigan on Thanksgiving weekend if Hooker and the Vols fall this weekend. Stroud can regain his spot as Heisman favorite with a win and strong performance against Michigan.
Blake Corum
The top running back in the Heisman odds, Blake Corum, is +1400 as November begins. The Michigan back has at least 120 yards in five straight games after going for 177 and a touchdown against Michigan State on Saturday. He has scored in every game this season, with three multi-TD games.
Corum’s best game this season was 243 yards against Maryland in September, and he also went for five rushing touchdowns against UConn. He added a receiving touchdown against the Spartans, his first of the season.
Overall, Corum has 14 touchdowns, 1,078 yards, and a 6.0 yards per carry average. Outside of an absolute monster game against Ohio State at the end of the month, plus bad performances from Hooker and Stroud, it is hard to see Corum walking away with the Heisman in December.
Caleb Williams
The third quarterback in the mix is USC signal caller Caleb Williams at +1500. Williams had a monster game on Saturday with 411 yards and five touchdowns against Arizona State. He has five TD passes in two straight games, and the 411 yards was a season high.
Williams has great numbers with 24 touchdowns and only one interception on the season. He has completed 65% of his passes, below Hooker and Stroud, and has 2,382 yards. Williams has three rushing touchdowns on the season as well, but the Trojans already have a loss to Utah and will have to win out for Williams to be a real contender.
Williams had 381 yards and five scores in the Utah loss. So far, that is USC’s only ranked opponent, though games remain against UCLA, Notre Dame, and potentially Oregon. Williams needs those ahead of him to falter on the big stage while he leads USC to a Pac-12 title to have a chance.
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