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In the final third of the season, we’re looking at a tight race between the two Heisman frontrunners, and they’ve swapped positions yet again after their games last week, according to the DraftKings Sportsbook. Things have tightened up with only 3 weeks remaining in the regular season.
CJ Stroud, QB, Ohio State +140
After an 9-0 start, CJ Stroud returns to the top of the betting line in the Heisman race. Ohio State’s offense continues to roll along with Stroud behind center as he now has 29 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions.
Following the Buckeyes’ win over Northwestern in awful weather, he’s still ranked first in FBS with a quarterback rating of 91.1 in addition to 2nd FBS with 29 passing touchdowns and throwing for nearly 2,500 yards.
Stroud has a real chance to put up video game like numbers this week as the Buckeyes take on hapless Indiana, who struggle in all phases of the game. His final Heisman test is the regular season finale against Michigan. The Wolverines boast a top five rush defense and may be able to force the Buckeyes into throwing all game, thus needing some Heisman-worthy heroics.
Hendon Hooker, Quarterback, Tennessee +290
Well, that could have gone better for Hendon Hooker against UGA. He struggled against the clear #1 team in the country with his lowest QBR, lowest overall rating, and throwing for only 195 yards and 0 touchdowns.
Hooker has the advantage of playing in the SEC and the exposure that comes with that on a week to week basis. However, this week is a bit of a reprieve against Missouri where he will look to reestablish his Heisman race through the air against a defense that ranks in the top 25 in passing yards per game (192).
The rest of the season Hooker has the chance to stack up the statistics with games remaining against South Carolina and Vanderbilt after Missouri but he does not get the advantage of a conference championship game like Stroud, Corum, or Williams likely get.
Blake Corum, Running Back, Michigan +750
Corum is starting to close the gap between the two favorites, cutting the line in half from +1500 to +750 in one week. I don’t foresee that type of gain again this week but he can definitely make it more interesting heading into the final two weeks of the season.
This week Michigan takes on Nebraska who has an abject disaster for a defense that currently ranks 107th in rushing yards allowed per game (182.9). Look for Harbaugh to keep handing the ball off to Corum who has received 20 or more carries in every B1G Conference game.
Like Stroud, the next big test for UM is The Big Game against OSU. If Corum has a memorable game to vault them into the B1G Championship in Indy and a birth in the CFP for the second year in a row, Corum could very well be hoisting the trophy.
Caleb Williams, Quarterback, Southern California +900
Rounding out the top four again this week is the QB from USC who threw for 36 yards and 4 touchdowns against a good Cal team. That now make 4 consecutive games from Williams with 0 interceptions, 3 consecutive games of 350+ passing yards, and 3 consecutive games of a QB rating above 81.
He’s still only thrown one interception (tied for best among season-long starters), 28 touchdowns (third in FBS) and a QBR of 85.4 (ninth in FBS), 2,7842 yards (11th) and has a schedule that may allow him to go video game mode and bump those averages up.
His main challenges will come against one-loss UCLA and the annual hate fest against formerly underwhelming, but currently streaking Notre Dame.
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details
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