It is almost time for the college football season to return. But until then, the best thing that we can do is lock in some future bets.
Anyone who followed me last season knows that we took home a lot of money when Caleb Williams won the Heisman trophy award. And I’ve got another pick for 2023, so we can it back and cash in on another ticket this season.
Heisman Award Current Odds and Past Trends
The current leaders in odds to win the Heisman trophy are below, via FanDuel Sportsbook:
- Caleb Williams +500
- Jayden Daniels +1000
- Jordan Travis +1200
- Quinn Ewers +1200
- Cade Klubnik +1400
And while Caleb Williams has the best odds, here are the past five winners:
- 2022: Caleb Williams (USC)
- 2021: Bryce Young (Alabama)
- 2020: DeVonta Smith (Alabama)
- 2019: Joe Burrow (LSU)
- 2018: Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
Entering the season, it is no surprise that Caleb Williams is the favorite to repeat and win the Heisman. Williams is slated to be the number one overall pick in the upcoming draft, and playing in the Pac-12, we should expect Williams to experience similar success to last season.
However, as you can see, the lack of back-to-back winners makes it hard for Williams to reclaim the award. But a couple other guys may have a shot.
Apr 15, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) holds the Heisman Trophy with his parents during the Spring Game at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
Jordan Travis has yet to finish in the top three as a Heisman Trophy finalist, but the sportsbooks believe he will be in the conversation this year. Florida State will enter the campaign as a top-ten team in the nation, and Travis is the main reason for the hype.
There are numerous other candidates outside of the ones shared in this article, and this award tends to be one of the most difficult to predict. However, I have found the man who will give us an excellent opportunity to make back-to-back years that we cash.
2023 Heisman Award Best Bet
Pick: Drake Maye +1800 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
If you are unfamiliar with Drake Maye, you won't be for much longer.
Maye had a successful season at North Carolina last year and has the juice to do it again in ‘23.
The Tar Heels have shown us that they are more than a basketball school over the last few years. They ended the year 9-5, which was the most successful season in the Mack Brown era.
Maye’s arm talent was the primary reason for their winning record. He ended the year throwing for 4,321 yards, ranked fourth in college football. He was also fifth in touchdowns with 38 scores. As if that was not enough, Maye was a threat with his legs as he rushed for 698 yards and seven touchdowns.
Dec 28, 2022; San Diego, CA, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye (10) carries the ball against the Oregon Ducks during the first half of the 2022 Holiday Bowl at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
And he did all of this as a red-shirt freshman.
Maye threw for 2,884 vs. ACC opponents a season ago, and I expect this number to only increase with another year under his belt. He played his best football in the conference, and as you all know, in college football, most of your games come against conference opponents.
The ACC as a whole is weak this year outside of Clemson and Florida State. North Carolina’s schedule appears to be relatively easy as entering the year, as UNC will only face one ranked team (Clemson).
Why is that significant for Maye?
Maye will get many opportunities to put up video game-like numbers this year as he regularly faces bad defenses. At the same time, it will be essential for Maye to perform well against Clemson and other tough ACC opponents. But if he can pull off a victory in must-win situations with high-end production, he will be a Heisman finalist this season.
Maye will have an opportunity to declare for the draft after the 2023 season, and I expect him to do so, but first, I expect him to close out his time with the Heels strong.
The bottom line is that multiple factors make this an excellent value play. Maye has the talent to win a Heisman this season and make us rich!
You can tail the 18-1 longshot on FanDuel Sportsbook, where you can take advantage of a No Sweat First Bet of up to $1,000 when you sign up for a new account below!
