Tua Tagovailoa Heisman Favorite After Week 7; Clash With Joe Burrow Looms
By Brady Trettenero in College Football
Updated: March 24, 2020 at 9:21 am EDTPublished:
- Alabama starting QB Tua Tagovailoa is the Heisman favorite after Week 7
- Joe Burrow and Jalen Hurts are second favorites with equal odds
- How should you bet on the latest Heisman odds?
The Heisman race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent years.
Alabama starting QB Tua Tagovailoa is the Heisman favorite after Week 7 in which he threw four TD passes against a ranked Texas A&M team on Saturday.
LSU’s Joe Burrow and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts are second favorites with +300 odds, while Ohio State’s Justin Fields and Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor are long shots with strong cases.
How should you bet on the Heisman odds after Week 7?
Odds to Win 2019 Heisman Trophy
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Tua Tagovailoa (QB, Alabama) | +115 |
| Â Joe Burrow (QB, LSU) | +300 |
| Jalen Hurts (QB, Oklahoma) | +300 |
| Justin Fields (QB, Ohio State) | +900 |
| Jonathan Taylor (RB, Wisconsin) | +1200 |
| Jerry Jeudy (WR Alabama) | +6000 |
| Justin Herbert (QB, Oregon) | +6000 |
| J.K. Dobbins (RB, Ohio State) | +7000 |
| Jake Fromm (QB, Georgia) | +7000 |
| Trevor Lawrence (QB, Clemson) | +7000 |
*Odds collected 10/14/19
Tagovailoa Heisman Favorite After Week 7
Tagovailoa remains the Heisman favorite with +115 odds after Week 7.
Along with his four touchdown passes, he completed 21/34 attempts for 293 yards. The Aggies were ranked No. 24 heading into the game and will be one of the tougher opponents Alabama faces this season.
Tagovailoa did throw his first interception of the season in the game, but he remains lethally accurate. The Alabama QB has thrown a nation-high 27 TD passes this season and ranks third with a 214.3 pass efficiency rating.
LSU’s Joe Burrow could jump Tagovailoa in the Heisman odds if he delivers a big performance when the two teams meet on November 9th, but Tua is looking as steady as ever heading into Week 8.
Joe Burrow Shines Against FloridaÂ
Burrow is becoming a great bet for the Heisman after he went 21-of-24Â for 293 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-28 win over Florida in Week 7.
Burrow has had a great season, but there were questions about whether he could continue that success against an elite defense like Florida’s.
What Joe Burrow did to the Florida Gators defense Saturday night was flat out impressive. #GeauxTigers
@JReidNFL is definitley ready to catapult the LSU QB into being a legitimate #NFLDraft prospect. https://t.co/GObvN6TNbd
— The Draft Network (@TheDraftNetwork) October 13, 2019
The Gators defense came into the game leading the nation in interceptions and leading the SEC in sacks.
The Tigers offense was able to total 511 yards without giving up a sack or committing a turnover. LSU’s offensive line was excellent in preventing the pass rush and allowing Burrow to make plays.
Burrow has a big test against Alabama on the horizon, but his performance against Florida makes him a great candidate to get an invite to New York. He leads the nation with a 218.1 pass efficiency rating and ranks second with 2,157 passing yards.
Jalen Hurts Wins Red River Showdown
Oklahoma QB Jalen Hurts came through in his biggest test of the season against Texas in Week 7. Hurts threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 131 yards and an additional TD to help the Sooners garner a 34-27Â victory.
Jalen Hurts’ Heisman moment happened. pic.twitter.com/gAHm0ezxxd
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) October 12, 2019
Hurts put up big numbers in the game, but it wasn’t the ideal performance for his Heisman hopes. He made two big mistakes in the first half that could have been costly. He lost a fumble at the Texas 7-yard line at end of a 27-yard run in the first quarter before throwing an interception in the Texas end zone in the second quarter.
Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had 10 catches in the game, while Oklahoma’s defense limited Texas to just 310 yards of total offense. This was a complete effort by Oklahoma to strengthen their playoff chances rather than a heroic effort by Hurts to increase his Heisman odds.
I still like Hurts’ chances to win the trophy, but Burrow is right there with him heading into Week 8.
Heisman Longshots With Value?
If it wasn’t such a strong year for QB’s, Jonathan Taylor would make for a good longshot bet in the Heisman odds.
The Wisconsin RB rushed for another two TD’s against Michigan State in Week 7 and has put up better numbers through five games than Derrick Henry in 2015, who was the last running back to win the Heisman.
Jonathan Taylor making a strong case for the Heisman 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CLGU91fPKV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 12, 2019
Justin Fields is also having a monsterous season at QB for Ohio State, but the Buckeyes have to go up against Wisconsin, Penn State and Michigan before the season is done.
With the Buckeyes having to face some tough opponents and the Heisman becoming a QB award, I’m reluctant to lay money down on Fields or Taylor heading into Week 8.
Heisman Analysis After Week 7
Tagovailoa, Burrow and Hurts are looking like a strong bet as the trio to receive an invite to New York in January.
Hurts should continue padding his numbers against some weak Big 12 defenses in the coming weeks, while Burrow or Tagovailoa could come close to locking up the Heisman with a big performance at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Nov.9.
It’s a very competitive Heisman race this season, and there isn’t a clear front-runner heading into Week 8. Tagovailoa and Hurts may be the safest bets, but Burrow could be worth putting money on before his odds (potentially) shorten after the big Alabama game.
Lead NHL & NCAAF Editor
Brady is the lead NHL and College Football editor at Sports Betting Dime, where he specializes in betting odds and data-driven analysis. Brady has over 10 years experience working in sports media, with work published by outlets such as ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and Fox Sports.
