Because it's a team sport, college football betting enthusiasts rarely get the opportunity to wager on individual players. One notable exception is the awarding of the Heisman Trophy, where always accommodating sportsbooks have posted odds on which NCAA gridiron star will carry away the iconic hardware at the end of this season.
You might think that choosing the top collegiate player in the land shouldn't be that daunting for bettors, especially since they can practically eliminate any defensive star from consideration. In fact, since the inception of Heisman Trophy voting in 1935, Charles Woodson, a cornerback for Michigan (who also returned kicks) is the lone defensive player to capture the award. It should come as little surprise that quarterbacks have dominated the award, winning in nine of the last 10 years, a streak of eight straight interrupted by Alabama running back Mark Ingram in 2009. Last year, it was Auburn QB Cam Newton who won the accolades.
Speaking of Ingram and Newton, Ingram was the favorite to repeat last year at odds of 4/1 and Newton, a late bloomer, was 75/1, that is, if you could even find him on the Heisman future book lists of most sportsbooks. So, college football betting fans may face a more difficult assignment than first appears.
With that cautionary note in mind, let's look at the early contenders and their odds:
Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford, 5/2: Luck, who spurned the NFL Draft to remain in school to the surprise of many, now will surprise some if he doesn't win the Heisman this year. All Luck did was throw for 3,338 yards and 32 touchdowns against just eight interceptions while leading the Cardinal to their first 12-win season as a sophomore last season. Coach and QB developer Jim Harbaugh has left the Stanford sidelines but new top man David Shaw, the offensive coordinator in 2010, knows how to run an attack that highlights Luck.
Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina, 11/2: Lattimore had a fabulous season as a true freshman, rushing for 1,197 yards and 17 TDs in leading the Gamecocks to the SEC East title. With seven starters returning on offense he should enjoy another banner season in the always brutal SEC.
Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan, 5/1: Thanks to Robinson, the Wolverines led the Big Ten in total offense last year but new Head Coach Brady Hoke isn't satisfied. Hoke scrapped the spread option offense that suits Robinson so well in favor of a pro-style attack. It's a gamble that could lead to a more balanced Michigan attack but one that could stifle Robinson's creativity, not to mention his chances to win the Heisman.
LaMichael James, RB, Oregon, 6/1: What's not to like from the player who led the nation in rushing last year with 1,731 yards, plays on a team that returns seven offensive starters and will have a national spotlight on it thanks to its preseason ranking among the top five in most polls? What's the downside? As it might effect Andrew Luck at Stanford, playing on the West Coast, because of the time change, limits how many voters will get see Oregon's games.
Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma, 7/1: Jones will have the advantage of playing for a Sooners team that is ranked first or second in most polls. Coming off a gaudy 4,718-yard, 38 touchdown season in 2010 and benefiting from an offensive line that returns four starters, Jones should have a big year, maybe a Heisman year, in Norman.
Justin Blackmon, WR, OklahomaState, 12/1: A wide receiver hasn't won the Heisman since Michigan's Desmond Harris in 1991, a feat first achieved by Notre Dame's Tim Brown in 1987 and no one else. But Blackmon, who ranked second nationally in receptions (111), third in yards (1,782), and led the country in touchdowns (20), is good enough to become the third wideout winner in Heisman history.
Ryan Broyles, WR, Oklahoma, 14/1: It's a bit odd having the nation's top two receivers in the same conference, let alone the same state but Broyles may actually have a better Heisman chance than the aforementioned Blackmon because he's on a higher ranked team. His stats from a year ago weren't bad either: 131 receptions to lead the nation and 1,622 yards, which ranked third.
Others with an eye on the Heisman Trophy include Knile Davis, RB, Arkansas, 16/1; Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor, 16/1; Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama, 16/1, Chris Polk, RB, Washington, 20/1; Brandon Weedon, QB, Oklahoma State, 22/1; and Case Keenum, QB, Houston, 22/1.
But like Newton last year, college football betting fans also have to consider that some other player, a real longshot, maybe, will win this season's Heisman Trophy.
This article was written by Luken Karel for http://www.thegreek.com. The Greek Sportsbook & Casino is host to one of the top online sportsbooks offering college football betting and sports betting on NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and all other major sports. The Greek is a must have sports betting and entertainment portal with one of the largest wagering menus available online. Article reproductions must include a link pointing to http://www.thegreek.com
