NCAA football betting: Surprising SEC QB surging in Heisman Trophy odds

Through two weeks of the college football season, Alabama’s Bryce Young remains the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy. But there’s another surprising SEC quarterback who is surging in the odds at BetMGM.

That quarterback is Matt Corral of Ole Miss, who currently has +600 odds to win college football’s most prestigious award. Corral, who trails only Young at +325, had preseason odds of +2500 but has made a huge move after putting up excellent numbers in the Rebels' first two games, both convincing wins.

Corral has thrown for 662 yards and six touchdowns while adding 90 yards and a score on the ground. More importantly, Corral has yet to turn the ball over once this year.

Corral put up huge numbers but was plagued by turnovers in 2020. And when he turned it over, he did so in bunches. Corral threw 14 interceptions last season, and 11 of them came in two games. He was picked off six times against Arkansas and five more times against LSU, both on the road.

Ole Miss plays Tulane at home on Saturday before heading to Tuscaloosa to face No. 1 Alabama on Oct. 2. If Corral has a big game against the mighty Crimson Tide, he could cement himself as a legitimate Heisman contender.

Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral (2) runs the ball during the second half of an NCAA football game against Louisville on Monday, Sept. 6, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik)
Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral (2) runs the ball during the second half of an NCAA football game against Louisville on Monday, Sept. 6, 2021, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Danny Karnik) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Spencer Rattler now third in Heisman odds

Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler opened the season as the betting favorite for the Heisman at +800 but is now listed at +1000, behind Young and Corral.

Young threw for 344 yards and four touchdowns in Week 1 against Miami. It was his first career start and a performance that moved him from +1000 in the Heisman odds up to +425. After his Week 2 outing against Mercer (227 yards, 3 TDs), he made another move to his current standing at +325.

To this point in the season, Rattler has received more betting action than Young. According to BetMGM, Rattler has received 16.2% of the bets and 25.4% of the money. Young has received 10.6% of the bets and 12.9% of the money.

Corral is creeping up behind both Rattler and Young. He has received 9.9% of the bets and 9.1% of the money.

The only two other players to receive more than 5% of the Heisman tickets so far are North Carolina QB Sam Howell (5.5% of the bets, 5.3% of the money) and Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei (5.3% of the bets, 6.2% of the money). Both UNC and Clemson lost in Week 1, so that hurt both players’ Heisman odds. When the season began, Howell was at +1600 but is now listed at +3000. Uiagalelei’s odds have shifted from +1100 to +1600.

Updated Heisman Trophy odds at BetMGM

  • Bryce Young: +325

  • Matt Corral: +600

  • Spencer Rattler: +1000

  • C.J. Stroud: +1100

  • D.J. Uiagalelei: +1600

  • Desmond Ridder: +2000

  • JT Daniels: +3000

  • Sam Howell: +3000

  • C.J. Verdell: +3000

  • Bijan Robinson: +3000

  • D’Eriq King: +5000

  • Jayden Daniels: +5000

  • Jack Coan: +5000

  • Anthony Brown: +5000

  • Tank Bigsby: +6600

  • Dorian Thompson-Robinson: +6600

  • Malik Willis: +6600

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