Week 1 of college football is officially kicking off, and while the early slate might be a bit “underwhelming,” all eyes are already on Notre Dame’s C.J. Carr. He’s the preseason favorite for the 2026 Heisman Trophy at +750, but here’s the cold, hard truth: this guy is up against a streak that hasn’t been broken in over a decade.
The Unbreakable Streak That Haunts Favorites
Get this: no preseason Heisman favorite has won the award since Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota way back in 2014. Seriously! That was 12 years ago! Even crazier, Mariota is the *only* preseason favorite to win it on record since 2009. We’re talking about a real curse here, folks. The last two winners just came out of nowhere: Fernando Mendoza from Indiana opened at +5500 in 2025, and Travis Hunter from Colorado was +5000 in 2024. These longshots absolutely stormed the scene and snatched the trophy when nobody was really looking at them. But hey, there are some current longshots already stirring things up. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (+4000) and South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers (+4000) are sitting in that same odds ballpark, and both are potential first-round picks in the 2027 NFL Draft. Keep an eye on those two; they could pull a fast one.
CJ Carr: The Golden Domer With History Against Him
So, let’s dive into C.J. Carr himself. This redshirt sophomore from Notre Dame is locked in at +750 at BetMGM, and that number has stayed steady all offseason. The book is actually pretty exposed on him, with Carr pulling in 14.7% of the handle and 10.7% of the tickets on this prop. Those +750 odds? According to ESPN, they are the longest for a Heisman Trophy favorite entering any of the last 20 seasons. That’s a wild stat! In his first season as the Irish starter, Carr put up 2,741 yards, slung 24 touchdowns, and only threw six picks. Those 24 TD passes actually tied for the most in a player’s first 12 career starts at Notre Dame. Yet, here’s another kicker: Notre Dame hasn’t had a Heisman winner since receiver Tim Brown back in 1987! It really just hammers home that this award is as much a popularity contest as it is about pure talent.
Week 1 is just kicking off, and you know these Heisman odds are going to bounce around like crazy every single week. Can Carr break this decade-long curse? Or are we gonna see another longshot emerge from the pack and shock everyone? Get ready, because the Heisman race is officially ON!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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