The Heisman Trophy race just got a massive shake-up, and if you haven’t been watching, you’re missing out on one of the wildest surges in recent memory. Utah quarterback Devon Dampier slashed his Heisman odds from an outside +2200 all the way down to a red-hot +720, vaulting himself right into the thick of the conversation as of November 15. The man is simply on fire, keeping Utah’s undefeated 10-0 season alive with clutch play after clutch play.
Smith’s Record-Breaking Season Makes Him The Man To Beat
Even with Dampier’s insane jump, Jeremiah Smith still stands alone at the top of the Heisman odds board, currently favored at -144. And honestly, it’s not hard to see why. This dude is absolutely rewriting the Big Ten record books, holding the conference record for career receiving touchdowns with a mind-blowing 42 scores. He also owns Ohio State’s career records for receptions and receiving yards. Just this past Saturday, in the No. 20 Buckeyes’ 28-19 win over Northwestern, Smith broke former Purdue wide receiver John Standeford’s Big Ten receiving yards record. He put up 11 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown, pushing his career total to a staggering 3,875 yards. Smith is trying to become the first wide receiver to grab the Heisman since DeVonta Smith did it back in 2021, and if he keeps this pace, it’s gonna be tough to stop him.
Mensah and Carr: Quarterback Battle for the Ages
The quarterback talent running through college right now is just wild. Darian Mensah, playing for No. 7 Miami, sits at +340. He just lit up Duke in Week 11, completing 30 of 41 passes for 382 yards and a touchdown in a Hurricanes win. Mensah’s odds actually dipped behind CJ Carr after Miami dropped their first game of the season to No. 5 Notre Dame in Week 10, and losing Heisman-caliber wide receiver Malachi Toney sure didn’t help. But Mensah showed everyone he can still be efficient, pushing his season totals to 3,076 passing yards and an ACC-best 29 touchdown passes.
Then you’ve got CJ Carr from Notre Dame at +1000. This guy was a force in Week 10 against No. 1 Miami, tossing for 319 yards, three touchdowns, and zero picks on 29 of 40 passing in a huge win for the Irish. That win was Notre Dame’s tenth over an AP No. 1 team, breaking a tie with Miami and only trailing Alabama for the most in FBS history. Carr followed that up by leading the Irish to a dominant 41-7 win over Boston College in Week 11, going 20-for-28 for 217 yards, two scores, and one interception.
Dampier’s Undefeated Run Is Simply Legendary
Let’s get back to Dampier because his rise is just straight-up incredible. This guy played his way onto the Heisman board with a four-touchdown masterpiece in the Holy War. Then, he decided to double down on that performance this past Saturday against Arizona, throwing for 204 yards and two scores, plus rushing for another 100 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. He literally led a game-winning drive to keep Utah’s perfect 10-0 season alive! That kind of clutch performance, game after game, is exactly why his odds went from way out there at +2200 to suddenly being a true contender at +720. The dude is putting on a show every time he steps on the field.
The Heisman race is officially heating up, with Smith’s record-breaking receiving, Mensah and Carr’s consistent quarterback play, and Dampier’s absolutely electrifying undefeated run. With November winding down, every single snap means something, and these guys are playing for the biggest individual prize in college football. You absolutely do not want to miss what happens next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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