2025 Heisman Trophy Odds: Betting, Futures, Top Candidates in Week 2 including Nussmeier, Manning, Beck!

Week 1 was as exciting as it gets! Clemson, Alabama, Notre Dame, and Texas all went down swinging out the gate and that shook up the Heisman race already.

Arch Manning entered the season as the favorite at +600, but after a loss he has dropped to +1400, which is an $800 difference in pricing for the $100 bettor! He’s not the only one, so let’s take a look at the current board and how I rank the Heisman race.

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Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the College Football schedule!

Vaughn Dalzell’s Heisman Trophy Week 2 Poll

1. Garrett Nussmeier, LSU (+800)

Next Game: Saturday at 7:30 PM ET vs Louisiana Tech
Last Game: 232 passing yards on 28/38, 1 touchdown vs Clemson (17-10 win)

Garrett Nussmeier is the odds on favorite everywhere as predicted by me, but I also said if Clemson beat LSU, Cade Klubnik would be the Heisman favorite entering Week 2. His odds really didn’t drop though (+950 or +900 to +800), so you don’t have to rush to the window and bet Nuss.

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I must admit, 230 yards on 28 of 30 and a touchdown with no turnovers at Clemson was a terrific way to start the season. There is a chance Nussmeier puts together another 4,000-yard season with 30-plus total touchdowns like he did last year, but there were also reports about his knee having chronic tendinitis which is concerning in a loaded SEC — just playing devils advocate here.

After playing Louisiana Tech on Saturday, LSU hosts Florida for a top 15 ranked matchup in Week 3. As big of a game that is, LSU still has five ranked opponents on the schedule remaining (not counting Florida or Clemson). Nussmeier will have to go through the entire SEC if he wants to win Heisman.

2. Carson Beck, Miami (+950)

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Next Game: Saturday at 7 PM ET vs Bethune-Cookman
Last Game: 205 passing yards on 20/31, 2 touchdowns vs Notre Dame (27-24 win)

College Football is better when Miami is at the top of its game and Carson Beck has the Hurricanes there. Cam Ward was phenomenal last year, but wasn’t able to get his team in the College Football Playoff — enter Beck.

Beck played in and won two SEC Championship Games, plus one Bowl Game (63-3 thrashing of FSU). Miami plays Florida, Florida State, Louisville, and SMU over a six-week stretch. That run could define Beck’s Heisman status because the final four games of the season are against Syracuse, NC State, Virginia Tech, and Pitt, which should be 4-0.

I don’t hate the chances he finishes top five for the Heisman, but I want to see the back-to-back performance against Florida and Florida State before I make a wager on Beck.

3. John Mateer, Oklahoma (+1700)

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Next Game: Saturday at 8:30 PM ET vs #15 Michigan
Last Game: 416 total yards, 4 total touchdowns, 1 interception vs Illinois State (35-3 win)

John Mateer had 15 rushing touchdowns last season and 29 passing touchdowns, so he picked up right where he left off. After posting over 400 total yards of offense and four touchdowns, Mateer has the chance to climb the Heisman ranks once again with a home win over Michigan.

As a one year starter at Washington State, Mateer started one game versus a ranked opponent and lost to Ashton Jeanty‘s Boise State Broncos 45-24. That was a road game and this will be in Norman, Oklahoma against a true freshman quarterback making his first road start — sounds like an ideal route for a campaign for yet another Oklahoma quarterback to win Heisman (Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield).

4. LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina (+1000)

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Next Game: Saturday at 7 PM ET versus South Carolina State
Last Game: 234 total yards, 12/19 passing, 2 total touchdowns vs Virginia Tech (24-11 win)

LaNorris Sellers wasn’t asked to do much through the air in Week 1. The Heisman hopeful went 12/19 for 209 yards and a 64-yard touchdown strike. Sellers added 25 yards and a score on 13 rushing attempts too.

Sellers is now 9-4 as a starter with losses to #16 LSU, #12 Ole Miss, #7 Alabama, and #20 Illinois (bowl game). He is a perfect 6-0 versus unranked opponents compared to 3-4 versus ranked teams. South Carolina has four consecutive games against unranked opponents before going to LSU on Oct. 11. Sellers will need to stat pad over the next month before collecting wins against ranked opponents to push his narrative.

5. DJ Lagway, Florida (+2000)

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Next Game: Saturday at 4:15 PM ET vs South Florida
Last Game: 120 passing yards on 15/18, 3 touchdowns vs Long Island (55-0)

DJ Lagway didn’t have do much of anything versus Long Island. The haters would say Arch Manning and Cade Klubnik are better and more deserving of being ranked higher than Lagway despite losing in Week 1, but I’d say go kick rocks.

In games where Lagway has started and finished, he went 6-0 last season beating Samford, Kentucky, #22 LSU, #9 Ole Miss, Florida State, then Tulane in a bowl game. Lagway replaced Graham Mertz versus Tennessee and lost in OT, and was carted off in the second quarter in a loss to Georgia last year after leading 10-3. Now at 7-0 in his career, Lagway could have easily been 9-0.

Versus Long Island, Lagway had a very casual outing to say the least. On 18 attempts, Lagway had an efficient 15 completions for a minuscule 120 yards, but three touchdowns. The Willis, TX native will have more opportunities against South Florida to showcase his talent and continue stacking wins.

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Honorable Mentions

Cade Klubnik, Clemson (+1400)

Next Game: Saturday at 3:30 PM ET vs Troy
Last Game: 230 passing yards on 19/38, 1 interception vs LSU (17-10 loss)

With one touchdown and a win in Week 1, Cade Klubnik would have been the Heisman favorite, but he got the butt end of the stick in the form of a 17-10 loss and more turnovers than touchdowns. Klubnik was not a threat with his legs (8 carries, 1 yard, 2 sacks) and finished the game 50% passing (19/38). Luckily, Clemson has a beautiful schedule this season and a loss or porous performance over the next five games would be shocking: Troy, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, North Carolina, and Boston College — In my opinion, Klunik’s stock can only go up over the next month.

Arch Manning, Texas (+1400)

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Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET vs San Jose State
Last Game: 208 total yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception vs Ohio State (14-7 loss)

If you named your top three most disappointing performances in the Power 4 over Week 1 — Texas’ play-calling or Arch Manning‘s performance would have to be in that conversation. The Longhorns were not the least bit aggressive offensively in the loss to Ohio State and Manning’s stats only told a piece of the story. 170 yards, one touchdown, one interception on 17-of-30 with multiple throws in the dirt or off target — I’d say I am not overreacting to thinking Manning won’t win the Heisman a sophomore.

Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame (+5000)

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Next Game: 9/13 vs #19 Texas A&M (Bye Week)
Last Game: 10 carries, 33 rushing yards, 4 receptions, 26 receiving yards vs Miami (27-24 loss)

Despite being presumably the best running back in the country and the favorite to win the Doak Walker Award, Jeremiyah Love did not bring his A-game in Week 1. Love rushed for 33 yards on 10 carries and added four receptions for 26 yards. The game breaker was only able to gain 10-plus yards once in the loss to Miami. Love had 91 yards on 14 attempts and a touchdown versus Texas A&M to start last season and we’ll need another dose of that in Week 3 to believe a running back can win this award in 2025.

Tommy Castellanos, Florida State (+3000)

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Next Game: Saturday at 12 PM ET vs East Texas A&M
Last Game: 230 total yards, 1 rushing touchdown vs #8 Alabama (31-17 win)

Now that everyone presumes Florida State is back, Tommy Castellanos will have to bring that energy every game. Castellanos terrorized Bama with 78 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries to go along with 152 passing yards on 9-of-14 through the air. The Boston College transfer already put up over 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards during a single season back in 2023. If Castellanos posts 2,000 passing yards, 1,000 rushing yards, 30-plus total touchdowns and wins the ACC over Miami or Clemson in 2025 — that resume will be hard to beat and he was +6000 last week!

Dante Moore, Oregon (+1700)

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Next Game: Saturday at 3:30 PM ET vs Oklahoma State
Last Game: 231 total yards, 3 touchdowns vs Montana State (59-14 win)

Dane Moore and the Oregon Ducks had a field day in Week 1 with three passing touchdowns and three different rushers combining for 5 touchdowns and 59 total points. Moore started in 2023 at UCLA before transferring to Oregon last season in hopes of winning the job in 2025 post-Dillon Gabriel. Moore didn’t disappoint and as double-digit favorites against Oklahoma State and Northwestern over the next two weeks — Moore could put up 10-plus touchdowns and over 1,000 total through three games.

Statistically, Moore will could have one of the better seasons of quarterbacks, but who he plays will be called into question. Oregon plays two ranked teams all year, #2 Penn State and #23 Indiana, plus avoids Ohio State and Michigan. A slip up versus USC, Washington, or Iowa, for example, would diminish Moore’s chances even with a 10-2 season.

If Oregon beats Penn State and the Ducks go 11-1 or 12-0, then looking back at the current +1700 and +2000 prices floating around would make you smack your head in disgust for missing out. I couldn’t talk anyone off the Dante Moore or Oregon Duck hype train.

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