College football betting is mostly about teams but sportsbooks also are challenging gamblers to wager on whether Alabama's Mark Ingram will win a second straight Heisman Trophy this season or which other individual player will capture the award that is emblematic of the NCAA's most outstanding gridiron performer.
Let's look at the leading contenders. (Future book odds in parentheses):
Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama (7/2): The junior ball-carrier won't be hurt by the fact that he's the feature player on the top ranked team in the nation and will have the eyes of voters focused on him all year. Ingram ran for 1,658 yards, a 6.1 YPC average and 17 touchdowns last year, numbers which would probably win it again for him this season. Technical handicappers take note: Of the 11 Heisman winners who have come back for at least one more season, only OhioState's Archie Griffin (1975) won a second trophy.
Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State (5/1): In the mold of Vince Young, Pryor has great running ability but needs to improve his passing efficiency (56 percent completions, 11 interceptions in 2009) to mount a serious challenge for the hardware. But the upside is so great—as witnessed by his performance in the 2010 Rose Bowl—that sportsbooks are wary of offering any higher odds on the key player on a team that could win the national championship.
Ryan Mallett, QB, Arkansas (8/1): Just a sophomore last year and despite the presence of one Tim Tebow at Florida,, Mallett led the SEC in passing yards per game, total offense and touchdown passes. Besides Mallett, the Razorbacks have nine other starters back on offense so the attack should be potent. A September 25 showdown with Alabama and Mark Ingram will be crucial for both teams and individuals.
Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State (10/1): Just a junior, Moore already has led the Broncos to a 26-1 record, including last year's perfect 14-0 campaign in which he threw for 39 touchdowns against just three interceptions, an amazing 13/1 ratio. BoiseState will be tested in its opener against Virginia Tech but a victory there could lead the Broncos to another perfect regular season and a shot in the BCS title game. That scenario would place the southpaw Moore right in the center of the Heisman hunt
Jake Locker, QB, Washington (12/1): Locker has NFL scouts drooling, has given up baseball to concentrate on football, and surely will improve during his second year under Coach Steve Sarkisian's pro-style offense but the Huskies, despite 18 returning starters from last season's 5-7 team, probably will struggle to finish in the top half of the Pac-10. It's tough to win the Heisman Trophy on a mediocre team.
Case Keenum, QB, Houston (12/1): If numbers matter—and they do—Keenum should be a prime contender for Heisman honors. He's thrown for 5,000 yards in each of the last two seasons and tossed for 44 touchdowns on 70 percent accuracy last year. The Cougars return their top four receivers and are a consensus choice to win Conference USA, so Keenum's numbers will be there.
Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia (12/1): Fast and elusive, Devine ran for 1,465 yards and a 6.1 yard average last year, including seven runs of more than 50 yards. With the Mountaineers turning to largely inexperienced sophomore Geno Smith at quarterback, look for Devine to have even more carries in West Virginia's run-oriented offense.
Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh (12/1): Sophomores have won the last three Heisman Trophies and there's chance Lewis could make it four in-a-row. All Lewis did was rush for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns as a freshman last season while earning both Big East Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors. Lewis and West Virginia's Noel Devine will lock up in a battle of star running backs in Pittsburgh, Nov. 26.
Others: Penn State's Even Royster (14/1) and Wisconsin's John Clay (14/1) will be the featured backs for a pair of Big Ten teams generally regarded as a step or two behind Ohio State (and maybe Iowa) in the league. Jacory Harris (14/1) will be at the helm of what is expected to be an improved Miami attack but needs to cut down on his interceptions. Stanford's Andrew Luck (16/1), like Washington's Locker, could be on a Pac-10 team that doesn't win enough to get to a bowl game. If you're thinking about a defensive player (or just like longshots), North Carolina end and sack specialist Robert Quinn (100/1) could be your man. But no player who solely played defense has ever won the Heisman.
Heisman Trophy betting should add some interest and intrigue to the 2010 college football season.
