USC's Sanchez a great sleeper in Heisman Trophy odds
College football odds: Heisman Trophy odds
- Who are the darkhorse candidates?
- Will a defender win the trophy?
- Which low-profile quarterback is my best bet?
Last week, the betonline.com online sportsbook reviewed some of the favorites to win college football's Heisman Trophy. If you're good at betting sports, you know odds are one or two darkhorses will emerge before all is said and done. Today, we'll examine some of the lesser-known candidates. If there's one thing all these players need to do besides play well in 2008, it's raise their national profiles and gain some quality name recognition.
Matt Grothe (+4500 Heisman odds) hasn't burst on to the national scene yet, but his team certainly has. South Florida surprised a lot of people in NCAA football last year when it ripped off an impressive season, going 9-4 and causing some noise in the BCS standings (finishing as high as second, a school record). Grothe needs to pump up his stats big time (he had 24 total touchdowns last season; Heisman favorite Tim Tebow had 55), but if the Bulls continue their rise to prominence, Grothe will get a lot of the credit—that could end up getting him some much-deserved Heisman hype.
Eric Berry (+5000 Heisman odds) is the longest of long shots, considering he plays defense. Charles Woodson in 1997 is the only defensive player to win the award since 1950, and he played some snaps on offense as well. Mind you, Berry is a great player. He was named the SEC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year last season. But if you're going to gamble and go for the big score, you're safer taking an underdog on offense, like Grothe.
Our next trio of stars play quarterback. First, there's Cullen Harper (+1800 Heisman odds) of the Clemson Tigers. Harper was surprisingly effective last season, racking up 27 touchdown passes and just six interceptions in a run-heavy offense. The senior essentially came out of nowhere in 2007, but his name should be more on the map in 2008. If Harper can help shake Clemson's history of fast starts and poor finishes and lead his talented team to a major bowl game, he'll get some serious consideration.
Colt McCoy (+1300 Heisman odds) is poised for a huge season at Texas. McCoy was brilliant in his freshman year, throwing 29 touchdowns and just seven picks. He regressed last season while posting a 22:18 touchdown to interception ratio. He's off a lot of people's radar's now, but he shouldn't be. McCoy is supremely talented and I really like his chances to bounce back and put up numbers similar to his freshman year—if not more.
Lastly, we get to my favorite sleeper pick, Mark Sanchez (+1800 Heisman odds). Why he's not getting more action, I don't know, but the USC quarterback is in a great spot. True, he's young and inexperienced, but the Trojans have tons of talent. It usually doesn't matter who they line up at quarterback, they're going to score a ton of points. If I'm a betting man—and I am—I really like Sanchez as my long-shot pick this season.
Stay in touch with The Bettor's Edge for all your NCAA football tips and info, and be sure to visit the betonline.com Sportsbook for all your college football betting odds.
Blake walked onto his college football team and had a brief stint as an assistant coach after he graduated. He brings a sharp mind to the world of sports handicapping. Blake understands the nuances of the game that only someone who has played would understand, and he was one of the few who gave the Giants a chance against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Thoughts or questions?
