Week 7 Heisman Trophy Power Rankings: Kenneth Walker III Worth a Bet
Nic Antaya/Getty Images. Pictured: Kenneth Walker III.
In what has already been a wild college football season, we may have just seen the craziest week in recent memory.
From the Iowa and Penn State top-five matchup to the Texas-Oklahoma barn burner to Texas A&M upsetting Alabama with a backup quarterback, it was bonkers all over the country.
With that said, it really does feel like the Heisman Trophy race is wide open at the moment.
Looking at the scoreboard from this weekend, you will see our top two in last week's power rankings were handed losses, while the quarterback sitting in third position emerged victorious off of a massive day from his running backs.
5.
Texas RB Bijan Robinson (+1500)
It's no secret that Robinson's Heisman odds took a hit on Saturday.
Had Texas not blown an 18-point second-half lead, it's likely he's back in the top two this weekend. But that's not the case. Now, Robinson's Heisman outlook looks bleak.
It's still rather remarkable what Robinson is able to do considering the lack of help he's receiving from the big men in front of him.
Against Oklahoma, Robinson rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown, though it was seemingly in spite of the offensive line. Of his 137 yards on the ground, 126 came after contact. Could you imagine the numbers Robinson would put up with a competent offensive line?
Perhaps I was a year too early to believe Robinson would be a true contender for the Heisman, but I'm not ready to completely put his odds to rest.
If, and only if, you believe the Longhorns will win out the remainder of their ballgames and make the Big 12 Championship, I believe it's worth a small wager over at WynnBET.
It's a tall task, but for Texas to win games moving forward, Robinson will have to put up some pretty nasty numbers.
4.
Pitt QB Kenny Pickett (Top 3 +600)
Welcome to the Heisman power rankings, Kenny Pickett.
To my previous point about how wide open the Heisman race is right now, it may not be too crazy to toss a dollar or two on the Pittsburgh quarterback.
Through five games this season, Pickett has the nation's best touchdown-to-interception ratio at 19:1. Pickett also commands the top spot in the country in QBR and has the Panthers atop of the ACC Coastal division at 4–1.
Again, it's probably the longest of longshots considering the other names listed, but with how wacky of a year this season has become, a quarterback from Pitt being in the Heisman conversation only makes sense.
Pickett will lead his squad into Blacksburg this weekend for a big matchup against Virginia Tech.
3.
Ole Miss QB Matt Corral (+200)
One of the weekend's best games took place in Oxford, Mississippi, this weekend. The Rebels walked away with a 52–51 victory over Arkansas thanks to a two-point conversion falling flat in the final second of the game.
The victory keeps Corral in the conversation despite it being a game that did not require Corral to light it up statistically.
Corral threw the ball just 21 times against the Razorbacks and ended with 287 yards through the air and two touchdowns. He did, however, add two more scores and 94 yards on the ground.
While Corral didn't do anything too crazy, this game featured plenty of big-time moments. The drive at the end of the game to take the lead is something Heisman voters will certainly reflect on come year's end.
On the season, Corral sits with 12 touchdowns and no interceptions, with eight more touchdowns coming on the ground. By the end of the season, the statistics will rival those of any other quarterback in the country.
Tennessee, LSU and Auburn are on the schedule for Ole Miss for the next three weeks. Again, this is a spot to take Corral if you believe the Rebs will continue to win.
2.
Alabama QB Bryce Young (+200)
For the first time this month, Bryce Young is not the leader on the Heisman power rankings. The loss to Texas A&M will probably be a small blip on Young's resume when reflecting at the end of the season, but that's how power rankings work.
Young did not necessarily play poorly, and when you look at his game log at the end of the season, the statistics will actually show he played pretty well.
With 369 passing yards and three touchdowns, the numbers are there. But what hurt is the interception on the one-yard line that really came back to haunt Alabama at the end of the day.
Regardless, Young is still the co-favorite at WynnBET, and I believe he's the most likely to win the award. This is a great buy-low opportunity for Young believers.
1.
Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III (Top 3 +250)
For the first time this year, Michigan State's Kenneth Walker III is the man atop our Heisman power rankings.
Walker has been a common name on this list over the last five weeks or so, and he has earned the top spot. Coming off of a 232-yard, three-touchdown performance against Rutgers, Walker has a stranglehold on the nation's rushing lead with 912 on the season.
Through six games this season, Walker is averaging 152.0 yards per game on the ground and has found the end zone nine times. The Spartans are also undefeated on the season and jumped into the top 10 of this week's AP Poll.
Walker has 121 more rushing yards than any other player in college football this season. Halfway through the season, the rushing crown is looking like it will be headed to East Lansing when it's all said and done.
Luckily, the odds at WynnBET are still favorable for those who are believers in Walker and the Spartans. He should be your bet this week if you want to make one.
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