Heisman Watch: C.J. Stroud is the Clear-Cut Favorite and Lone Buckeye Among the Top-22 Odds

At the midway point of the regular season, Ohio State's offense has been a well-oiled machine, much like it was expected to be this fall. They are among the top offenses in all major statistics and have looked quite unstoppable even without some of its top playmakers at different points throughout the first six games of the season.

C.J. Stroud is a huge reason for the Buckeyes' success offensively. The gunslinger has spread the ball around to his playmakers all while being one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country. Leading up to the 2022 season, Stroud was the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy at season's end. Six weeks into the season, Stroud is now the clear-cut favorite to win the most prestigious individual award in college football, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.

In his second year in Ryan Day's offense, Stroud has lived up to expectations so far. The Buckeye offense certainly has the number of playmakers all over the field that every quarterback would love to have, but the redshirt sophomore has made the most of his opportunities and excelled while doing so. Stroud gives the Buckeye offense an even higher ceiling and gets the most out of his teammates, putting them in the best spots to succeed, both in terms of being a teammate and as a quarterback, throwing the ball exactly where it has to be – “right in the bread basket,” some would say.

Stroud has had one heckuva season at the midway point, but arguably his best game came against Michigan State this past weekend, a game in which he finished with more touchdowns than incompletions. He completed 21 of 26 passes for 361 yards, six touchdowns and an interception in a 49-20 blowout win over the Spartans.

His six-touchdown performance in East Lansing was the third time the quarterback had thrown for six touchdowns in a single game in his career (18 starts), which set an Ohio State record all while becoming the first player in Big Ten history to accomplish that feat. Stroud was also named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season while leading the Buckeyes to a win in their first road game of the 2022 campaign.

All of C.J. Stroud’s Week 6 TD passes pic.twitter.com/WRA9t4WJta

— Ohio State on BTN (@OhioStateOnBTN) October 9, 2022

Through the first six games of the season, Stroud has dominated, to say the least. He ranks among the best in the country in nearly every major statistical category for passing:

• Passing yards per game: 289.5 (15th)
• Passing touchdowns: 26 (1st)
• Passing yards per attempt: 10.9 (1st)
• Passing yards per completion: 15.37 (1st)
• Completion percentage: 70.6% (12th)
• Passing efficiency: 207.57 (1st)

C.J. Stroud through six games:

Outside Numbers: 18/26 (69.23%)
Deep Ball: 9/14 (64.29%)
Middle of Field: 28/39 (71.79%)
Short Game: 65/74 (87.84%)
Out of Structure: 9/10 (90%)
Beyond First Read: 32/44 (72.73%) pic.twitter.com/x62GoVeTYP

— Cory (@realcorykinnan) October 10, 2022

While Stroud is the clear-cut favorite to win the Heisman Trophy halfway through the regular season, there are a few other Buckeyes who are on the board as well, even if they might be far down the list.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba and TreVeyon Henderson were both among the top-seven candidates to win the award prior to the season. Due to them either missing time due to their respective injuries or splitting reps due to the amount of talent Ohio State has offensively, Smith-Njigba is now off the board while Henderson (100-1) is tied for the 22nd-best odds. Miyan Williams (100-1) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (150-1) are also on the board.

Tennesee quarterback Hendon Hooker – who opened the season with 40-1 odds to win the Heisman – has skyrocketed to the No. 2 spot after leading the Volunteers to a 5-0 start to the season. The fifth-year senior has completed 98 of 140 passes (70%) for 1,432 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has also run for 231 yards and three touchdowns.

With Ohio State on a bye week, Hooker and the Vols host Alabama in a top-6 matchup Saturday afternoon. If Hooker leads Tennessee to an upset win, he could give Stroud a run for his money for the Heisman in the second half of the season.

Much like Hooker, USC quarterback Caleb Williams also has a chance to increase his odds for the Heisman Trophy on Saturday. USC travels to Utah for a top-20 matchup Saturday night. While leading the Trojans to a perfect 6-0 start to the season, Williams has completed 122 of 188 passes (64.9%) for 14 touchdowns and an interception. The sophomore has also run for 178 yards and three touchdowns.

For those keeping track at home, each of the top six players in the Heisman rankings are on a team that currently has a perfect record, including each of the four quarterbacks atop the rankings, whose teams are all among the top 11 teams in the latest AP Poll.

Since the Heisman is essentially a quarterback’s award – 18 of the past 22 Heisman winners dating back to the 2000 season have been quarterbacks – Stroud is in the driver's seat when it comes to winning the most prestigious individual award in college football if he can play as well in the second half of the regular season as he did in the first.

Ohio State hasn't had a Heisman winner since 2006, when Troy Smith brought the award back to Columbus. Since Griffin won back-to-back trophies nearly 50 years ago, the Buckeyes have had just two Heisman Trophy winners: Smith and Eddie George (1995).

Could Stroud end that drought? So far, so good.