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Seven of the last eight Heisman Trophy winners have been quarterbacks. So it’s no surprise that heading into the start of the 2024 college football season the top of the odds boards are stacked with signal-callers. Who will take home the hardware at the end of this season? FrontPageBets takes a look at its Heisman hopefuls.
2024 Heisman Trophy odds, preview & predictions: Dillon Gabriel, Carson Beck & more
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On the odds board, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Georgia’s Carson Beck are leading the pack.
Gabriel is currently at the top of the BetMGM and FanDuel sportsbooks, sitting at +700 at both, while Beck has the shortest odds at Caesars (+650). Gabriel is +900 at Caesars, which is third at that book, behind Beck and Texas QB Quinn Ewers (+800).
Ewers is third on the BetMGM and FanDuel boards at +1000 with less than a month to go before the start of the season.
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe is the only player in the top five in odds who was in the running for last year’s Heisman. The Crimson Tide dual-threat quarterback in his first year as a starter finished sixth in voting, almost 2,000 points behind winner Jayden Daniels from LSU.
(*Odds courtesy of BetMGM, and are subject to change)
Gabriel will start the 2024 season for Oregon as perhaps the most experienced quarterback in all of college football.
In his sixth year of eligibility (redshirt and Covid years), the Ducks will be the third different program Gabriel has played for.
The 5-foot-11 lefty started his college career in 2019 at UCF. After three seasons in Orlando, Fla., with the Knights, Gabriel amassed 8,037 passing yards and 70 touchdowns. After suffering an injury in the third game of his junior season, he transferred to Oklahoma at the end of that year.
He then started two seasons for the Sooners, throwing for 6,828 yards and 55 touchdowns, to bring his career passing stats to 14,865 yards and 125 touchdowns.
Gabriel is currently sixth in NCAA history in passing yards and needs 4,352 yards to pass Houston’s Case Keenum for No. 1 all-time. Gabriel has never had a 4,000-yard season.
However, this Oregon offense might be the one to get him there.
Considering Bo Nix, who finished third in Heisman voting last year, threw for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns last season for the Ducks, the all-time passing record is certainly in reach for Gabriel.
And if he can get there, there’s no doubt he’ll be hoisting the Heisman in December.
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Milroe had an incredible breakout season for Alabama in 2023.
In his first year as the starter, Milroe threw for 2,834 yards and 23 touchdowns, while rushing for 531 yards and 12 scores. And the 6-2, 220-pounder from Katy, Texas, didn’t play in the Crimson Tide’s third game of the season.
But once he came back as the starter, Milroe led Alabama to 10 straight wins, including beating two-time defending national champion Georgia for the SEC championship.
Milroe’s leadership and big-play talent put the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff. And even though they lost to Michigan in overtime, notice was served: Milroe is a force.
But Milroe’s chances of winning the Heisman this season are predicated less on his on-the-field ability and more about Alabama’s success as a whole.
For the first time in nearly two decades, Nick Saban won’t be coaching Alabama, and for the first time in about as long the Tide isn’t considered a favorite to play for a national title, let alone the SEC championship.
A lot is riding on first-year coach Kalen DeBoer in his first year in Tuscaloosa, including Milroe’s chances of winning the Heisman.
Allar comes into his junior season at Happy Valley with a new offensive coordinator and the potential to put up big numbers.
Andy Kotelnicki, a creative playcaller, comes to Penn State from Kansas as the Nittany Lions’ new OC and he has plenty of experienced weapons to make things happen.
It all starts with Allar and his made-for-the-NFL, 6-5, 240-pound frame and big arm.
Last year as a sophomore and first-year starter, Allar threw for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns and just two interceptions, helping lead the offense to an average of 36.2 points per game.
With more experience under his belt and an OC who will put him in position to utilize his play-making ability, the table is set.
Of course, Allar’s chances of winning the Heisman are similar to Milroe’s in the fact that it really all depends on if Penn State can win the big games, especially against Ohio State and Michigan. Since 2011, the Nittany Lions are 1-11 against the Buckeyes, and have lost three straight to the Wolverines.
If Allar can lead Penn State to victories there, he’ll see himself in New York.
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Mike Szvetitz is the General Manager and Content Director for FrontPageBets.com. Szvetitz is a 24-year veteran reporter and editor, including serving 17 years as a sports editor in Florida, Alabama and Virginia, covering everything from preps to pros. His “View From The Lazy Boy” column won multiple state and national awards. He can be reached at mszvetitz@timesdispatch.com.
