2023 Heisman Trophy Odds: Caleb Williams is the Favorite to Repeat

USC quarterback Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 2022 in his first year at USC, where he threw for over 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns. He’ll have an opportunity to repeat in 2023.

Odds to Win 2023 Heisman Trophy

Caleb Williams is the favorite for the 2023 Heisman Trophy just a few short months after winning the award in December. Here are the other prospects and their odds to win this year:

Who is the Favorite to Win the Heisman Trophy?

Williams has another season of eligibility left before he can declare for the NFL Draft, so he’ll be back leading USC’s offense in 2023 as the preseason Heisman favorite at +550 odds. North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye and Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis are closest behind him at +1000 odds.

Heisman Trophy Futures Betting Picks, Prediction

The Safe Pick: Caleb Williams | +550 at Caesars

By definition, with the favorite being +550 there’s not really a “safe” pick, but it’s hard to argue with taking the player that has already proven he can win the prestigious award.

Williams won the Heisman without USC making the playoffs, and in Lincoln Riley’s second year it’s fair to expect even more progress both in the offense specifically and in title contention.

It is possible we see some regression with defenses having another year of film to use against him, but the Pac-12 should be a pretty offensive league in 2023. Between Williams, Michael Penix Jr. at Washington, Bo Nix at Oregon, DJ Uiagalelei at Oregon State, Shaduer Sanders at Colorado, and several other proven starters like Cam Ward and Cam Rising, offenses will move up and down the field.

Williams should have a lot of chances to be in high-scoring shootouts and put up big numbers.

The Longshot: Joe Milton | +2500 at Caesars

We all saw what a Tennessee quarterback can do in this offense in 2022 when Hendon Hooker was one of the Heisman favorites before he suffered a season-ending injury against South Carolina.

Milton took over the starting role and guided the Volunteers to a 56-0 win over Vanderbilt and a 31-14 win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl. In that bowl game, Milton threw for 151 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, proving he is more than capable of succeeding in that offense.

Tennessee has a tough schedule with matchups against both Alabama and Georgia as always. While the Volunteers may not run the table in the win column, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Milton have tremendous success under Josh Heupel, just as Hendon Hooker had last year.

The Value Pick: Michael Penix Jr. | +1200 at Caesars

Washington quietly closed the season as one of the hottest teams in the country. After an embarrassing loss to Arizona State in early October, the Huskies ran the table the rest of the way to finish 11-2 on the season.

This hot stretch included wins over Oregon State, Oregon and an Alamo Bowl victory over Texas.

Penix Jr. was the catalyst of the Huskies’ strong season, throwing for over 4,600 yards and 31 touchdowns and leading the nation in passing yards per game while also setting the Washington single-season record in total passing yards.

As I mentioned before when talking about Caleb Williams, the Pac-12 will be filled with great quarterback play that will likely lead to high-scoring games and the opportunity to put up big numbers.

Washington also has an appetizing schedule for Heisman contention with non-conference games against Boise State and Michigan State as well as conference contests at home against Oregon and Utah and on the road at USC and Oregon State.

If Washington continues its upward trajectory and wins the Pac-12, I expect Penix Jr. to at minimum get an invitation to New York.

2023 Heisman Trophy Prediction: Caleb Williams | +550 at Caesars

Barring any disastrous start or injury, I’m counting on Williams to be the wire-to-wire favorite in the 2023 Heisman race.

As the reigning Heisman winner, Williams will be in the national spotlight the entire season which is a clear advantage, especially as a player on the West Coast which can sometimes be a barrier with late kickoff times.

He’s the clear favorite for a reason, and I would be surprised if he doesn’t at least live up to his season in 2022.

Heisman Trophy Betting Strategies

Preseason hype, injuries, performance in fall camp and money coming in can all play a part in the odds changing before the season starts.

Staying up to date on the odds and news surrounding each player is crucial for finding value.