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With ballots scheduled to go out Monday, the race for the 2018 Heisman Trophy appears to be narrowing slightly entering Week 13, rivalry weekend.
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has been the presumptive leader since Sept. 5 based on weekly polls and posted odds, still leads the field but has seen Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray edge closer.
Despite passing for three touchdowns and 340 yards in three quarters of work during a 50-17 victory over The Citadel Saturday, the Saint Louis School graduate’s odds went from 2/9 to 1/4 on Bovada’s online sportsbook.
Murray, who accounted for five touchdowns in the Sooners’ 55-40 victory over Kansas, saw his odds go from 5/1 to 9/2.
Alabama plays Auburn and Oklahoma plays West Virginia this week.
Mililani graduate McKenzie Milton, who quarterbacks unbeaten Central Florida, improved from 100/1 to 50/1 after helping to deliver the Knights’ 23rd consecutive victory over two seasons. He passed for 268 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in a 38-13 drubbing of then No. 19 Cincinnati.
He is tied with Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence for the fifth-best odds.
Depending on the voting, three to six players are invited to New York each year as finalists.
Ballots are scheduled to be electronically distributed to more than 900 voters Monday — a mix of media, Heisman winners and a composite fan vote via the Nissan Heisman House.
The deadline for voting is Dec. 3, the same day that the list of finalists is announced.
The iconic bronze statue will be awarded Dec. 8 before a national TV audience in a theater fronting Times Square.
Tagovailoa was announced Monday as one of three finalists for both the Maxwell Award that goes to the college player of the year and the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award that goes to the nation’s best quarterback.
Murray is also a finalist for both awards, while Washington State’s Gardner Minshew II is the other finalist for the O’Brien and West Virginia’s Will Grier is a Maxwell finalist.
HEISMAN ODDS
Player, School Previous Now
Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama 2/9 1/4
Kyler Murray, Oklahoma 5/1 9/2
Will Grier, West Virginia 7/1 12/1
Gardner Minshew II, Wash. St. 50/1 33/1
Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State 100/1 50/1
Trevor Lawrence, Clemson 25/1 50/1
McKenzie Milton, Central Fla. 100/1 50/1
Source: @BovadaOfficial
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