2012 Heisman Trophy Odds and Predictions: Heisman Trophy Longshots to Bet On

2012 NCAA Football Heisman Trophy Odds and Predictions – Heisman Trophy Longshots to Bet On: If the last two Heisman winners are any indication of what to expect in 2012, then a dark horse candidate could definitely be walking away with the trophy. Two years ago, Cam Newton went from junior college transfer to a Heisman winner and a national champ. Last year, Robert Griffin III became the first player in Baylor history to win the Heisman. Even when Mark Ingram won the award in 2009, he wasn’t exactly a frontrunner entering the season. Whether the recent trend of surprise Heisman winners continues this season remains to be seen, but at the very least, bettors have to be aware of the possibility. After all, the payout if favorites like Montee Ball and Matt Barkley is minimal. Why not add a sleeper or two to the mix with a potentially big payoff. With that in mind, here is a look at some dark horse candidates that could sneak up and take home the Heisman Trophy.

2012 NCAA Football Heisman Trophy Odds and Predictions – Heisman Trophy Longshots to Bet On

1.      Tajh Boyd, Quarterback, Clemson, 45/1 odds

Last year, Clemson’s season ended on a down note as the Tigers were slaughtered by West Virginia in the Orange Bowl. However, the program also took a big step forward by winning the ACC and reaching a BCS bowl, and the breakout performance of Boyd was a big reason why. He finished his sophomore season with 33 touchdowns and nearly reached 4,000 yards. This year, Boyd welcomes back an excellent pair of receivers in Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, and Clemson’s passing attack should be every bit as explosive as it was last season. With the conference still relatively outside of a few teams at the top, the Tigers could easily repeat as ACC champs. They key for Boyd’s Heisman hopes and Clemson’s potential national title hopes will likely be the final two games of the regular season against North Carolina State and South Carolina. Last year, the Wolfpack’s stellar secondary and the Gamecocks vicious pass rush brought Boyd and the Clemson offense to a halt, and the Tigers lost two of their three games in back-to-back fashion to close the regular season. He has to solve both defenses this year to have a shot at the Heisman, but Boyd should approach 40 touchdowns this year. If the Tigers only have one loss on top of that, he will be in the thick of the conversation.

2.      Collin Klein, Quarterback, Kansas State, 75/1 odds

If you look only at his passing stats, you are probably wondering how I could consider Klein a dark horse Heisman candidate. After all, he didn’t even crack 2,000 yards through the air and finished last season with only 13 touchdowns. However, he also added more than 1,100 yards on the ground and scored 27 rushing touchdowns for a Kansas State team that overachieved all season. Klein was a human bulldozer in the red zone and arguably the best leader in the country last season, helping the Wildcats pull out close win after close win. Kansas State’s only losses came to Oklahoma and Oklahoma State during the regular season and then to Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. Along the way, Klein led the Wildcats to a thrilling victory over Texas A&M in the fourth overtime and a grinding win over Texas. Not to mention the fact that he outdueled Baylor and eventual Heisman winner Robert Griffin III. Plain and simple, Klein is probably the most valuable player in the nation. Without him, the Wildcats probably wouldn’t make a bowl game. With him, they nearly grabbed an at-large bid to a BCS bowl. Klein and company have a chance to make a run at Big 12 title this season, and even if Kansas State falls short, Klein could still take home the Heisman. Think of him as this year’s RG3, turning an otherwise mediocre Kansas State team into a threat.

3.      Logan Thomas, Quarterback, Virginia Tech, 75/1 odds

Standing 6-6 and weighing in at more than 260 pounds, Thomas is a physical force under center for Virginia Tech. Last year, he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns, adding 11 more scores on the ground. With star running back David Wilson gone, along with just about everyone else on offense, Thomas will be relied on even more this season. The Hokies should still be in the mix in the ACC since they return nine starters for a defense that ranked in the top 10 nationally last year, and any success this team has on offense is going to be because of the play of Thomas. He is a quarterback in a linebacker’s body, and he is physically equipped to make certain plays that most QBs just can’t. He isn’t as polished as Cam Newton as a passer, but that is the type of dual-threat player Thomas can be athletically. If he makes enough big plays to lead Virginia Tech to an ACC title, he could sneak up and snag the Heisman.

Odds to win the 2012 Heisman Trophy
4001 Aaron Murray +1200
4002 A J McCarron +2000
4003 Collin Klein +5000
4005 Dayne Crist +2000
4006 De’Anthony Thomas +2000
4007 Denard Robinson +650
4008 EJ Manuel +3000
4009 Geno Smith +800
4010 James Vandenberg +5000
4011 Keith Price +2800
4012 Landry Jones +650
4013 Marcus Lattimore +1500
4014 Matt Barkley +385
4015 Montee Ball +500
4016 Rex Burkhead +2000
4017 Robert Woods +4000
4018 Sammy Watkins +2000
4019 Tajh Boyd +3000
4020 Taylor Martinez +3000
4021 Tyler Wilson +2000

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