Key Takeaways:
- The latest Marvin Harrison Jr. Heisman odds are as long as +6600 per BetMGM, while DraftKings has him as short as +6000 to win the award.
- Using implied probability at +2800, Harrison Jr. has a 1.49% chance to win the Heisman Trophy for the 2023 season.
- Kyle McCord won Ohio State's starting quarterback job, and Harrison Jr. is thriving with him at the helm.
There's little argument to be made against Marvin Harrison Jr. being the best wide receiver in college football. While the Ohio State Buckeyes haven't looked quite as dominant as expected in 2023, Harrison Jr. has been a star. He is building upon a sophomore campaign in which he totaled 77 receptions, 1,263 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns, leading an Ohio State offense that was led by C.J. Stroud and was close to taking down the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff semifinal game. Harrison Jr. had two scores in that game.
Harrison Jr.'s odds to win the Heisman have gone down as players like Caleb Williams and Drake Maye have outperformed expectations. However, it is nothing that Harrison Jr. has done to decrease those since he went for seven receptions, 160 yards and two touchdowns against the Youngstown State Penguins in Week 2. Harrison Jr. ended the Buckeyes' 23-3 Week 1 victory over the Indiana Hoosiers with two receptions for 18 yards. Kyle McCord nor Devin Brown threw for a passing touchdown in that game. Harrison Jr. will need McCord to step up in a big way for his Heisman odds to improve.
What Are Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Heisman Odds Today?
Marvin Harrison Jr.'s odds to win the 2023 Heisman trophy differ based on the sportsbook, so one should shop around prior to placing a bet. Currently, FanDuel Sportsbook Ohio has him at +6600 and DraftKings has him at +6000. That would be a $600 difference on a $100 bet if Harrison Jr. is able to continue his dominant play throughout the season. The Heisman favorite to start the season was Caleb Williams, the quarterback for USC. He is still one of the favorites, alongside Michael Penix Jr. of Washington.
Ohio State's offense should run through Harrison Jr., especially if it expects to compete with the likes of the Michigan Wolverines and Penn State Nittany Lions in the Big Ten. If Harrison Jr. stays healthy, there's a good chance to finish as a top-10 finalist for the most prestigious award in college football.
If you think Harrison Jr. has a chance to win the award, the current best Ohio betting app to place the bet at is FanDuel, where a $100 bet would net $10,000.
Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Week-by-Week Heisman Odds
As the season progresses, we will show a chart providing the week-by-week progression or regression of Harrison Jr.'s Heisman odds. Be sure to bookmark this page as we continue to update it as the season continues. The below odds are provided by DraftKings Sportsbook:
Latest Ohio State Buckeyes Updates Impacting Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Heisman Trophy Odds
The Ohio State Buckeyes, despite losing one game in the regular season last year, made it to the College Football Playoff. Ohio State lost to Georgia 42-41 to end last season. The Buckeyes replaced C.J. Stroud with Kyle McCord, and their main threat, Harrison Jr., has remained the same. He will be a popular bet to lead the nation in receptions, yards and touchdowns. A lot will depend on how Ohio State fairs in major games like the historic rivalry between Michigan vs. Ohio State.
Here are a few key developments:
- 🗓️ September 9: LeBron James tweets excitement for Harrison Jr. after 71-yard touchdown.
- 🗓️ September 2: Harrison Jr. totals just two receptions for 18 yards, crippling his Heisman odds.
- 🗓️ August 1: Harrison Jr. posts picture on social media showing how much muscle he has added this offseason.
- 🗓️ July 28: Coach Ryan Day says he's open to moving the Michigan game off the end of the schedule so the two teams don't play in back-to-back weeks.
- 🗓️ July 28: Harrison Jr. says his season is all about the Michigan game, or as he put it, with the "team up north. That's where it starts and ends."
- 🗓️ July 27: Big Ten coaches have no idea how to guard Harrison Jr. this season. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz called it "impossible" at Big 10 Football Media Days.
- 🗓️ July 26: Ohio State coach Ryan Day says at Big Ten Football Media Days that both Kyle McCord and Devin Brown could play early in the season at quarterback.
Sportsbooks Available To Bet on Marvin Harrison Jr.'s Heisman Trophy Odds
All major sportsbooks in the U.S. such as BetMGM Sportsbook Ohio, Caesars, FanDuel and DraftKings should have betting odds available for the 2023 Heisman Trophy as long as the state allows wagers on awards that are decided by voters. Sports bettors in the state of Ohio can place bets now for Harrison Jr. (or any other player with available odds) to capture the Heisman as long as they're located in the state and are 21 years of age or older.
Could Marvin Harrison Jr. Win the Heisman in 2023?
After Harrison Jr.'s Week 1 showing against Indiana, he will need a strong few several months to get back to being a Heisman favorite. As the Buckeyes competition ramps up, Harrison Jr.'s production should as well. It isn't out of the question for a wide receiver to win the Heisman.
Alabama's DeVonta Smith won the award in 2020 as the Crimson Tide won the National Championship with an undefeated record. Smith topped 1,800 receiving yards and ended with 23 touchdowns. Tim Brown in 1987 and Desmon Howard in 1991 were the only other receivers to win a Heisman Trophy. If Ohio State runs the table in the Big Ten and Harrison Jr. is the reason for its success, there's no reason the superstar receiver won't at least be among the four finalists. Beating Michigan after two years of losses may be helpful as well.
With McCord looking far better against Youngstown State than Indiana, there should be hope that Harrison Jr.'s Heisman stock will slowly tick upward. McCord has settled into the role and threw for three touchdowns and 258 yards against the Penguins. That said, if he can continue to improve, Harrison Jr.'s odds should follow accordingly.
Who Are the Favorites to Win the Heisman in 2023?
Below are the top Heisman Trophy odds from DraftKings Sportsbook. There are quite a few candidates currently ahead of Harrison Jr.
USC QB Caleb Williams is looking likely to repeat as the Heisman trophy winner, and he has the Trojans looking unstoppable. Williams ranges from +350 to +400 at various sportsbooks. He could be the first player to repeat as the Heisman winner since Ohio State's Archie Griffin in 1975. USC does have Notre Dame and Oregon, both top-15 programs, on its schedule, so the competition will improve for Williams. His Trojans have steamrolled Stanford 56-10, Nevada 66-14 and San Jose State 56-28.
Aside Williams, Texas QB Quinn Ewers was a star for the Longhorns in their upset of the then-top-five Alabama Crimson Tide Saturday. Jordan Travis, Florida State's quarterback, helped the Seminoles down the LSU Tigers to kick off their season as well. Both of those players have potential to make a run for the trophy. QB Michael Penix Jr. of Washington is among the top-four contenders too.
Who Are the Sleepers to Win the Heisman in 2023?
All three of these players haven't quite played up to expectations. Harrison Jr. struggled heavily against Indiana as McCord looked to find his rhythm. He bounced back with 160 yards and two scores against Youngstown State. Daniels lost to FSU as the Tigers entered the season at No. 5 in the nation. He did have five touchdowns in Week 1 against Grambling.
For Maye, while the Tar Heels are still undefeated, he didn't have a passing touchdown against App State and threw two interceptions in the Tar Heels' season-opening win over the Gamecocks. All three could bounce back and contend for the Heisman.
Other Marvin Harrison Jr. Odds and Props To Bet On In 2023
While Harrison Jr.'s Heisman odds are enticing, there are other ways to bet on the nation's best collegiate receiver. Let's dive into a few.
Fred Biletnikoff Award
While Harrison Jr. may not be within the top-five Heisman favorites, prior to the season's commencement, he was the favorite to win the Fred Biletnikoff Award which is presented to the college football's best wide receiver. He has +230 odds to win the award.
The trio of players all at +1000 after Harrison Jr. are Washington's star receiver Rome Odunze, Texas' Xavier Worthy and fellow Buckeye Emeka Egbuka. However, it is unlikely (and still is) that they dethrone the favorite. Injury or severe struggles for McCord are really the only things that could derail Harrison Jr.'s chances at this award.
Receiving Yards
Harrison Jr. has 178 receiving yards through two games. Prior to the season, two markets, FanDuel and DraftKings, set lines for Harrison Jr.'s total receiving yards. They were respectively set at 1,125.5 and 1,150.5.
Receiving Touchdowns
On top of yards, receiving touchdowns were also a prop that could be taken prior to the season's starting. FanDuel and DraftKings both had odds set at 11.5. The Ohio State school record is 17. Harrison Jr. has two through two games.
Game Props
One should check sportsbooks on Friday prior to a Saturday game to see the availability of prop bets, specifically receiving yards bets for Harrison Jr.
Marvin Harrison Jr. Odds FAQs
Harrison Jr.'s Heisman odds range from +6000 to +10000. It is very important to shop for the best odds prior to placing a bet as hundreds of dollars could be lost without the most cost-effective book.
There have been three wide receivers that have won the Heisman trophy. Notre Dame's Tim Brown was the first of the three, taking the award home in 1987. Desmond Howard in 1991 followed him, and more recently, Alabama's DeVonta Smith won the award in 2020.
The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of the most prolific programs in college football. There have been six Buckeyes to win a Heisman. They include Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, Howard Cassady, Archie Griffin (twice), Eddie George and Troy Smith.
Harrison Jr. is expected to be the best receiver in college football. His odds prior to Week 1 were +230 with the next-closest receiver at +1000.
Harrison Jr. will be draft eligible next in 2024. Fellow teammate Jaxon Smith-Njigba went in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Harrison Jr. is expected to be a top-five pick in the upcoming draft class.
Marvin Harrison Jr.'s father is Marvin Harrison Sr. He played 13 seasons in the NFL and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Harrison Sr.'s best days came alongside quarterback Peyton Manning as one of the NFL's best duos. They spent several years together playing for the Indianapolis Colts.
Author
Nathan, a lifelong Cincinnatian, has covered the Bengals and Buckeyes at various outlets for the last half decade. He is most proud to have attended both wins of the Bengals' 2-14 season in 2019. Nathan is our go-to expert for all things Bengals and Buckeyes.
