LSU quarterback Joe Burrow has become the betting favorite for the Heisman Trophy, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Entering the weekend Burrow’s odds were +500, and Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led with +140 while Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts was in second at +430. Things were shaken up when Tagovailoa injured his ankle in the second quarter of Alabama’s 35-13 win over Tennessee.
Tagovailoa is expected to miss Alabama’s next game against Arkansas but should return for the LSU game on Nov. 9 in Tuscaloosa.
Meanwhile, Burrow threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns on 25-of-32 passing against Mississippi State. His four touchdown tosses gave him 29 passing touchdowns on the season, breaking the previous record of 28 set by Matt Mauck in 2003 and JaMarcus Russell in 2006.
“It just shows the amount of work we put in in the offseason,” Burrow said to the media about his touchdown record. “Game seven we broke the touchdown record – we’re going to have two guys break the single-season receiving record coming up. Obviously, it’s a great achievement for us, but we’ve still got five games left.”
Burrow’s brightest moment against Mississippi State may not have involved a touchdown pass. In the third quarter, Mississippi State defensive lineman Chauncey Rivers sacked Burrow and latched onto Burrow’s pants, exposing the Heisman candidate’s behind to an extent.
Burrow joked there was a “full moon” in Starkville afterward in his postgame interview.
On the season Burrow ranks near the top in every single major category for quarterbacks. He’s second in yards (2,484), first in completion percentage (79.4 %), tied for first in passing touchdowns (29) and second in passer rating (216.2).
The senior is on pace to shatter every major single-season passing record at LSU. He’ll likely eclipse Rohan Davey’s passing yardage record of 3,347 yards before the regular season ends, and he may come close to surpassing Tommy Hodson’s record for most career touchdown passes.
Hodson holds the record at 69 and Burrow is at 45. Russell is sandwiched between the two with 52 career touchdown passes.
With Tagovailoa’s injury, Burrow’s odds increased to +170, placing him ahead of Hurts who is at +185 and Tagovailoa, whose odds fell to +390.
“We want to be mentioned as one of the top teams in the country,” said LSU coach Ed Orgeron prior to LSU’s win over Mississippi State. “I want our guys to get a Heisman.
“It does do something for your program. That’s why you come to LSU. You want the expectations to be high, but you also want to meet those expectations.”
Burrow will get another chance to increase his Heisman chances with an upcoming game against No. 9 Auburn at Tiger Stadium on Oct. 26. It’s the third top 10 matchup of the season for LSU, which defeated Texas 45-38 in Austin in September and Florida 42-28 on Oct. 12.
Last season, Burrow commandeered an 11-point comeback against Auburn. LSU trailed 21-10 late in the third quarter before a field goal cut Auburn’s lead to 21-13. Then Burrow threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Derrick Dillon, and followed up his touchdown pass by marching LSU down the field into field goal range.
Kicker Cole Tracy made a 42-yard field goal to finish off LSU’s 22-21 comeback win over Auburn.