The Washington Huskies launched themselves into the College Football Playoff with their dramatic Pac-12 championship game victory over the Oregon Ducks on Friday night.
In the process, they likely launched Jayden Daniels to a Heisman Trophy.
With LSU failing to qualify for a conference championship game, Daniels had to rest his case with a 42-30 comeback victory over Texas A&M last weekend. He entered the week as +120 by BetMGM to win the Heisman.
That was well behind Oregon’s Bo Nix, who was -150 with the Ducks favored by 9.5 points to beat Washington. With a win, the Ducks would have likely advanced to the CFP and Nix would have claimed the Heisman.
After a slow start, Nix rallied the Ducks from a 20-3 deficit to a 24-20 lead in the third quarter. However, the Ducks were unable to hold onto the lead and ultimately lost 34-31.
Nix finished with solid numbers, passing for 239 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. He added another 69 yards on six carries.
However, his season stats fall shy of Daniels, who has amassed 4,946 total yards and 50 touchdowns. With Oregon suffering its second loss of the season, LSU’s three losses don’t ding Daniels’ resume as heavily.
Daniels is now the overwhelming -1400 favorite at BetMGM, where Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is now second at +1000 followed by Nix at +1200. With Nix and Penix done until their bowl games and no other player having shorter odds than +10000, the Heisman appears to be Daniels’.
Tim Tebow, Robert Griffin III and Lamar Jackson have each won Heismans while playing for three-loss teams since 2000. Only Jackson, with 51, accounted for more total touchdowns than Daniels has this season.
