Carr, Manning top packed Heisman odds boards

• 

  David PurdumSep 2, 2026, 12:49 PM ET

  Close

  • Joined ESPN in 2014
  • Journalist covering gambling industry since 2008

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr and Texas quarterback Arch Manning are the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, but the odds at sportsbooks suggest it's a wide-open race.

Carr, at 7-1, is listed slightly in front of Manning, who is 15-2 at DK Sports. Carr's odds are the longest for a Heisman Trophy favorite entering any of the last 20 seasons, according to ESPN Research, and six other players -- five quarterbacks and a receiver -- have odds of 15-1 or shorter.

Among the quarterbacks, Oregon's Dante Moore and Miami's Darian Mensah are both 11-1, followed by Ohio State's Julian Sayin (12-1), Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss (13-1) and Indiana's Josh Hoover (15-1).

Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith has the shortest odds of any non-quarterback at 14-1. He has the second-shortest odds of any non-quarterback entering the season since 2013, behind only himself last year.

Despite the long list of contenders, the betting public is backing the two favorites heavily and is split between the two quarterbacks. Nearly half (49%) of the bets that have been placed on DK Sports' Heisman odds are on Carr or Manning. At BetMGM sportsbooks, Carr and Manning had attracted approximately the same number bets as of Tuesday.

"As is the case with any award market, college or pro, it's all so narrative driven, and the odds fluctuate, in many cases, dramatically throughout the year," Seamus Magee, BetMGM trading manager, told ESPN. "You really need to have a pulse on the media narratives and the individual game-by-game case for each player."

Both Carr and Manning have plenty of storylines. Carr is at the helm of a Notre Dame team with a 12-game schedule ripe for an undefeated run. The over/under on the Fighting Irish's win total is set at 11.5, and oddsmakers say Notre Dame will likely be a large favorites in nearly every game, except one. The Irish host Miami, Florida on Nov. 7. Notre Dame is listed as around a touchdown favorite over the Hurricanes in the early line.

Manning entered last season as the favorite but struggled early in his first year as the full-time starter at Texas. He's looking to become the first of the Manning family to win the Heisman Trophy. He'll have an early primetime showcase game, when the Longhorns host Ohio State on Sept. 12. The Longhorns are 1.5-point favorites over the Buckeyes in early lines.