Bettors are banking on Tennessee's Joe Milton's Heisman chances in 2023
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton still has his doubters out there. Some might say that comes with the territory, but his career at Michigan and his start at Tennessee have created a narrative that he's not good enough to carry the Vols to a special season in 2023. It looks like plenty of people are putting […]
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton still has his doubters out there. Some might say that comes with the territory, but his career at Michigan and his start at Tennessee have created a narrative that he's not good enough to carry the Vols to a special season in 2023.
It looks like plenty of people are putting their money on those critics being wrong.
Joe Milton ranks among the top players in college football in bets placed with Bet MGM for the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, according to the company's website.
Through Tuesday, August 8, Milton checked with odds of -2500 to win, or 25 to 1. That's slightly decreased from his opening odds of -2000.
However, Milton ranks fourth among all players in total tickets purchased with 6.4%. He's tied for third among all players in handle percentage, or total amount of money placed, with 7.6%.
A quarterback has won the Heisman Trophy every year since 2010 with two exceptions – RB Derrick Henry in 2015 and WR Devonta Smith in 2020. The Heisman has also shifted away from rewarding a truly outstanding player from any team across the nation to rewarding a very good player on a title contender, who may or may not be outstanding.
If Milton is truly going to be a legitimate candidate to win the Heisman Trophy, Tennessee will need to have its name somewhere on the final screen when the college football playoff rankings are announced late in the season.
But it takes more than just winning. It also takes solid numbers and memorable plays for a player to have a chance to take the Heisman Trophy. With Josh Heupel's explosive, fast-paced offense, that part shouldn't be too much of problem, as Tennessee fans have seen the last two seasons.
Tennessee's history with the Heisman Trophy is one ripe with unfairness. Johnny Majors was robbed in favor of Paul Hornung (on a 2-8 Notre Dame team) in 1956, one of the worst snubs in the trophy's history, if not the worst. We all know what happened with Peyton Manning and Charles Woodson in 1997. Hendon Hooker clearly deserved to be named a Heisman finalist last year despite his season-ending knee injury against South Carolina, but unfortunately wasn't.
In other words, there's just something rotten about the Heisman and Tennessee. But there haven't been many quarterbacks with the physical skills of Joe Milton in college football.
If he can take the next step forward from his solid play at the end of last year, the aforementioned 6.4% could be in for a pleasant surprise in December – and those who doubted him could be sitting down to a big plate of crow.
Featured image via Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
