Jalen Hurts' Heisman odds get big boost after phenomenal Week 1

Just a week ago the Heisman race looked like a two-horse contest between Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence. After a week of the craziness, it appears a third horse has entered the race, and most of us are wondering how we never saw it coming.

Hurts emerges

Oklahoma quarterback and Alabama transfer Jalen Hurts catapulted himself into the conversation with a monster game against Houston in prime time on national television. He went 20-for-23 through the air for 332 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions, and added another 176 rushing yards and three more touchdowns on the ground.

While Hurts sat at +2000 heading into the season, his jaw-dropping Week 1 performance cut his odds to +500. The similarities between Hurts’ career path and the last two Heisman winners are undeniable. Baker Mayfield was a transfer who came to Oklahoma and immediately showed leadership and playmaking ability. A year later Kyler Murray showed his decision to transfer to Lincoln Riley’s program was the right choice, as well.

Now Hurts has the opportunity to make college football history as a third straight Heisman winner from the same school. It would be remarkable for this to occur no matter the circumstances, but for it to potentially be three straight transfers would be absolutely incredible. It is a story that catches attention, and attention is critical to winning a Heisman Trophy.

Seizing the moment

Hurts already has his "Heisman moment," and while voters aren’t supposed to take plays from previous seasons into account, when you think of Hurts, it’s hard not to recall his effort in the 2018 SEC championship game. Hurts showed tremendous poise and leadership going from two-year starter, to backup, to late-game hero in a critical moment, and that game will forever be etched in the memory of college football fans.

It spoke to Hurts’ character, and voters will consider this when they consider their winner at the end of the season. In an era with so many quarterbacks transferring when they don’t get the starting role, Hurts’ decision to stick through the season and be a good teammate earned him considerable respect around the country.

If Hurts posts numbers all year like he did against Houston, as Oklahoma continues to win games, +500 is obviously value for a QB that has the talent and national name recognition to recall memories of Mayfield and Murray. Hurts isn’t the most talented player in the country, but he might still win the award as the most outstanding.

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