Justin Herbert Given the Sixth Best Odds to Win Heisman Trophy Award

In ESPN's latest Heisman Trophy Watch, the Oregon quarterback was given a 25-to-1 chance to be named the best player in the nation this year.

With the season at the halfway point, all eyes in college football will start to shift towards the most talented players in the nation, as voters gear up to get their Heisman Trophy votes settled. 

With a 6-1 record and a stronghold over the Pac-12 Conference, Oregon's quarterback Justin Herbert is solidly in the mix of things, and it's highly possible that he makes the trip to New York at the start of December for the award to be announced. On Tuesday, ESPN put out an updated ranking of the contenders, placing Herbert at No. 6, with 25-1 odds to win the trophy when all is said and done. As it stands now, LSU quarterback Joe Burrow is the man to beat. Here are how the full odds stack out. 

1. Joe Burrow | LSU — QB
2. Jalen Hurts | Oklahoma — QB
3. Tua Tagovailoa | Alabama — QB
4. Justin Fields | Ohio State — QB
5. Jonathan Taylor | Wisconsin — RB
6. Justin Herbert | Oregon — QB
7. Brock Purdy | Iowa State — QB
8. Sage Surratt | Wake Forrest — WR

With such stout competition ahead of him, it will be tough for Herbert to move up in the polls much due to the Ducks' lack of a grueling strength of schedule going forward, and ESPN agrees, despite the impressive performance in Oregon's comeback victory over Washington last weekend. 

Herbert reminded people that, yes, he should still be in this race. The Ducks QB led a comeback win over Washington, throwing for four TDs and 280 yards to help Oregon overcome a 14-point second-half deficit. Plus, Herbert & Co. remain undefeated in the Pac-12.

Should any players in the top 5 slip up down the stretch, which is highly possible due to strength of schedule outlooks, it's possible that the Oregon QB can make a solid case for himself as one of the best players in the nation. In order to do so, though, Herbert will need to be a gun-slinging machine, and he will need a little bit of help along the way.