Heisman Odds Update: Joe Milton III Begins Making His Case

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III was a week one standout despite the an abundance of impressive quarterback performances. The Heisman odds say as much.

Quarterback Joe Milton III totaled four touchdowns and completed 70% of his passes against Virginia with no turnovers. Did it make headlines? No. Should it have? Probably not. But it was an impressive performance, and it should have us seriously considering him as a Heisman candidate. He did everything that was asked of him on Saturday, and we should expect Tennessee to open things up even more in the coming weeks.

With that being said, there were many good quarterback performances in week one. The usual suspects performed, but a few names put themselves into the conversation. The talented Colorado duo of Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter have legitimized themselves nationally and should continue to climb these odds as we move forward.

Action Network Heisman Trophy Odds Tracker

• Caleb Williams: +450
• Michael Penix Jr., +824
• Jordan Travis, +1000
• Bo Nix, +1600
• Sam Hartman, +1600
• J.J. McCarthy, +1649
• Drew Allar, +2000
• Quinn Ewers, +2000
• Drake Maye, +2095
• Joe Milton III, +2223

Milton comes in at No. 10 ahead of several notable names. The aforementioned Colorado standouts aren't far behind him, and others include Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, and LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels. Milton didn't get much of a week one bump, as the Virginia Cavaliers weren't on the same level as Tennessee. However, you can only play the games on your schedule, and Milton maximized his week one opportunities.

Tennessee Volunteers QB Joe Milton III pregame ahead of the Virginia win on September 2nd, 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Christopher Hanewinckel of USA Today Sports)

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