Most questions have been answered with regard to the college football season, but sports-betting fans know there are a few big ones looming as we hit rivalry week.The Ohio State-Michigan game owns the marquee, but a closer look reveals some additional value among the items on this week’s wagering menu.THE HEISMANThe national TV pregame show yappers are serving as de facto social influencers, tipping their collective hand on Heisman Trophy front-runners.At the top of the list prior to last weekend, Bo Nix took his Oregon offense to new heights and yet saw his odds move backward.Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. survived the weather — and the then-No. 11 Oregon State Beavers — to lead the Huskies to a narrow 22-20 victory.Georgia, with an increasing amount of help from quarterback Carson Beck, routed Tennessee 38-10 in Knoxville.All fine stories, but the guy at the top of the Heisman odds board won’t even be in a conference championship game.LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels, a sensational runner and improving passer, was all the talk of those pregame and halftime shows on Saturday, with pundits seemingly trying to talk themselves out of handing Nix the honor.So Nix throws a school-record-tying six touchdown passes — ALL IN THE FIRST HALF — at Arizona State, while Daniels dominated Georgia State with six TD passes of his own, and two rushing scores.Ohio State’s do-everything receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe round out the super seven.Daniels and Nix are 1-2 in ESPN’s quarterback rating. Daniels, third in passing yards, has thrown 36 TD passes to four interceptions; Nix, fourth in passing yards, has 35 TD passes and only two picks.Daniels stands alone in the rushing numbers, however, with 1,014 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.It’s impossible to read the minds of the more than 900 Heisman voters, but college football fans are likely to have strong opinions about the FanDuel odds list.As of Monday:Daniels: -125Nix: +150Penix Jr.: +700Harrison Jr.: +5000Beck: +8000Milroe: +15000BetMGM still has Nix on top at +110, with Daniels close behind at +140 and Penix Jr. at +500.We believe in the Oregon Ducks taking down Oregon State Friday and following up with a Pac-12 title game triumph at Las Vegas Dec. 1. With Nix leading those victories, the odds should swing toward the Pacific Northwest.On that subject, Penix Jr. isn’t done yet. With victories over Washington State this week and the Ducks in Las Vegas, Penix Jr. would see his number shoot back toward +200. If you believe in a Huskies Pac-12 title, grab Penix Jr. now.Daniels has only one game left, a home matchup this week against middling Texas A&M, so his work is largely done — for better or worse. Losses to Mississippi and Alabama are big strikes against him, given the other candidates’ leadership of College Football Playoff-contending teams.But fans — and voters — in the football-mad SEC know Daniels has done most of his work against the best conference in the country. Some will see value, even at -125.RIVALRY WAGERS
