Ohio State 2023 Heisman Odds: Marvin Harrison Jr. & Kyle McCord

Few states have a richer football tradition than Ohio, and few college programs can point to the historic success that the Ohio State Buckeyes have.

Ohio State has been a fixture in the College Football Playoff era, and its postseason dominance may only be enhanced by the coming 12-team format.

With high-level success comes awards, draft picks, and lofty football odds. In 2023, multiple Buckeyes players are once again in position to lift college football’s most coveted individual award.

Marvin Harrison Jr. Heisman Odds

Marvin Harrison Jr., the Ohio State wide receiver, is +1000 to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy. 

Harrison Jr. currently ranks ninth in FBS college football with 914 receiving yards. His 10 receiving touchdowns rank fourth among all pass-catchers. He is a consensus top draft pick, currently ranked No. 2 overall on PFF’s 2024 draft board and is widely believed to be one of the very best players in college football this season.

Receivers have an uphill battle to win the Heisman Trophy in any given year, but Harrison Jr. stands as good a chance as anyone. At minimum, he will likely be invited to the Heisman ceremony as a finalist. 

Kyle McCord Heisman Odds

Kyle McCord, the Ohio State quarterback, is +15000 to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy. 

McCord currently ranks 28th in FBS college football with 2,352 passing yards. His 82.8 QBR ranks ninth in FBS, but McCord has struggled at times to seamlessly operate Ohio State’s offense.

To some degree, McCord is a victim of Ohio State’s tradition of success. The Buckeyes have produced three first-round draft picks at quarterback since 2019, while McCord has looked merely good. Judged against such a lofty bar, almost any quarterback would draw criticism.

Ohio State Heisman Winners

Ohio State is one of four schools that have won seven Heisman Trophies. (For more on the others, you can check out my recent article: What school has the most Heisman Trophy winners?) 

But Ohio State’s rich tradition with the Heisman has come up a bit short in recent years. Troy Smith (2006) was the last Buckeye to actually win the award, despite the Buckeyes’ litany of offensive playmakers over the last decade.

Most of Ohio State’s Heismans came in the middle of the 20th century, with guys like Howard Cassady (1955) and Vic Janowicz (1950) etching their names in history. A modern-era Heisman would mean a lot to Buckeyes fans.

Then again, Ohio State fans have something here that no other program can brag about. Archie Griffin, who played quarterback for Ohio State in the mid-1970s, is the only player to have ever won the Heisman Trophy twice.