Heisman Trophy watch: How does UNC QB Drake Maye stack up? Latest odds, stats, more

The odds are against North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye winning the Heisman Trophy as a redshirt freshman this season.

In the history of the Heisman Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 1935, initially under a different name, only two freshmen have ever won the award. Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was the first to do it in 2012. He was followed by Florida State quarterback Jamies Winston in 2013.

Maye is making the numbers tilt in his favor though. He’s making a compelling argument to be considered among the nation’s best players because he’s beating them in a lot of categories:

He leads the nation in passing touchdowns with 31 and total offense at 386.3 yards per game.

He is second in passing efficiency (181.82) and points responsible for at 212 (31 passing TDs, four rushing, one 2-point conversion).

He’s third with 329.3 passing yards per game.

He’s fourth with a 71.2 completion percentage and in total passing yards with 2,964.

Empire state of mind

UNC coach Mack Brown had three Heisman finalists while he was the head coach at Texas get invited to New York City for the award ceremony.

Running back Ricky Williams won it in 1998, Brown’s first season at the helm. Quarterback Vince Young finished as runner-up to USC running back Reggie Bush in 2005 and quarterback Colt McCoy finished second to Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford in 2008.

Brown said it’s too early to say whether or not Maye deserves a ticket to NYC because there’s still three games left to play in the regular season.

“I remember in talking to so many of the Heisman voters, because we had guys in Texas, and they always say at the end of the year, ‘That’s a Heisman moment,’ that’s what gets you there,” Brown said. “It’s got to be a game you got to win. And you got to keep playing good. So I think it’s too early.”

Maye did engineer a game-winning drive capped off with a touchdown pass to Antoine Green with 16 seconds left to beat Duke. But the only national observers would consider that a signature moment is if it came at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Even still, Brown said many of his friends and colleagues have reached out to him when they have been able to see Maye’s highlights.

“He’s the buzz,” Brown said. “There’s a lot of people talking about him across the country.”

Heisman odds

According to VegasInsider.com’s consensus odds, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is the favorite to win the Heisman. Maye is seventh on the list.

Next up

C.J. Stroud, Ohio State vs. Indiana

Hendon Hooker, Tennessee vs. Missouri

Caleb Williams, USC vs. Colorado

Blake Corum, Michigan vs. Nebraska

Bo Nix, Oregon vs. Washington

Stetson Bennett, Georgia at Mississippi State

Drake Maye, UNC at Wake Forest

This story was originally published November 9, 2022 at 5:10 AM.

C.L. Brown

The News & Observer

C.L. Brown covers the University of North Carolina for The News & Observer. Brown brings more than two decades of reporting experience including stints as the beat writer on Indiana University and the University of Louisville. After a long stay at the Louisville Courier-Journal, where he earned an APSE award, he’s had stops at ESPN.com, The Athletic and even tried his hand at running his own website, clbrownhoops.com.