How Big Of A Hit Did Garrett Nussmeier’s Heisman Odds Take After Ole Miss Loss?

Before 2019, LSU had never had a quarterback with the Heisman Trophy. In fact, the only Heisman winner LSU had before that was Billy Cannon, who won the award in 1959. That long drought was broken when Joe Burrow put together one of the best seasons a college quarterback has ever had.

Burrow's Heisman win was historic, as the quarterback got the Heisted Percentage of Possible Points in Heisman voting, securing 93.8% of the total. The next closest was Reggie Bush in 2005, who was a full 2% behind Burrow.

The Heisman Floodgates Opened For LSU

After Burrow broke the wall down, LSU had a second Heisman Trophy winner just a couple seasons later. In 2023 Jayden Daniels brought another Heisman to LSU after having a history making season.

Daniels was the first player in D1 FBS history to have 350 passing and 200 rushing yards in a game, on his way to a 50 touchdown season. With 40 passing touchdowns, and 10 rushing touchdowns. He also had a 4,000 yard passing and 1,000 yard rushing season.

Now, another LSU Heisman campaign could be underway.

Can Garrett Nussmeier Win The Heisman This Year?

Going into the 2025 season, there were more than a few writers, experts, and fans who saw LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier as a Heisman favorite. Not necessarily THE favorite, but one of the top level of possibilities.

The fact Nussmeier is a 5th year Senior in a Brian Kelly offense was enough to get people to put his name into the mix. The fact he threw for 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns last year also helped that story. But there were some initial concerns too, including his 12 interceptions from last year.

READ MORE: Louisiana Had Their Wrestlemania Stolen

Another concern would also be the biggest strength for a Nussmeier Heisman campaign: the SEC schedule.

If Nussmeier could guide LSU through the minefield of the SEC the same way Burrow and Daniels did, he would likely be the strongest Heisman candidate. Then again, an SEC schedule can make someone look too human for a Heisman run too.

When LSU Lost To Ole Miss, Did Nussmeier Lose The Heisman?

The 2025 LSU Tigers got their first loss handed to them by the Ole Miss Rebels 24-19, and that might have been the final nail in Nussmeier's Heisman campaign coffin.

This season, Nussmeier has yet to throw for over 300 yards in a game. That includes games against Louisiana Tech and Southeastern Louisiana. He only threw for multiple touchdowns in one game, which was the Southeastern Louisiana game, where he threw for 3 touchdowns against the FCS school.

READ MORE: Louisiana Parishes With Highest Cancer Rates

Those type of numbers aren't very Heisman-like, and then putting up just 197 yards in a loss to Ole Miss was probably the end of those plans. Which isn't just an opinion from fans and writers, but the oddsmakers are looking at it that way too.

The odds from BetMGM for Garrett Nussmeier to win the Heisman have cratered as well. Opening the season, his odds to win were +900 (or 9-to-1 odds, meaning you would get $900 for every $100 you bet), but the week before the Ole Miss game, they had slipped to +1500 on BetMGM.

After the Ole Miss loss, Garrett Nussmeier's Heisman odds have fallen to +3000 with BetMGM.

For a frame of reference, going into Week 6 of the college football season the Heisman favorite on BetMGM is Oregon quarterback Dante Moore. His current odds are +750 with BetMGM, while Miami (FL) quarterback Carson Beck has +900 odds from BetMGM.