On Saturday we will find out how real Kurtis Rourke’s chances of winning the Heisman are.
Indiana’s quarterback is the co-No. 4 favorite for the award heading into the No. 5 Hoosiers’ mammoth showdown against No. 2 Ohio State. Rourke is at +3000 entering Week 13 along with Alabama QB Jalen Milroe.
The former MAC Offensive Player of the Year has been fantastic in his first season in Indiana. He transferred to the Hoosiers in the offseason as part of coach Curt Cignetti’s makeover of the program. In nine games so far this season, Rourke is 171 of 238 passing for 2,410 yards and 21 touchdowns with just four interceptions.
Rourke was one of the best quarterbacks in college football during the 2022 season before suffering a season-ending ACL injury near the end of the regular season. Over 11 games at Ohio, Rourke threw for over 3,200 yards and 25 touchdowns while completing over 69% of his passes and throwing just four interceptions.
He returned to the Bobcats for the 2023 season less than a year after surgery and it was clear Rourke wasn’t 100%. His stats dipped last season and he threw for just 2,207 yards and 11 touchdowns.
With a sixth season of eligibility remaining thanks to the NCAA’s pandemic extra year, Rourke made the jump to power conference football ahead of 2024. And he’s been Indiana’s best quarterback since Michael Penix Jr.
It’s no coincidence that the Hoosiers are having their first winning season since Penix’s last full 2020 season in Bloomington. The former Washington quarterback played in just five games due to injury in 2021, as four quarterbacks saw significant playing time in a 2-10 season. Indiana then pursued solid quarterback play over the past two seasons without success and won just seven games combined.
This season, the Hoosiers rank second in college football with 43.9 points per game. Rourke’s ability to throw the ball has opened up running lanes for Ty Son Lawton and Justice Ellison as the Hoosiers have averaged 6.9 yards per play.
The Hoosiers will need to make big plays against Ohio State’s defense to pull off the upset on Saturday, and Rourke will have to be the catalyst. If you have a big game against the Buckeyes in a win as a double-digit underdog, your odds will be reduced immensely and your chances of being a Heisman finalist will be very, very real.
If Ohio State wins, and does so comfortably, Rourke’s fringe candidacy will be over.
Here’s a look at the odds for the other favorites heading into Week 13.
Colorado DB/WR Travis Hunter (-400): Hunter’s odds aren’t as short as they were immediately after Week 12, but he’s still the heavy favorite. The Buffaloes visit Kansas in Week 13 when Hunter will have the opportunity to put on a show in an NFL stadium.
Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (+400): Jeanty should surpass 2,000 rushing yards this weekend against Wyoming. He has 256 carries for 1,893 yards and 26 touchdowns in 10 games. It is not ruled out that he could also reach the 30 TD threshold.
Miami QB Chamber Room (+1500): The Hurricanes have a home game against Wake Forest on Saturday when Ward gets his first chance to bounce back after Miami’s first loss of the season. Ward is averaging nearly 350 passing yards per game and has thrown for 32 touchdowns in just 10 games.
Alabama QB Jalen Milroe (+3000): If you’re looking for a relative Heisman sleeper and don’t think Indiana is going to win on Saturday, your eggs should be in Milroe’s basket. Alabama has the tiebreaker advantage in a 6-2 group atop the SEC. A strong finish to the regular season and a strong showing in the SEC title game could put Milroe up there alongside Hunter and Jeanty.
Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel (+4000): Is Gabriel completely out of the Heisman mix after his pedestrian performance against Wisconsin? The Ducks are off in Week 13 and there’s a strong chance Oregon will be the only undefeated team in the country entering the final week of the regular season. If that’s true, we’re intrigued to see what Gabriel’s odds are.