Will Anderson: Bryce Young deserves to be in mix for Heisman Trophy

Bryce Young is making a strong case for the Heisman Trophy this season. His teammates are also giving him their support for the honor.

Young is second in the SEC with 325.8 passing yards per game, but leads the league with 38 touchdowns. He currently has the second-best odds to win the Heisman Trophy behind Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud, according to VegasInsider.

But Alabama linebacker Will Anderson put himself in Young’s corner on Monday, calling Young “smart” in many different aspects.

“The first time I met Bryce at All-American, I knew he was going to be a Heisman contender,” Anderson told reporters. “Bryce is very smart. I’m pretty sure you guys can see on the field, but I’ve classes with Bryce [and] everything. Bryce is a smart person, and his ability on the football field is even more surprising.

“He’s very smart on the field, the numbers that he’s putting up, the stats he’s had this year, how he handled everything, especially last year. I feel like he’s a great person on and off the field and he’s very, very, very, very, very, very talented.”

Young and Alabama are getting ready to take on Auburn in the Iron Bowl this week. But the offense will be tested next month when the Crimson Tide take on Georgia — the nation’s best defense — in the SEC Championship game.

Updated Heisman odds following Week 12 of college football

The end of the regular season is approaching in college football. There is just one more week left before conference championships, meaning that there isn’t much time left for Heisman favorites to solidify their status as a candidate for the prestigious award. Following Week 12, Vegas Insider has released their updated Heisman odds.

Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud -200
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young +150
Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral +1600
Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III +2200
Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett +4000
Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder +5000
Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis +8000
Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr +8000
Alabama running back Brian Robinson +10000
Ohio State running back TreVeyon Henderson +10000
Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams +10000

The odds were last updated Sunday, November 21 at 6:15 a.m. ET by Vegas Insider.

A new favorite emerges

CJ Stroud put up a historic performance in Ohio State’s blowout victory over Michigan State on Saturday. He tied a single game Ohio State record with six touchdown passes, and he did that just in the first half. Stroud ultimately completed 32 of his 35 passes for 432 yards and the six touchdowns in Ohio State’s win. He has put up big numbers all season, and his Week 12 performance was enough to launch him into being the Heisman favorite. He has an even bigger stage next week against Michigan in a game that could answer some questions about the College Football Playoff.

Bryce Young also had a big day on Saturday in Alabama’s close win over Arkansas. He completed 31 of his 40 passes for 559 yards and five touchdowns. His 559 passing yards set an Alabama record and passed his previous season high by 188 yards.