The 2019 campaign didn’t go quite as planned for Auburn, but there were a few bright spots. Gus Malzahn’s crew finished a respectable 9-4 overall, but that was good for just third place in the loaded SEC West behind LSU and Alabama. Losing in the Outback Bowl on New Year’s Day at the hands of Minnesota left a sour taste in the mouths of Auburn fans heading into the offseason.
However, there is reason for optimism moving forward. The Tigers’ most direct threats in the division – LSU and Alabama – will both be featuring new starting quarterbacks next season with Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa moving on to the NFL. Auburn, meanwhile, will enjoy some continuity at the position with Bo Nix returning for his sophomore campaign.
That alone will give Auburn a leg up on the competition heading into next season. It’s exceedingly rare for a freshman quarterback to come in and dominate from day one. Nix took his lumps at times during his first year at the college level, but the Tigers should be able to use this past season as a building block for the future.
Nix’s Encouraging Freshman Season
Nix was a bit of a mixed bag in 2019, but he still largely acquitted himself well considering the level of competition plus the fact that he was just a freshman. No. 10 completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 2,542 yards with 16 touchdowns to just 6 interceptions. He also added more than 300 rushing yards with 7 more scores on the ground. Those aren’t Heisman-caliber numbers, but it was still a solid showing overall for an inexperienced QB playing against the best level of competition in the nation.
Auburn fans got a glimpse of Nix’s potential in his very first game. Despite a ragged start against Oregon, Nix turned things around in the second half in ultimately leading the Tigers to the come-from-behind victory.
He showed steady improvement as the season progressed, as well. Nix compiled 744 passing yards with 4 touchdowns over his last 4 games of the season without throwing a pick. He also completed less than 60 percent of his throws in just one of those games.
Lawrence, Fields Early Heisman Favorites
Early betting odds should be taken with a grain of salt. It’s fair to say nobody saw Burrow’s monster season coming, oddsmakers included. The LSU star was listed at just +2000 to win the Heisman at most college football betting sites before the season began. Few expected LSU’s offense to make such a leap, so Burrow’s preseason Heisman hype was almost non-existent.
Bovada has Nix at +900 to win the Heisman next season, which puts him among the odds-on favorites. MyBookie, meanwhile, has Nix all the way down at +3000. Needless to say, MyBookie is quite a bit less optimistic regarding Nix’s chances at taking home the hardware next fall.
Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence is the early Heisman favorite (+225), followed by Ohio State’s Justin Fields (+250), USC’s Kedon Slovis (+400) and Alabama’s expected new starter, Mac Jones (+500).
If Auburn is able to leapfrog the likes of LSU and Alabama in the SEC West, it’s fair to assume that Nix will play a major role in the Tigers’ success. LSU and ‘Bama certainly aren’t locks to fall off even with Burrow and Tua having left for the NFL, but you have to like Auburn’s chances of making some noise next season. If they get themselves into the national championship picture, Nix will be right in the thick of things.
How to Place Your Bets
If your looking to get serious and throw some money down on Nix to win the Heisman trophy in 2020, here are a few ways you can do that.
Sports Betting Apps
Placing bets on college football using mobile sports betting apps is the way of the future. We depend on our smartphones for just about everything nowadays, and just about all of the top sports betting sites now have corresponding mobile apps available to the public.
Most sports betting apps are easy to use and offer the exact same wagering options you’ll find at sports betting sites or at brick-and-mortar casinos.
Sports Betting Sites
The advent of the internet has made it easier than ever for fans to bet on sports. Now, instead of having to travel to an actual casino, fans can just fire up their computer or smartphone and place bets from the comfort of home.
There is no shortage of options out there when it comes to online sports betting. There are dozens of high-quality sites out there offering updated odds on college football. That includes game lines, futures and prop bets.
Shopping between the sites in order to find the most favorable odds is the smartest thing you can do if you’re making a foray into the world of online sports betting.
Land-Based Casinos
Sports betting has been growing in popularity in the United States since the Supreme Court voted to grant states the right on an individual basis to decide whether to offer legalized bets. Since then, a number of states have voted to do so. That includes Alabama’s neighbor, Mississippi, and more states are expected to follow suit in the years to come.
Unfortunately, Auburn fans living in Alabama will have to either travel out-of-state to bet on Nix to win the Heisman, or they’ll have to wait until Alabama legalized sports betting. Hopefully Alabama won’t be too far behind.
