Believe it or not, Tennessee Volunteers football have never had a player win the Heisman Trophy, with five former stars in Knoxville cracking the top five and four that were runners-up in a given season of college football.
The most recent of the bunch was Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, who finished second to Charles Woodson of the Michigan Wolverines in 1997, with Woodson becoming the first defensive player to take home the award.
Vols’ fans are hopeful that 2024 is the year the program finally finishes on top of the polling, with second-year starter at QB Nico Iamaleava returning to Knoxville on the heels of a breakout debut in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Iowa.
In that Orlando matchup, Iamaleava hit on 12-of-19 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown after starter Joe Milton declared for the NFL Draft, earning the Vols’ a 35-0 rout of the Hawkeyes in the New Year’s Day showdown.
Ahead of his first full season as the Vols’ starting QB, BetTennessee.com broke down the odds from the best Tennesee sports betting apps that Iamaleava will be Tennessee’s first Heisman Trophy winner in 2024 as UT looks to make the expanded, 12-team CFP this fall.
Nico Iamaleava Heisman Odds
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Sportsbook | Odds | Percent Chance |
|---|---|---|
FanDuel | +1500 | 6.3% |
Bet365 | +1600 | 5.9% |
BetMGM | +1100 | 8.3% |
ESPN Bet | +1500 | 6.3% |
BetRivers | +1500 | 6.3% |
*Odds found on May 30th, subject to change
Can Nico Iamaleava Make UT History?
The Southern California native entered UT as a hyped prospect, scoring a perfect 100 rating from 247 Sports and the No. 2 spot nationally at his position, speaking to the lofty expectations placed upon the 19-year-old out of the gate.
With a Citrus Bowl MVP award in his pocket, Iamaleava looks like the next big thing to hit the SEC under center, with sportsbooks like BetMGM Tennessee sportsbook (+1100), FanDuel Sportsbook, ESPN BET and BetRivers (+1500 each) and Bet365 (+1600) all putting the UT QB near the top of their Heisman Trophy odds board.
Iamaleava will have plenty of opportunities to earn that hype on the field in 2024, with UT playing Chattanooga (Aug. 31), NC State (Sept. 7) and Kent State (Sept. 14) at Neyland Stadium to open the year before heading to Norman to play the Oklahoma Sooners on Sept. 21.
More Tennessee Football Betting Odds
With the type of poise that he showed against the Hawkeyes on New Year’s Day, it’s not farfetched to say that Iamaleava is the poster child to shatter UT’s Heisman Trophy drought in 2024.
Now, it’s on the 19-year-old out of SoCal to do what it takes to take those dreams and turn them into reality, beginning with the Vols’ Aug. 31 opener in Knoxville against their in-state foes from Chattanooga.
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Author
Christopher Boan writes for BetTennessee.com and has been covering sports and sports betting for more than seven years, with experience at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.
