Indiana QB Josh Hoover is the most mispriced player in the early Heisman race

There are players in college football with higher expectations entering the 2026 season than Indiana QB Josh Hoover. In fact, FOX Sports' Michael Cohen listed Hoover at the top of his list of the Top-10 breakout candidates heading into the new season.

Hoover has garnered plenty of attention this offseason. His move from TCU to Indiana is among the biggest moves in all of college football, as was considered one of the top arms on the market. Specifically, Hoover is the No. 17 overall player and No. 5 quarterback in the transfer portal according to On3. He headlines an Indiana portal class that is among the Top-10 in the nation.

Following in Fernando Mendoza's footsteps is an impossible task, but the 6'2" 200-pound gunslinger has the experience and skill set necessary to put together a strong season in Bloomington. However, oddsmakers are still skeptical when it comes to Hoover's odds to win the Heisman Trophy this season.

Oddsmakers are underestimating the impact Josh Hoover can have at Indiana

The start of the 2026 college football season is still several months away, but Heisman Trophy talk is never out of season. DraftKings Sportsbook has already released Heisman Trophy odds for next season, and Hoover wasn't able to crack the Top-5.

The Heisman odds board is dominated by quarterbacks, but Hoover isn't found until sixth on the list with odds of +1200.

Notre Dame's CJ Carr and Texas' Arch Manning are the early frontrunners with odds of +750 each. Ohio State's Julian Sayin and Oregon's Dante Moore aren't far behind with odds of +1000, and then Ole Miss' Trinidad Chambliss rounds out the Top-5 with odds of +1100.

Hoover's experience can serve him well in the 2026 Heisman race

All of the quarterbacks in the Top-5 of the 2026 Heisman odds board have one thing in common: experience.

Carr, Manning, Moore, Sayin, and Chambliss have all shown that they can compete at an elite level, and all of them figure to lead high-powered offenses again this season. However, none of them have as much returning production as Hoover.

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In his collegiate career, Hoover has racked up 9,629 yards and 79 total touchdowns over the course of 36 games and 31 starts with the Horned Frogs. That gives him the most production of any returning quarterback in all of college football entering the 2026 season. Throw in Hoover's overwhelming experience in an RPO-heavy system, and Cignetti could have another star on his hands.

Hoover has seen a little bit of everything throughout his collegiate career, and most importantly, he's won a lot of games. As he looks to help lead the Hoosiers to a third-straight appearance in the College Football Playoff and compete for another national title, Hoover could be on the cusp of a massive breakout campaign. If that happens, Hoover's Heisman odds figure to get shorter and shorter throughout the season.

Betting odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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