Cam Ward Heisman odds (Week 12): Miami QB's chances to win coveted honor explored

Quarterback Cam Ward and the No. 4 Miami Hurricanes suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday. Although Ward did not perform badly, a 28–23 loss does not help his Heisman odds this late in the season.

Before the Week 11 games, Ward was one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy. Although he still sits near the top of the Heisman race in terms of odds, his chances took a significant hit on Saturday. His odds dropped to +800 on FanDuel, and he now sits fourth in odds at the sportsbook.

Cam Ward Heisman Odds: How close is the Miami QB to winning?

Cam Ward is still in the mix to win the Heisman Trophy, but it is not nearly as likely as it was before Miami (9-1) lost to Georgia Tech. Although Ward still put up strong numbers, completing 25 of 39 passing attempts for 248 yards and three touchdowns, a loss to a weaker team does not help.

Additionally, Miami's last drive ended because of a fumble from Ward. That ended the team's chances of completing a comeback. That image of Ward fumbling the ball will be in voters' minds when they decide if he should win the Heisman at the end of the season. There is no room for error in the Heisman race, so any mistakes can be devastating to a player's odds, especially at this point in the season.

Before the games on Saturday, four players had separated themselves in Heisman odds. Although there is still a gap from fourth to fifth, there is now a gap from third to fourth. The top five on FanDuel are as follows:

1. Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter (+120)
2. Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel (+320)
3. Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (+350)
4. Miami QB Cam Ward (+800)
5. Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke (+1400)

After Saturday, Hunter, Gabriel and Jeanty could be the favorites to win the Heisman. Although Ward is still in fourth place, he sits behind them by a sizable margin. He will need big performances in Miami's final games of the season against Wake Forest and Syracuse to get back in the mix.