Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King added a major highlight to his résumé in Week 3, guiding the Yellow Jackets to a gritty 24-21 upset of Clemson. Just a week removed from sitting out with a lower-body injury, the sixth-year veteran delivered a dual-threat performance that showcased both his toughness and playmaking ability. With a red-hot start to the season and a program-shaking win in hand, head coach Brent Key wasted no time lobbying for King’s place in the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Oddsmakers haven’t crowned King a frontrunner, but they’ve taken notice. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, King currently sits at +3000 to win the award, climbing the board from much longer odds at the start of the year. He’s still a long shot, but momentum is clearly on his side.
“This is a kid that truly epitomizes what the Heisman Trophy is,” Key said on Sirius XM College Sports Radio. “Defensive coordinators and head coaches have to game plan for him. Who in college football elevates their team the way Haynes King does Georgia Tech? He slept in the locker room during training camp for four weeks. He has blinders on. The way our team believes in him—it’s different.”
Week 4 Heisman Trophy odds (FanDuel Sportsbook)
| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Carson Beck | Miami | +800 |
| John Mateer | Oklahoma | +900 |
| Gunner Stockton | Georgia | +1100 |
| Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State | +1200 |
| Dante Moore | Oregon | +1300 |
| Marcel Reed | Texas A&M | +1600 |
| Julian Sayin | Ohio State | +1600 |
| Joey Aguilar | Tennessee | +1600 |
| Garrett Nussmeier | LSU | +1700 |
| Devon Dampier | Utah | +2000 |
| Jackson Arnold | Auburn | +2200 |
| Ty Simpson | Alabama | +2200 |
| Tommy Castellanos | Florida St. | +2500 |
| Drew Allar | Penn State | +2500 |
| Fernando Mendoza | Indiana | +2500 |
| Jayden Maiava | USC | +2500 |
| Haynes King | Georgia Tech | +3000 |
| Beau Pribula | Missouri | +3000 |
| Behren Morton | Texas Tech | +3000 |
King’s case is built on more than leadership and intangibles—his production speaks for itself. He torched Colorado in the opener with 156 rushing yards and three touchdowns, then followed it up against Clemson by piling up another 103 yards and a score on the ground. Just as important, he looked sharp through the air, completing 20 of 28 passes for 211 yards against a defense loaded with NFL talent.
Key recalled a defining moment late in the Clemson win:
“With three minutes left, he comes to the sideline and says, ‘Give me the ball. We’re gonna win this game with it in my hands.’ Four years ago, this program lost 73-7 to them in this stadium. And now, here’s Haynes King asking for the ball against that same program. He hasn’t forgotten nights like that. He’s on a mission.”
Team success will ultimately weigh heavily on King’s Heisman hopes, and Georgia Tech is doing its part. The Yellow Jackets are 3-0 with only one ranked opponent—No. 5 Georgia—left on their regular-season schedule. If King keeps delivering, his status as a dark-horse contender could shift into something much bigger.
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