In the long, storied lineage of Clemson football, the Heisman Trophy stands as one piece of hardware absent from the lobby of the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex.
Statues, including Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence have all the classics on the periphery, but the podium in New York City has been out of reach for the Tigers. As the clock ticks toward 2026, the betting markets now look to that year, and the drought seemed likely to persist. But if recent college football history has shown any hint, it’s that the “Way Too Early” champions are often mere holdovers for eventual shockers.
As per FanDuel Sportsbook, the currently predicted Clemson starter Christopher Vizzina has an opening odds to win the Heisman of +12500. Though those figures put him well in the “long-shot” bucket with Georgia Tech’s Alberto Mendoza (+12500) and UCLA’s Nico Iamaleava (+10000), the script for a triple-digit underdog to storm the stage has already been set. Vizzina only must study the final two victors to find a reason to feel hopeful.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter opened at +6500 with a winning edge in 2024 and soon his two-way domination was winning the heart of the nation. More recently, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza defied 60-1 odds to win the trophy this past season. For Vizzina, the “winning recipe” is not a matter of arm prowess alone but of the stuff that Swinney is getting ready in the pantry.
The biggest potential catalyst for a spike for Vizzina is the return of offensive coordinator Chad Morris. Morris had a “fast and physical” philosophy that required multiple vertical shots downfield across the field every game, so he is primed to unleash a Clemson offense the team has been stonewalling for years. In his lone start against SMU last season, Vizzina showed a readiness to throw his weight around at the "third level" of the defense, often taking a field-level aim at star wideouts such as T.J. Moore.
Next offseason, to polish that chemistry, Vizzina will be expected to produce numbers that reflect his tutor, Cade Klubnik, but with a note of the Morris playbook, which comes with explosions. Vizzina will travel the most talented skill group in ACC, and their path to New York may be paved by them.
The Tigers’ roster has a “pick-your-poison” collection of playmakers:
The Perimeter: T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr. offer elite vertical threats.
The Backfield: Gideon Davidson is a home-run threat on every touch.
The X-Factors: Naeem Burroughs and tight end Christian Bentancur fill reliable safety valves right in the middle of the field.
Dabo Swinney already revealed that Vizzina will be coming into spring on the “pole position” for the starting job, beating out a depth chart that still includes redshirt freshman Chris Denson and two incoming blue-chip freshmen.
For the 2026 draft to see him rise in the Heisman ladder, Vizzina has to beat the best players at the top of the 2026 roster.
The Tigers open the program’s game against LSU and Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt (+1600), encounter Miami’s Darian Mensah (+1500) on Oct. 3 and close against LaNorris Sellers (+3000) from South Carolina.
The odds are stacked against him, and Tigertown has high expectations after the dismal 7-6 final last year. But along with a new coordinator and a “Chef” mentality, Vizzina has all the means to make a +12500 bet part of the 2026 season’s story.