While there are some exceptions in recent history, the Heisman Trophy typically goes to the best quarterback in the country. However, the only Tennessee football player with listed betting odds to win the award on FanDuel is running back DeSean Bishop.
You can get Bishop at +30000 to win the Heisman Trophy next season on Tuesday morning, the day following the 2025 national title game. This means a $10 bet would pay out $3,000 if he did win the most prestigious award in the sport next season.
Bishop being the only Vol listed means none of Tennessee’s quarterbacks are listed. UT is set to hold a quarterback battle between redshirt-freshman George MacIntyre, true freshman Faizon Brandon and incoming Colorado transfer and redshirt-junior Ryan Staub.
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Bishop signed a new deal to return to Tennessee this offseason after a breakout redshirt-sophomore year in 2025. He totalled 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns on 182 carries through 13 games. This marked the third-straight season the Vols have produced a 1,000-yard back after Dylan Sampson and Jaylen Wright did it before getting drafted.
In 2024, as a redshirt-freshman, Bishop was the second back in the room behind Sampson. He recorded 455 yards and three touchdowns on 74 totes. He missed his true freshman season due to an injury suffered in the preseason, but Josh Heupel spoke glowingly of him during that stretch of practices.
Bishop is a local product out of Karns High School in Knoxville. He won back-to-back Tennessee Titans 5A Mr. Football awards after totalling more than 6,000 all-purpose yards over his last two seasons. He led the Beavers to their first home playoff win in program history over Walker Valley in 2021.
Bishop is now projected to be the lead back for Tennessee next season. With Star Thomas out of eligibility and Peyton Lewis transferring to Virginia, he is the lone returning contributor from a year ago. He’ll be joined by second-year backs Daune Morris and Justin Baker, and Tulane transfer Javin Gordon in 2026.
