Who's Going to Win the Heisman?

August 20, 2024

By Carter Rennyson

The 2024-25 college football season kicks off this Saturday with Florida State and Georgia Tech facing off in Dublin, Ireland. This is one of the most anticipated seasons in recent memory due to conference realignment and the all-new 12-team playoff. This year will feature new rivalries, jaw-dropping finishes, unbelievable upsets, and unforgettable moments. But who is going to win the Heisman Trophy? With players transferring to new schools and new coaching staffs coming in, it is difficult to predict which players will have immediate success in new environments. Here are four players to keep an eye on during the regular season.

Carson Beck

Beck enters his second season as the Bulldogs’ quarterback as one of the Heisman favorites. The No. 1-ranked Bulldogs have great talent on both sides of the ball and are the favorites to win the national championship. Last year, a tough loss in the SEC Championship game derailed their three-peat opportunity. However, this year Carson Beck will be on a mission to bring Georgia back to the championship. Beck passed for more than 3,700 yards and tossed 22 touchdowns with just six interceptions last season. Expect bigger numbers from the senior and for the Bulldogs to be playing well into 2025.

Quinn Ewers

Ewers could have turned pro at the end of last season, leaving Arch Manning as the expected starter in Austin. However, Ewers decided to return to Texas for another shot at a national championship. The Longhorns made the playoff last season but fell to Michael Penix Jr. and the Washington Huskies. This year, Texas will begin play in the SEC and has showdowns with Georgia and Michigan. Ewers passed for 3,400 yards last season and accounted for 22 touchdowns. While his main focus seems to be a national championship, another solid year with a strong record will keep Ewers in the Heisman conversation.

Jalen Milroe

Jalen Milroe won the starting quarterback job last season and nearly led Alabama to another national championship. Milroe accounted for 35 touchdowns last season, both through the air and on the ground, and is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Milroe could follow in the footsteps of Jayden Daniels, Kyler Murray, and Lamar Jackson, becoming the next dual-threat quarterback to win the coveted trophy. Alabama is entering the Kalen DeBoer era, so questions will loom about the new offense. However, DeBoer coached Penix Jr. to a Heisman runner-up finish. Expect Milroe to be at least a Heisman finalist this season.

Dillon Gabriel

A recent trend among Heisman winners is transferring. Of the last six quarterbacks to win the trophy, only one (Bryce Young) did not transfer schools at some point in their collegiate career. Dillon Gabriel is now at his third school in Oregon after spending time at UCF and Oklahoma. Gabriel is currently the odds-on favorite due to Dan Lanning’s explosive offense and Gabriel’s experience. The Ducks are beginning their first season in the Big Ten and will play big games against Ohio State, Michigan, and Washington. Gabriel has weapons such as wideout Evan Stewart and tailback Jordan James. If Oregon can put up big numbers like last season and contend in the Big Ten, Gabriel will be among the finalists in December.

Outside of these four, Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart, Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, and Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava are among the favorites to win the Heisman. Beyond quarterbacks, Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter is in the conversation, as well as Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon II, who finished seventh in Heisman voting last year.

This year is going to be one of the most exciting college football seasons and it all begins with an ACC showdown this Saturday in Dublin!