College Football 2024 Heisman Trophy Watchlist After Week 12

Week 11 of the college football season is in the rearview mirror and it appears we have a favorite. All year, whoever the betting favorite was was still at plus money, but our current leader sits at -350 on DraftKings Sportsbook.

No trophy in college sports means as much as the Heisman Trophy, which recognizes the best player in college football. That's why each week, I'll be taking stock of the top 10 contenders for the trophy.

Below are the top 10 Heisman contenders after Week 12 of the college football season. These are the 10 players who I view as having the best shot to win the trophy based on their performances this season.

10. Dylan Sampson - RB, Tennessee

Look, we know that whoever is 10th in these rankings isn't winning a Heisman at this point, so let's just treat this final spot as a chance to recognize someone for playing good football.

This week, Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson gets the spot. He leads the SEC in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and has 92 or more yards in every game this season. He's also found the end zone in each game.

Season Stats: 220 carries for 1,230 yards and 21 touchdowns, 15 receptions for 110 yards

9. Cade Klubnik - QB, Clemson

Cade Klubnik single-handedly saved Clemson's playoff hopes this week with a 50-yard, game-winning touchdown run with under two minutes to play.

CADE KLUBNIK CALLED GAME 😱 @ClemsonFB pic.twitter.com/r3HZNo2es5

— ACC Network (@accnetwork) November 16, 2024

In a different universe, that's Klubnik's Heisman moment. However, he's had a couple of poor showings in losses for the Tigers so it isn't that, though it doesn't make this any less impressive.

Season Stats: 63.4% completion rate, 2,563 yards, 26 touchdowns, four interceptions, five rushing touchdowns

8. Shedeur Sanders - QB, Colorado

As I keep saying, if Colorado was having this exact level of success but didn't have Travis Hunter on the roster, Shedeur Sanders would be a top five Heisman contender at minimum.

In a 49-24 win over Utah, Sanders was 30-for-41 for 340 yards and three touchdowns. He was picked off once. Sanders leads the Big 12 in completion percentage, passing touchdowns, and adjusted yards per attempt.

Season Stats: 72.9% completion rate, 3,222 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions, four rushing touchdowns

7. Jaxson Dart - QB, Ole Miss

Ole Miss was off this week, so here's what I had to say about Jaxson Dart last week:

After throwing six touchdowns against Arkansas, Jaxson Dart finished with 199 yards, one touchdown, and one interception against Georgia [last] week.

Now, if you didn't watch the game, you might see those numbers and the opponent and think, "Wow, Ole Miss must have been blown out," but the Rebels won 28-10. Dart leads the SEC in completion percentage, passing yards, and passing touchdowns.

Season Stats: 70.8% completion percentage, 3,409 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, four interceptions, three rushing touchdowns

6. Jalen Milroe - QB, Alabama

Jalen Milroe continues to be the best dual-threat quarterback in the nation and he's moved back to fifth in the betting odds, which feels right. There have been a couple more hiccups for Milroe than for the top four, but he's probably the third-best quarterback in the country.

Jalen Milroe with 2 regular season games remaining:

160/237
2,232 passing yards
15 passing TDs
6 INTs

120 CAR
608 yards
17 TDs#RollTide pic.twitter.com/1tFbDk6klD

— Andrew (@aterry65) November 18, 2024

However, I couldn't move him up past Kurtis Rourke because the Crimson Tide played Mercer this week. Just hard to move a guy up when he dominates an FCS team in mid-November.

Season Stats: 67.5% completion rate, 2,232 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, six interceptions, 17 rushing touchdowns

5. Kurtis Rourke - QB, Indiana

Indiana was off this week, so here's my analysis for Kurtis Rourke from last week:

Another week, another win for Indiana. It was a close one against Michigan, but as long as the Hoosiers remain undefeated, quarterback Kurtis Rourke remains in the hunt for the Heisman, albeit what feels like a pretty distant fifth in what's become a four-player race.

[Last] week, Rourke was 17-for-28 for 206 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He currently leads the Big Ten in yards per attempt and quarterback rating.

Season Stats: 71.8% completion rate, 2,410 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, four interceptions, two rushing touchdowns

4. Dillon Gabriel - QB, Oregon

With two non-QBs running away at the top of this race, the third and fourth spot are likely to keep switching back and forth between Dillon Gabriel and Cam Ward based on the vibes each week.

Oregon stayed undefeated this week, but the team sure tried to lose, beating Wisconsin 16-13. Gabriel failed to throw a touchdown in the win and was picked off, but he did complete 71.0% of his pass attempts.

Season Stats: 73.8% completion rate, 3,066 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns, six interceptions, six rushing touchdowns

3. Cameron Ward - QB, Miami

Despite not playing this week and losing his last game, Ward moves up a spot over Gabriel because...well, because Gabriel's game against Wisconsin wasn't enough to maintain the third spot.

Ward leads the FBS in passing yards and the ACC in passing touchdowns. He's averaging an absurd 349.4 passing yards per contest and even with the loss has the Hurricanes well positioned to make the playoffs.

Season Stats: 66.8% completion rate, 3,494 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, six interceptions, three rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown

2. Ashton Jeanty - RB, Boise State

Ashton Jeanty failed to hit the 200-yard mark for the third time in the last four games. Maybe defenses have figured him out?

Hahahaha, just kidding.

Jeanty found the end zone three times in the Broncos' 42-21 win over San Jose State, giving him an FBS-best 26 rushing scores on the year to go along with his FBS-best 1,893 rushing yards. He's no longer on pace for a Barry Sanders-esque season where he shatters rushing record, but he is already tied for 22nd in single-season rushing touchdowns.

Season Stats: 256 carries for 1,893 yards and 26 touchdowns, 17 catches for 98 yards and one touchdown

1. Travis Hunter - WR/CB, Colorado

Travis Hunter's day as a wide receiver was just pretty average this week as he caught five passes for 55 yards. But this is Travis Hunter that we're talking about, so of course his game went beyond those five receptions.

Travis Hunter

Every single week

pic.twitter.com/V0C3p7mCAV

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 16, 2024

For example, Hunter had a rushing touchdown in the game against Utah, and he also had his third interception of the year. Every week, he finds some way to make a major impact on the game. It's why he's taken a clear lead in the Heisman battle.

Season Stats: 74 catches for 911 yards and nine touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, 24 tackles, one tackle for loss, three interceptions

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