The 2024 college football season promises to be one of the best in recent memory as we have several teams playing in different conferences and Heisman hopefuls looking to stake their claim as the best player in the sport. And not to mention, we have the expanded College Football Playoff this season, which will give more teams around the country something to play for.

Many fans and bettors will watch the Heisman race closely this season due to a strong group of quarterbacks who could make things interesting. That’s not to say a running back like Oklahoma State’s Ollie Gordon, or a two-way player like Colorado’s Travis Hunter can’t enter the Heisman conversation.

However, it’s been a quarterback-dominated award for years, which likely won’t change this season. Last season, we saw LSU’s Jayden Daniels win the Heisman after opening the 2023 campaign at 18/1 odds (+1800).

But Daniels’ odds shortened quickly as the dynamic dual-threat quarterback put up monster numbers, giving him the edge over Michael Penix Jr. (Washington) and Bo Nix (Oregon).

Heading into the 2024 season, Dillon Gabriel is the consensus favorite (+700 on FanDuel Sportsbook) to win the Heisman Trophy. However, it’s not guaranteed it stays that way, especially with the Ducks playing in the Big Ten.

There will be other quarterbacks like Carson Beck, Quinn Ewers, and Jalen Milroe, who will have their moments and shoot up the Heisman rankings. Below, we’ll discuss a few players I believe could win the Heisman this season, including a long shot who could shake up the field.

2024 Heisman Trophy Award Best Bets

Odds courtesy of ESPN Bet, FanDuel, and DraftKings Sportsbooks

1. Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama (+1500, ESPN Bet)

The 6-foot-2 quarterback emerged onto the scene last season for the Crimson Tide after taking over Bryce Young. Milroe started the 2023 campaign slowly, completing 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,397 yards, 11 touchdowns, and four touchdowns. He also had 139 rushing yards and five scores on the ground through his first six games.

However, the young dual-threat quarterback turned it on over the final six regular season games, putting himself in the Heisman convo and Alabama in the CFP picture. Milroe completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 1,321 yards, 12 touchdowns, and two interceptions.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Milroe erupted for 329 yards and seven touchdowns. The redshirt sophomore was impressive during that stretch, including 374 yards of offense and four rushing TDs against LSU on Nov. 4. Milroe followed that up with six total touchdowns on the road against Kentucky.

Milroe’s meteoric rise was fun to watch in 2023, and it’s expected he will take his game to another level this season under new head coach Kalen DeBoer. DeBoer joined the Crimson Tide this offseason after spending the last two years at the University of Washington, where he turned Penix into a Heisman finalist in 2023.

DaBoer took Penix from a 59.4 percent passer at Indiana to 65.4 percent at Washington. At the same time, Penix was throwing the ball to NFL-caliber wide receivers in Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Jalen McMillan. But who’s to say Milroe cannot take the same leap this season?

He won’t have Jermaine Burton or Isaiah Bond by his side, but the Crimson Tide still have playmakers on the outside. and Milroe is a plus-one in the running game. At 15/1 odds (+1500), we could see Milroe take off how Daniels did last season.

2. Cam Ward, QB, Miami (+2200, DraftKings)

There’s a lot of hype surrounding the Miami Hurricanes this season, and rightfully so, after picking two of the best players in the transfer portal in the offseason. The Hurricanes completely reshaped their offense by bringing in former Washington State QB Cam Ward and Oregon State RB Damien Martinez.

Ward and Martinez were two of the best players in Pac-12 over the last couple of seasons and didn’t get much attention. Now, they will play in the ACC and have a good chance of getting the Canes to the conference title game. If Ward gets Miami to the ACC title game and a CFP berth, he’ll be in New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

The 6-foot-2 quarterback has been a star at each school he’s been at, starting with Incarnate Word in the FCS and the last two seasons at Washington State. At Incarnate Word, Ward racked up numerous accolades, including being a finalist for the Walter Payton Award in 2021 (the FCS equivalent to the Heisman Trophy).

Then, at Washington State, Ward showed that moving up in competition didn’t phase him. He completed 65.5 percent of his passes for 6,968 yards, 48 touchdowns, and 16 touchdowns. Ward also scored 13 rushing touchdowns with the Cougars. But he isn’t a typical dual-threat quarterback like Milroe or Daniels.

Instead, he’s a point guard at the position (shoutout to Emory Hunt of Football Gameplan), knows how to make plays in the pocket, and is efficient under center (six games with a completion percentage of 70 or higher).

3. Luther Burden III, WR, Mizzou (+10000, ESPN Bet)

Lastly, if you are looking for a long-shot bet for the Heisman this season, why not take a chance on Burden III? Burden is coming off a great 2023 season, posting 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. The sophomore wide receiver had a major impact on the Tigers’ offense and was an explosive playmaker in the SEC.

Since the Heisman is centered around QBs, wideouts such as Burden, Emeka Egbuka (Ohio State), Tre Harris (Ole Miss), and Tetairoa McMillan (Arizona) won’t get a lot of consideration. The last time a wide receiver won the Heisman Trophy was former Alabama star DeVonta Smith in 2021.

Smith had 117 receptions for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns for the Crimson Tide. It was a generational performance by Smith, who was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2021 NFL Draft.

For Burden to make some waves in the Heisman convo in 2024, he must put up video games. Luckily enough for him, the Tigers have a favorable schedule, which should put them in the CFP discussion. The 5-foot-11 receiver is projected to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and will be Brady Cook’s No. 1 target for the second straight season.

[Photo courtesy of John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports]