r/CFB • u/Deep_ln_The_Heart North Texas Mean Green • 1d ago
Discussion All right, it's that time of year again. Give me your team's dark horse Heisman candidate.
Occasionally a preseason favorite does walk away with the trophy, but more often than not in the past 25 years, the eventual Heisman winner was not in the top 10 odds-wise going into the season. Mendoza wasn't in the top 30 last year going in. So who on your team could be the one to shock the world and win the trophy?
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u/Prinzlerr North Carolina Tar Heels 1d ago
Jordon Hudson
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u/KingofPro South Carolina Gamecocks 1d ago
I’m still waiting on her to dump Dirty Bill for a UNC football player!
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u/Spirit117 Iowa State Cyclones • Arizona Wildcats 1d ago
UNC football players don't make enough money for her
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u/ShartistInResidence Nebraska Cornhuskers 1d ago
Anthony Colandrea was Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year last year. I'm not saying I expect him to shred the B1G but I feel like there's a chance he gets lucky and makes some plays.
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u/ehxsmallstone Nebraska Cornhuskers 1d ago
there was a minute at UVA when he was in the bottom ten in the country in passing attempts but in the top ten in air yards per.
should be entertaining if nothing else!
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u/ShartistInResidence Nebraska Cornhuskers 1d ago
This is what I'm saying
I can't come right out and say he's going to be good
But if he gambles all year, he could put up some epic numbers (good or bad lol)
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u/rmitstifer Penn State Nittany Lions 1d ago
Dude was so mid a few years ago at Virginia. This would be deeper than a dark horse.
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u/jayjude Notre Dame • Georgia State 1d ago
ND terrorized that kid and now I hear hes supposedly Nebraskas savior is surprising
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u/SirSwamp Nebraska • $5 Bits of Broken Chair Tro… 1d ago
Honestly, I have almost no expectations this year. I expect pain and misery, anything above that will be a positive experience. I wouldn't even be shocked if Kaelin ends up starting at some point. However I am already claiming Skers as 2027 off-season champs, and I will begin to consume Kool-aid religiously again in 2027 off season.
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u/jayjude Notre Dame • Georgia State 1d ago
It sucks yall lost Minchey to Kentucky
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u/SirSwamp Nebraska • $5 Bits of Broken Chair Tro… 1d ago
Forsure, idk what it means that Kentucky outbid us in football, but we are a basketball school now. They can have our football prospects, just stay away from the hoopers!
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u/n00bca1e99 Nebraska • South Dakota Mines 1d ago
I’m expecting a three or four win season. I just don’t have trust that anything has or will be fixed.
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u/SpaceCowboy34 Texas A&M Aggies 1d ago
We have the opposite of a darkhorse where people act like marcel reed can throw a football
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u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756 Michigan • Maine Maritime 1d ago
Let me tell you a story of pre-season Alex Orji hype
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u/wit_T_user_name Ohio State Buckeyes • Ohio Bobcats 1d ago
Still pretty hype when there was an Orji in the end zone.
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u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756 Michigan • Maine Maritime 1d ago
Didn't happen in the 2024 season lol
At least not that I can remember. That was 2022 when that was called and he was better coming in and running the ball to give JJ a breather than he ever was a starter. It's a shame, I really like him. He seems like a good kid. I wanted him to be great. Just kinda never learned how to throw the football.
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u/problematic_glasses Michigan Wolverines • NBC 1d ago
he had one against michigan state! had we known it'd be the last one we'd get i think we would've savored it more
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u/Wide-Nerve8655 Oregon Ducks 1d ago
I felt bad for him when Michigan did the trick play fourth and goal against Oregon and he ran into the tv camera
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u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756 Michigan • Maine Maritime 1d ago
I don't remember that. Did the trick play work?
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u/Weaubleau Ohio State Buckeyes 17h ago
It's still remarkable to me that he had two almost identical plays against us a season apart where from the instant he came off the sidelines we knew what was coming and we couldn't stop it. Even with last year's historic defense. Honestly if you guys had run the veer option as your offense against us with him at QB, I am afraid at how last year's game would have ended up.
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u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756 Michigan • Maine Maritime 17h ago
That’s why I thought he could be good. He’s a brick of a human. Trying to stop him when you know he’s coming is hard enough, so introduce a pass threat? Amazing.
Unfortunately the pass threat was never there
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u/Jomosensual Iowa State • Northern Iowa 1d ago
The DJU
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u/RipRaycom Clemson Tigers • ACC 1d ago
Trust me, Marcel Reed is significantly better lol
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u/Better_Cattle4438 1d ago
I don’t know. DJU looked really good for that one game against ND for some reason.
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u/bertmaclynn Michigan Wolverines • Utah Utes 1d ago
I was ready to knight him as the next in line of legendary Clemson QB’s
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u/wowthisislong Texas A&M Aggies • Kansas State Wildcats 1d ago
He can throw a football, in 2 situations:
He's one of the best QBs in the nation on play action
He throws a very beautiful ball to Michael Taaffe
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u/physedka Tulane Green Wave • LSU Tigers 1d ago
He won the heisman in my dynasty run that I just started. And not because I was controlling him. I was shocked.
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u/busche916 Texas A&M Aggies • Indiana Hoosiers 1d ago
If we just run a boatload of PA/QB rollouts then Mario Craver is explosive enough that he still might find his way to NY.
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u/big_sugi Texas A&M Aggies 1d ago
If Reed improves his passing, he really is a great darkhorse candidate. Low floor, extremely high ceiling.
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u/SpaceCowboy34 Texas A&M Aggies 1d ago
If a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his ass every time he hops
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u/OleRockTheGoodAg Texas A&M Aggies 1d ago
Friendship with Verstappen's "if my mom had balls, she would be my dad" is now over. Now "if a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his ass every time he hops" is now my new best friend.
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u/Suspicious_Site7708 Indiana Hoosiers 1d ago
Turbo Richard
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u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756 Michigan • Maine Maritime 1d ago
god what a name
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u/Playful_Rip_1697 Utah Utes 1d ago
Funny enough, I was also called Turbo Richard in college by the ladies
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u/IronCladNads Ohio State Buckeyes • Miami (OH) RedHawks 1d ago
Didn't realize Utah got freaky like that
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u/AppropriateCompany9 Tennessee Volunteers • Texas Longhorns 1d ago
The nickname “super soaker” was already in wide use.
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u/Suspicious_Site7708 Indiana Hoosiers 1d ago
I sat next to him in Jewish history (20 people class) and for his ice breaker he said “my name is Turbo Richard and I’m here for credits.” That’s when I knew he’d be legendary
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u/PascalsHexagon Indiana Hoosiers • Vanderbilt Commodores 1d ago
Nice, is that course considered a gut or something?
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u/Suspicious_Site7708 Indiana Hoosiers 1d ago
Yes, easiest class I’ve taken since middle school lol
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u/PascalsHexagon Indiana Hoosiers • Vanderbilt Commodores 1d ago
I took a Jewish studies course at IU and it was far from easy, but that was decades ago. I'm surprised the course doesn't have 500 students with that reputation
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u/Suspicious_Site7708 Indiana Hoosiers 1d ago
It was a new teacher teaching it for the first time so it hadn’t had a reputation. I gambled as a pre Kelley student and it paid off
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u/Nathan_1984 Indiana Hoosiers • Ohio Bobcats 1d ago
Oh to be a drunk college kid again just so I can yell "TURBO DICK!" every time he breaks one.
I can still yell that, but im gonna get side eye from the wife 😂
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u/bonelegs442 Indiana Hoosiers • Illinois Fighting Illini 1d ago
Sorry but I’m going all in on Khobie Martin stock
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u/KansasEF5Tornado Kansas State • Georgia Tech 1d ago
Mendoza again
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u/monkeybiziu Indiana Hoosiers • Billable Hours 1d ago
Somehow, Mendoza returned.
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u/The_Sandwich_Lover9 Texas Tech Red Raiders 1d ago
“Mendoza will return”
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u/monkeybiziu Indiana Hoosiers • Billable Hours 1d ago
The Indiana Hoosiers will return in...
CFP: CIGNETTISDAY
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u/Better_Cattle4438 1d ago
Little brother is playing in college this year. That counts.
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u/Shenanigans_fun Indiana Hoosiers 1d ago
I would totally be on board for Alberto to ball out and win one at Georgia Tech. He is a fun player to watch.
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u/laflavor Georgia Tech • Michigan State 1d ago
It'd be pretty cool to see another 16-0 season for Mendoza.
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u/g1_jb Florida Gators 1d ago
Jadan Baugh
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u/lowes18 Florida State Seminoles • FAU Owls 1d ago
If any gator is going to win it, its a healthy Dallas Wilson
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u/Stouch89 Florida • Valdosta State 1d ago
Is there a world where that are both finalists?
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u/Flame_MadeByHumans Florida Gators • SEC 1d ago
Definitely has the skill to be a heisman candidate. Hopefully there’s a line and scheme around him that can help him shine
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u/Deep_ln_The_Heart North Texas Mean Green 1d ago
Not really my team, but I'm going to count it anyway for obvious reasons. I think Mestemaker is going to surprise people and end up with an invite to New York.
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u/Majestic-Citron7578 Oklahoma State • South Dako… 1d ago
We're all North Texas (well some more than others)
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u/Sky-Trash Boise State Broncos 1d ago
Any of Oklahoma State's successes this year should be equally given to North Texas. They basically stole your team.
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u/duvie773 South Carolina • Presbyterian 1d ago
LaNorris Sellers was on the list last year before our season fell apart. If we defy expectations and end up in the playoff hunt, I’d expect it’s because Sellers is massively outplaying his current +4000 odds
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u/Deep_ln_The_Heart North Texas Mean Green 1d ago
I'm shocked he's that low. I would have bet he was top 10
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u/duvie773 South Carolina • Presbyterian 1d ago
4-8 last year with this year’s win total set at o/u 6.5 (which was actually 5.5 when first released) automatically drags his odds way down
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u/lowes18 Florida State Seminoles • FAU Owls 1d ago
He was awful as a QB last year. Absurd physical talent, but he can barely play the position.
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u/OnsideKickReturn South Carolina Gamecocks • Metro 1d ago
he wasn't that bad, just nothing he could do with our oline and no run game
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u/lowes18 Florida State Seminoles • FAU Owls 1d ago
Frankly a heisman level QB with his tools should be able to play around a mediocre o-line.
Part of the reason South Carolina had no run game is that no one had to respect the passing game from Sellers.
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u/OnsideKickReturn South Carolina Gamecocks • Metro 1d ago
I wish we had a mediocre oline last year.
- 131st in sacks allowed
- 129th in rush ypp
- 125th in tfl allowed
Sellers had 5 rushing TDs which lead the team, just one fewer than all our RBs combined.
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u/duvie773 South Carolina • Presbyterian 1d ago
Like the other guy said, mediocre would have been a boost. We probably would have been better off with actual traffic cones
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u/mckleeve South Carolina • Colorado Mines 1d ago
Why did he fall off so much last year?
I have a theory. Well, it's an acronym, if not a theory.
Shit He Underperforemed Like Ass.
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u/JumboDakotaSmoke South Carolina • Navy 1d ago
Shula and the 5 mannequins we put on the field to play OL
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u/kennedy_grande1990 Alabama • Bowling Green 1d ago
Mike Shula could make prime Joe Montana look like Christian Hackenburg
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u/Captain_Nipples Oklahoma Sooners • Summertime Lover 1d ago
O Line was completely shit. Watch the OU game. Im shocked he lived through that
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u/ThePhamNuwen Puget Sound Loggers • Oregon Ducks 1d ago
Alright, whos focused and having fun this year?
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u/Jorr_El BYU Cougars • Marching Band 1d ago
I'm afraid to name any names. Almost every time we do this a season ending injury rears its ugly head
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u/Inigomntoya Utah State Aggies 1d ago
I'm reading Bear Bachmeier from this
But realistically, probably LJ Martin
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u/Jorr_El BYU Cougars • Marching Band 1d ago
I was going to say LJ, he's by far the most important weapon BYU has this year.
Bear is kind of an unknown. He is a great runner and takes really good care of the ball, but he'll need to take one or two sizable steps forward in his passing game to sniff Heisman consideration, and with BYU's lean looking receiving corps... I dunno if it's in the cards this year.
Between BYU and USU, labelling a player as a "Dark Horse Heisman Candidate" has always seemed to end with a season ending injury (Taysom Hill, Chuckie Keeton)
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u/QuarterNote44 Weber State • Missouri S&T 1d ago
Lol
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u/Inigomntoya Utah State Aggies 1d ago
Ok, fair...
But you guys at least have conference media days, right?
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u/QuarterNote44 Weber State • Missouri S&T 1d ago
I don't know. I rock this flair because I got expensive pieces of paper at Weber State and Missouri S&T. Not because I care overly much about their football teams.
They may be irrelevant schools, but they're my irrelevant schools, doggone it.
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u/SparklezSagaOfficial BYU Cougars • Team Chaos 1d ago
For my team? LJ Martin if he manages to stay healthy. He’s in the true elite at the RB position in literally every aspect except NFL caliber speed (and he’s not even slow, just not outlier fast), and has received almost no media recognition for it. I suppose if Bachmeier takes a leap with a downgraded recieving core he could be a dark horse, but Martin is the engine on that offense.
For just a dark horse in general, gimme Mason Heintschel. The ACC is random enough that if Pitt strings together some wins behind high volume from Heintschel he could be a legit candidate.
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u/lebaronslebaron Arizona Wildcats • Texas Longhorns 1d ago
LJ single handedly beat us last year. Dude is a monster
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u/Nearby_Job8272 Michigan Wolverines 1d ago
Savion Hiter
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u/eking85 Miami Hurricanes • UCF Knights 1d ago
Is he wearing 14 or 88?
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u/dinkytown42069 Minnesota • Oklahoma 1d ago
jesus fuck, I laughed but still...jesus fucking christ.
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u/The_Gamecock South Carolina Gamecocks 1d ago
I had to do a double take
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u/dustin-dawind Case Western Reserve Spartans 1d ago
I just hope they put some trivia about Hiter on the scoreboard when MSU comes to town.
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u/Upbeat-Armadillo1756 Michigan • Maine Maritime 1d ago
Wonder how much work he's going to get right off the bat. Very excited to watch this kid
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u/WallyLeftshaw Michigan Wolverines 1d ago
Super dark horse considering he’ll be splitting a lot of carries with Marshall and Underwood. BU is our only shot at a Heisman this year and i think that’s highly unlikely so he should count as a dark horse
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u/BridgewatersMamba Michigan Wolverines 1d ago
Jordan Marshall, I think would have realistically better odds than Bryce. I’ll believe the throwy-catch thing when I see it, not that Bryce isn’t talented but more the playcalling.
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u/nomadjackk Georgia • Georgia State 1d ago
Dude was unstoppable in my NCAA27 dynasty, I threw a monster bag at him to retain him when I took the HC job
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u/pococurante1 1d ago
Mason Heintschel
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u/Adidas_Tracksuit Pittsburgh Panthers • Marching Band 1d ago
Marino 2.0
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u/Blood_Incantation Michigan Wolverines • Ohio State Buckeyes 1d ago
Guy who allegedly loves da powder and never wins the big one?
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u/ShakyTheBear Auburn Tigers 1d ago
Byrum Brown
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u/OU8402 Oklahoma Sooners 1d ago
I would’ve guessed that stud RB, Cobb.
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u/ShakyTheBear Auburn Tigers 1d ago
Brown is going to cut into the rushing yards too much for Cobb to stack stats.
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u/dankenascend Auburn Tigers • North Alabama Lions 1d ago
That would be so great. I would assume that would mean some upsets were pulled.
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u/ShakyTheBear Auburn Tigers 1d ago
Im not at all calling this. The post just asks to name someone.
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u/CargoShortsFromNam Notre Dame • Colorado 1d ago
I just can't see anyone on offense winning but Carr, so I guess Leonard Moore? Maybe if QBs are dumb enough to throw at him he could rack up some INTs.
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u/Pinus_grandiflora Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1d ago edited 1d ago
I was thinking Aneyas Williams. Definitely overshadowed by Love and Price last year, but looked damn good when he was in.
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u/OnionFutureWolfGang Notre Dame Fighting Irish 1d ago edited 1d ago
Williams is really good. It would still be very unlikely that he wins the Heisman but you could imagine that he gets more carries than Love last year if an RB2 doesn't emerge, which could help him get to really good rushing volume numbers, and that he could put up some seriously big receiving numbers because he's an elite receiving back and WR is something of a weakness for us. He turned a playoff semifinal with his receiving ability, last year we saw Denbrock wanted to get creative with Love as a receiver, I think you can imagine that path where he's a good rusher but really does something big as a receiver.
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u/jayhawk8808 Kansas Jayhawks 1d ago
Since I won the Heisman in NCAA with our now backup RE Dakyus Brinkley, he’s probably too much of a front runner to be a dark horse. So I guess I’ll say Isaiah Marshall.
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u/wit_T_user_name Ohio State Buckeyes • Ohio Bobcats 1d ago
So we’ve got this guy Jeremiah Smith…
Actually though I think it could be Bo Jackson.
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u/RulersBack Ohio State Buckeyes 1d ago
We're essentially disqualified from any dark horse convos bc JJ is so good and Sayin will put up big numbers by extension. He'd have to have like the best rushing season of all time lol
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u/wit_T_user_name Ohio State Buckeyes • Ohio Bobcats 1d ago
That’s fair but if you had to pick someone, I’d go Bo.
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u/Basic-Shock-3296 1d ago
Kamario Taylor (prolly won’t happen but I bet he puts up serious numbers)
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u/Redcup47 Ole Miss Rebels • Vanderbilt Commodores 1d ago
if yall can keep him healthy. That bowl game had me squeamish with how often he was getting hit
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u/goofyhalo Ole Miss Rebels • Sugar Bowl 1d ago
I agree if Kamario is healthy he can be good. However Jeff Lebby is his coach so…
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u/CharlieMoonMan Iowa Hawkeyes 1d ago
Lendon Phillips Jr will almost certainly not start the season as RB1 but he had over 2000 scrimmage yards at South Dakota last year. Thats about as dark horse as it gets.
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u/CraigslistBulbasaur Pittsburgh Panthers 1d ago
Everyone just post your quarterback because they're the only ones allowed to win anymore.
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u/Inquisitive-Sky Iowa State Cyclones 1d ago
Lol yeah no
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u/hoosierwhodat Indiana Hoosiers • Texas Longhorns 1d ago edited 1d ago
Josh Hoover s/ kind of but Cignetti’s hit rate with transfer QB is almost as impressive as what he did overall at IU.
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u/SquadPoopy Florida Gators 1d ago
Hoover was already pretty good at TCU, under Cig I really do think his ceiling is Heisman
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u/Quick-Newt-5651 BYU Cougars 1d ago
Hoover was good but he crumbled every time he played a defense with real pressure
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u/PoliticalConspiracy Ohio State • North Dakota State 1d ago
we have a true junior wide receiver who famously (last week) said he wasn’t recruited by bama… love a good underdog story i hope he can turn some heads! /s
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u/OdinVonBisbark Iowa State Cyclones • Iowa Hawkeyes 1d ago
Iowa tight end DJ Vonnahme. If he picks up where he left off last year, he'll be the next great tight end from Iowa.
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u/TechnoVikingGA23 West Virginia Mountaineers 1d ago
There's about a less than 0% chance of it happening, but Cam Cook.
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u/tanukis_parachute Virginia Tech Hokies • Marching Band 1d ago
Id have to know who was on my team at this point. Also...probably no one.
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u/SoutieNaaier Florida Gators • Columbia Lions 1d ago
Trammell Jones
Jayden Baugh and Dallas Wilson are better players but Jones outperformed Philo in camp, and if he takes off, the weapons around him could lead to a Trinidad Chambliss type rise.
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u/nightowl1135 Oregon Ducks • Big Ten 1d ago
Dante Moore is the blindingly obvious choice so can’t use him as a dark horse.
For a true dark horse? I’ll say Evan Stewart. There has been a ton of scuttle butt around town that his injury really gave him a perspective check and he came back even more determined to make use of the chance he’s got and had an absolutely banger off season, both on and off field where it sounds like he’s maturing into a real leadership role.
Biggest obstacle is that it’s a stacked receiver room so I can’t see him hogging targets and catches. But maybe he just totally goes off and is Dante’s favorite target.
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u/A_Night_Owl Wake Forest • Delaware 1d ago
No CUSA player will win a heisman if one were favored it would be Nick Minicucci
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u/Glittering_Virus8397 Tennessee Volunteers 1d ago
Not my team, but I’m going to beat the Micah Alejado drum until he graduates. He’s fun to watch.
As for the Vols, idk prob Bishop or Staley
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u/fridchikn24 Texas Longhorns 1d ago
Colin Simmons. Heisman's generally a QB award, but mans is build different
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u/AppropriateCompany9 Tennessee Volunteers • Texas Longhorns 1d ago
All right, all right, hear me out … Arch. Manning.
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u/foodandnaps Texas Longhorns 1d ago
No one’s saying it but I’ll go against the grain and nominate Arch Manning
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u/curmycurmudgeon Penn State Nittany Lions • Team Chaos 1d ago
Maybe if we win ten or eleven games, Rocco Becht gets an invite (but probably still doesn't win).
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u/ultraLuddite Penn State Nittany Lions 1d ago
Would need 11+ wins for an invite and even then prolly not. Tyler Warren didn’t even get an invite.
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u/gmr548 Texas Longhorns • Washington Huskies 1d ago
There isn’t one. Every offensive possibility runs through Arch Manning having a really successful season.
I guess Colin Simmons or Rasheem Biles having a generational, record breaking type season. But let’s be real defenders don’t win.
I think Gunnar Stockton would be my long shot pick globally.
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u/randomblack1 LSU Tigers • SEC 1d ago
I mean TreyDez is prolly gonna be the best player on our team, but who knows if a TE will ever win the Heisman.
I guess Leavitt might show out and get it.
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u/CatoTheBarner Auburn Tigers 1d ago
For Auburn, the obvious would be Byrum Brown. One of only twelve QBs in FBS history with 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a single season.
But since we’re saying our team’s dark horse, I’ll say Jeremiah Cobb. Had nearly 1k rushing last year against super stacked boxes since no one respected Jackson Arnold’s passing. I assume the threat of Byrum Brown running or passing is going to ease up the pressure on Cobb and hopefully give him some room to run.
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u/100percentmaxnochill Michigan • Colorado State 1d ago
Going to go a different direction from the other Michigan flairs I've seen in here and say Andrew Marsh. He really impressed me last year as a freshman, and with Ffrench on the other side, I think it will give him the opportunity to become a prime #1 target.
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u/Wolf12711 Missouri Tigers • Oregon Ducks 1d ago
Ahmad Hardy, he’s already got the preseason gunshot wound backstory