CFN in 60 Video: Top Non-Obvious Heisman Candidates

20 for 2020: 20 key college football offseason topics: Who are the top Heisman candidates … besides the obvious stars?

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20 for 2020 Offseason Topics

20. Best Teams To Not Make CFP

19: Teams That Will Rebound Big

18. Teams That Will Fall Back

17: Every Power 5 Team’s Letdown Game

16. Top 5 Instant Impact New Head Coaches

15. 2nd Year Coaches Who’ll Be Better

14. Power 5 Hot Seat Coach Rankings

13. Key Transfers You Forgot About

12. Five Big Power 5 Upset Alerts

11. Great Players About To Go Nuclear

10. Group of 5 Teams In New Year’s Six Chase

9. Power 5 Sleeper Teams

8. Most Interesting Quarterback Battles

7. 5 Teams That Might Disappoint

6. 5 Teams That Might Surprise

5. Group of Five Conference Ranking

4. Power 5 Conference Ranking

We’ll keep on doing what we do whether or not there’s a season, but all thoughts go out to those suffering and struggling, and to all the health care workers battling above and beyond the call. Please … stay safe.

It’s really, really, really hard to win the Heisman.

After what Joe Burrow did last year, and with Chase Young making a push, it’s really, really, really hard to pick who’s going to be in the race, too.

Last year we totally whiffed on just about all of the calls, but they all came with a caveat that they had to hit at least two of the three parts of the puzzle.

To even be in the mix, a player needs to 1) put up ridiculous numbers, 2) do it when everyone is watching in at least one or two big games, and/or 3) preferably be the reason a team is in a conference title chase and possibly in the mix for the College Football Playoff.

Only two players this year are easy choice for the preseason call – Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State QB Justin Fields. The odds are strong that one of them will win it, but that’s boring.

Here are the five who might just be this year’s Burrow, and the alternative choice at each spot just in case they’re not.

5. QB Sam Ehlinger, Texas

The same reasons why he was on last year’s list all apply here.

He’s a veteran star of a power program, he’s able to crank up the stats on the ground as well as through the air, and he’s got the big games on the massive stages to stand out.

Joe Burrow didn’t win the Heisman in last year’s big LSU win over Texas, but he put himself on the map. The same went for Jalen Hurts, who ran for 131 yards and a score – to go along with three touchdown passes – in Oklahoma’s win over UT.

Flip it around this time.

Ehlinger and the Longhorns have to go to Baton Rouge to face the defending national champs, and as always, they get Oklahoma in Dallas in the Big 12 game of the year.

If he struggles in either one of those two games, forget it, but he’ll have the opportunities, he’ll be deep in the Heisman hunt if Texas is in the College Football Playoff hunt, and he’ll have the stats.

With Washington State’s Anthony Gordon, Burrow, and Hurts all gone, Ehlinger is the nation’s leading returning total offense leader. He’ll have the pats around him, the team should be stronger, and he certainly knows what he’s doing.

Alternative: Another veteran QB who could take that big step up

QB Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

He’s going into what seems like his 14th season with the Aggies, and he’s got the receiving corps to work with for a massive statistical year. He’ll run well, he’ll be the unquestioned leader of the team, and he’ll have plenty of big games and moments to shine in.

NEXT: No. 4 Not Obvious Heisman Candidate