Heisman Trophy talk gets back on the radar with the new season. And this time, the rivalries are going to be a full-on tug-of-war. On the On3 Recruits podcast, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart went all head over heels for his QB Carson Beck. In the HC’s list of favorites, Beck secures the top spot to lay his hands on the Heisman Trophy. Is Smart prematurely getting his hopes up for Beck without any solid evidence? The Heisman race will be no cakewalk with the Colorado Buffaloes phenoms, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, already stirring the Heisman buzz.

Smart could not help but praise Beck while in conversation with On3’s Phillip Dukes. The Georgia HC seemed to be all content with the hard work that Beck put up last season. Considering the numbers he amassed, the QB threw for 3,941 yards, six interceptions, and 24 touchdowns. All these led to a 72.4% completion rate. And Smart has been open about Beck’s chances in the Heisman race as he confessed, “This year you got a lot of high expectations again for Carson Beck and for Georgia…we don’t run or hide from the Heisman talk.”

The Bulldogs do not have a deep history of Heisman recognition; the last winner was Herschel Walker in 1982. But Smart acknowledges that overcoming the drought is no task of Beck alone, instead of the team. The HC said, “If we play really good defense and get turnovers, he’s going to have better performances. If offensively we’re able to run in, pass the ball and play action and be really good on third down again he gets more opportunities.”

Hence, Smart came up with the moral, “So he knows the more success we have as a team the better that gives him a chance at some of that Heisman talk and he’s certainly de deserving and worthy of that.” Will Travis and Shedeur make room for Beck to take the Heisman spotlight?

The battle for the Heisman Trophy is gaining momentum

The chances are dim. For this season, the Buffs’ dual-threat Hunter has become a prime focus in the Heisman Trophy race. All thanks to Hunter’s $2.7 million NIL valuation backed up by his versatility, which landed him the top contender. Being known for his fabulous dexterity while playing offense and defense, he stood out by logging more than 1000 snaps last season. But it was only after his incredible presentation against TCU, during which he amassed 144 snaps, caught hold of 11 passes for 119 yards, along with a trial interception, that he rose to fame.   

The chances of Shedeur bagging the trophy reign supreme now that Deion will leave no stone unturned to propel the QB to victory. Last season, if we set aside Shedeur’s high sack percentage, the QB completed 69.3 percent of his passes. He ran 3,230 yards and witnessed 27 touchdowns and only three interceptions.   

With a significantly improved O-line this season, Shedeur can stay upright and continue improving his gameplay without being hit as much. However, Hunter will have an edge over Shedeur to Robert Griffin III. Let’s wait and see who lifts the trophy at the end, Beck, Shedeur, or Hunter.