Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart has a leg up on the competition after being named to Manning Award preseason watch list

Ole Miss fans will have to trace back to the Eli Manning days since the Rebels boasted a quarterback to receive as much preseason buzz as Jaxson Dart is garnering.

Dart has been pegged as a legitimate Heisman candidate by many in the national media, and the oddsmakers across the country certainly reflect it. The preseason accolades have been abundant, featuring preseason All-American honors, along with being named to preseason watch lists for the Davey O'Brien Award, Maxwell Trophy, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, and now the Manning Award.

Dart was named to the Manning Award preseason watch list on Thursday. This award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning.

What makes this quarterback award so unique is the fact that it is the only award that includes the candidates' postseason performances in its balloting. Interestingly enough, the winner is selected by a voting panel, which includes national media members and each of the Mannings, following the postseason

It's a wonder as to why more awards opt not to factor in a player's performance in a bowl game, but that could play right into Dart's hands. Dart emerged as one of the nation's top arms in 2023, racking up 3,364 yards through the air with 28 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

The Rebels wrapped up the regular season with a 10-2 record, but Dart saved one of his most efficient performances for a Sugar Bowl matchup with Penn State. In the bowl game, Dart went tossed for 379 yards with three touchdowns and added another score on the ground.

There are a handful of quarterbacks that will be jockeying for this award during the home stretch of the college football season. A bowl game like Dart's last season could be what gives the future winner one final push. Plus, it can't hurt to have a couple of legendary Ole Miss quarterbacks on the voting panel.

At the end of the day, this is something Lane Kiffin might refer to as " rat poison. " However, watching along as the country begins to recognize just how great Dart can be is validating for Rebels fans who have been shouting his name from the rooftops over the last two seasons.