Pair of Big Ten quarterbacks listed among top 10 Heisman Trophy contenders

It’s no secret the Heisman Trophy has spent most of the past half decade in the SEC.

Four of the past five Heisman winners – three quarterbacks and Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith – came from the SEC, and four of the favorites to take home the trophy in 2024 are hoping to keep the streak alive: Quinn Ewers ( Texas ), Carson Beck ( Georgia ), Nico Iamaleava ( Tennessee ), and Jalen Milroe ( Alabama ).

However, the Big Ten has a pair of very strong challengers for the award, which is given annually to the best player in college football.

Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, who was officially named the Buckeyes starter by coach Ryan Day earlier this month, is one of 10 candidates USA TODAY projects to be a candidate for the Heisman this year. Howard developed into one of the best players in the Big 12 while at Kansas State, and with an elite defense and running back group this team is primed to put the veteran in a position to succeed right away in Columbus.

The biggest challenger to Ohio State in the Big Ten – and to Howard’s Heisman hopes – sits in Eugene, Oregon. Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks landed a big time transfer to replace Bo Nix under center in Dillon Gabriel.

Gabriel spent time at Central Florida before a long season with the Oklahoma Sooners , and he hopes to follow in Nix’s footsteps by going from a mediocre power quarterback to a superstar while the program looks to stay elite with a move into the Big Ten.

The rest of USA TODAY’s 10 projected Heisman candidates includes running back Ollie Gordon II (Oklahoma State) quarterback Shedeur Sanders and wide receiver Travis Hunter ( Colorado ) and quarterback Cam Ward (Miami).