The race for college football’s most prestigious awards is about to begin, and proven stars and rising sophomores are early frontrunners. From Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik to Ohio State’s star tandem of Caleb Downs and Jeremiah Smith, here are six players positioned to add their name in the history books during the 2025-26 season:
Few young receivers have generated as much hype as Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, who comes off a dominant freshman season. Smith led the Buckeyes with 1,315 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024, finishing ahead of first-round pick Emeka Egbuka.
The No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class delivered for the Buckeyes throughout their national title run, connecting with quarterback Will Howard for 381 yards and five touchdowns in the postseason. At 6-foot-4 with excellent hands and elite route running capabilities, it’s hard to keep the ball out of Smith’s hands.
Two years into his collegiate career, accolades are stacking up for Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. The preseason first-team AP All-American was an immediate standout for the Buckeyes after spending his freshman season at Alabama.
Downs was named the Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year after finishing the season with 82 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and six pass break-ups. He was critical to the championship run, consistently locking down threats in the passing and running games. He held tight end and eventual first-round draft pick Tyler Warren to four catches for 47 yards in Ohio State’s 20-13 win over Penn State and picked off Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers in the CFP semifinal.
After a breakout freshman campaign, South Carolina's Dylan Stewart is poised to lead the Gamecocks' defense in 2025.
Stewart earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team after recording 23 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, four quarterback hurries, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup. The edge rusher who can also drop into coverage put together one of the best freshman defensive campaigns in South Carolina since Jadeveon Clowney.
Though Downs will likely make a strong case, the Bednarik Award has yet to be given to a safety in its 30 years of existence. Stewart is one of just seven sophomores on the watch list for the award.
Love is widely considered the top returning running back after playing an integral role in Notre Dame’s best season since 1988. The six-foot, 214-pound running back finished the season with 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns on 163 carries, averaging 70.3 yards per game, 8.5 yards per carry and at least one score in each of the first 13 games.
As Notre Dame undergoes a quarterback shift in 2025, Love could see even more opportunities to carry the offense, putting the preseason AP All-American in prime position to take home the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back.
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best interior lineman in college football. Texas offensive tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. earned the award in 2024, marking back-to-back Outland Trophy wins for the Longhorns after T’Vondre Sweat won in 2023.
We expect the award to stay on the offensive side of the ball in 2025 and Utah’s Spencer Fano is a player to watch. He led FBS offensive tackles in 2024 with a 92.7 PFF grade, allowing just two quarterback hits and one sack through 424 pass-block attempts. Fano held his opponents to zero sacks through the last 11 games of the season.
The preseason AP All-American has shown versatility, lining up on the right and left sides, and seems a good bet to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
The most prestigious award in college football is likely to return to the hands of a quarterback in 2025. Arch Manning, Garrett Nussmeier and Cade Klubnik headline early Heisman conversations and possess the best odds heading into the season.
Klubnik has the experience Manning lacks, the mobility Nussmeier strives for and enough consistency in the receiving room to hit the ground running in 2025.
The Clemson quarterback comes off an impressive 2024-2025 campaign, completing 63.4% of passes for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions. A dual-threat, he added 463 yards and seven touchdowns on foot. His 36 touchdowns ranked behind only Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward, who were both selected in the 2025 NFL draft.
Clemson landed at No. 4 in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. If Klubnik can measure up to high expectations, the Tigers could have their first Heisman winner since Trevor Lawrence.
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FILE - Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Stanford, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Michael Caterina, File)
FILE - Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) scores a touchdown against Oregon defensive back Kobe Savage (5) during the first half in the quarterfinals of the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
FILE - Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) drops back to pass during the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game between Clemson and SMU Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman, File)
