The start of a new college football season doubles as the beginning of a fresh race for the Heisman Trophy.

Last year, LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels opened the campaign as a favorite. After a couple of early losses, he faded to the periphery of the discussion—before a hot finish vaulted him to the prestigious award.

In other words: It's a long season, folks.

Entering the season, we have favorites, recognizable names and popular breakout candidates. If you disagree with a certain placement, I have good news: It's only Week 1!

Bleacher Report will be monitoring the Heisman race throughout the season and sharing weekly updates. The list ultimately will always be subjective, but the choices are based on established trends—primarily team success and individual production—from Heisman voters.

Tier 5: Long Shots

Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson: The hype around Clemson vanished early in 2023, but a late winning streak has inspired plenty of optimism for 2024. Reclaiming the ACC will hinge largely on Klubnik's performance in his second year as the Tigers' starter, though.

Shedeur Sanders, QB, and Travis Hunter, DB, Colorado: They're both likely to excel in 2024. But will Colorado win enough games for Sanders or Hunter to have a convincing resume?

Drew Allar, QB, Penn State: Considering he threw 25 touchdowns to just two interceptions last season, Allar's numbers would suggest he deserves a higher tier. The problem is Penn State struggled so badly against top competition. That simply must change for Allar to contend for the Heisman, let alone the Nittany Lions making a legitimate run at advancing in the College Football Playoff.

Conner Weigman, QB, Texas A&M: Team success is the major obstacle for the Aggies, who need to navigate a loaded SEC. When healthy, though, Weigman has played well. He's on the preseason radar.

Garrett Greene, QB, West Virginia: If the Mountaineers stick in the Big 12 picture, Greene may be a serious threat. He piled up 2,406 passing yards and 16 scores with 772 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns last year. That kind of production on an improved WVU team would give Greene a good chance at crashing the party.

All the Running Backs: You might not like the QB-heavy voting preference. Nevertheless, that's reality. Since 2000, only three running backs have hoisted the Heisman. Keep an eye on Oklahoma State's Ollie Gordon II, Ohio State's Quinshon Judkins and Michigan's Donovan Edwards. They'd need a spectacular year to actually win the award, but they're all capable of that.

Tier 4: Breakout Hopefuls

Avery Johnson, QB, Kansas State: Between some terrific games in the regular season and a standout bowl performance, Johnson quickly became a fan favorite in Manhattan. He's a talented dual-threat QB who totaled 12 touchdowns in limited snaps as a true freshman.

Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU: Nussmeier has patiently waited his turn and now must replace the Heisman winner. No pressure! He's a more traditional passer, so LSU's offense will be much different in 2024.

Jackson Arnold, QB, Oklahoma: Arnold made a few mistakes in OU's postseason loss to Arizona, but he flashed great upside. That wasn't a shock, considering he was a highly recruited player. Arnold is best as a passer but brings a mobile element that must be respected.

Nico Iamaleava, QB, Tennessee: Similar to Weigman at A&M, the obstacle for Iamaleava is the SEC as a whole. For him to contend—even if Tennessee isn't really in the conference chase—he'd need to have prolific numbers like Daniels last season. Iamaleava has that level of talent, although expecting it in Year 1 seems especially bold.

Miller Moss, QB, USC: Moss dazzled in the bowl victory, so expectations are unsurprisingly high. Early matchups with LSU, Michigan and Penn State will show if Moss should be tracked as a Heisman option.

Tier 3: Familiar Names, Good Teams

Noah Fifita, QB, Arizona: With a nod to teammate Tetairoa McMillan—one of the nation's top receivers—Fifita is Arizona's main Heisman contender. He propelled the Cats to a rare 10-win season in 2023, throwing for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns to six interceptions in basically nine games.

Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas: So much of these conversations are about production. This discussion is simpler: Daniels has to stay healthy. Injuries have robbed him of 14-plus games in the last two years.

Cam Ward, QB, Miami: Consistency will be Ward's defining question in his first season with Miami. He's a high-upside passer with above-average surrounding talent and what should be a friendly scheme. Now, the results need to follow for Ward and the 'Canes.

Brady Cook, QB, Missouri: Copy and paste Arizona's section for Mizzou. Wide receiver Luther Burden III is a tremendous talent, but positional value shifts Cook into the spotlight. He totaled 3,636 yards and 29 touchdowns while guiding the Tigers to 11 wins in 2023.

Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame: Last year, Leonard demanded a place in Heisman talks thanks to a torrid start with Duke. Unfortunately for him and the Blue Devils, injuries changed the tone of the season. He's since transferred to Notre Dame, which has improved its group of pass-catchers and is looking at a favorable schedule in 2024.

Tier 2: Stars on Top Contenders

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama: Milroe finished sixth in Heisman voting last season. Considering how rough September began for him, that was a remarkable accomplishment. Alabama has a rebuilt receiving corps, so Milroe will likely be asked to shoulder a heavier load in 2024.

Will Howard, QB, Ohio State: Howard might be the most interesting player of the year. He wasn't a dominant passer at Kansas State but consistently had a positive impact and offered a physical style of running. Will the Buckeyes try to unlock a Heisman-worthy playmaker or seem content to let Howard be more of a game manager?

Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss: Few players are as exciting as Dart, an efficient passer and gifted runner. He's totaled more than 6,000 passing and 1,000 rushing yards in the last two seasons, and Ole Miss just collected a program-record 11 victories in 2023.

Cam Rising, QB, Utah: Rising could be Tier 3, given that Utah isn't quite mentioned in the same breath at Alabama, Ohio State or Ole Miss. Nevertheless, the Utes are the preseason favorite for their Big 12 debut—and that can be directly attributed to Rising, a two-time Pac-12 champion—being healthy after a knee injury sidelined him last year.

Tier 1: Preseason Favorites

Carson Beck, QB, Georgia: Had he padded stats in nonconference play, Beck probably would've been a stronger contender in 2023. However, a nondescript start—and UGA's loss to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game—doomed his resume. Beck, who nearly hit 4,000 passing yards, has a larger national profile to begin 2024.

Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon: Gabriel has notched four seasons of 3,000-plus yards and 25-plus touchdowns in college, and he just totaled 4,403 yards and 42 scores with Oklahoma last year. Production shouldn't be a problem for Gabriel. Combine those numbers with Oregon's projected team success, and his Heisman outlook is very encouraging.

Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas: The bad news is Texas had to rebuild the receiving corps. The good news is a transfer-filled unit should be superb for Ewers as the Longhorns make their SEC debut. He threw for 3,479 yards and totaled 27 touchdowns for the Big 12 champs last season.