Week 1 of the college football season is officially here. Our talented VSiN team has attacked it in a number of different ways, so make sure you check out our Week 1 college football betting hub for best bets, trends and other information. I already wrote up four of my Week 1 college football best bets, so feel free to tail my selections for the first full slate of the year. However, I’m now turning my attention to the Heisman Trophy. In the 2024 VSiN College Football Betting Guide, I gave out some of my favorite Heisman plays. I also added another one in a recent story in which I gave out five college football futures I’m playing. I won’t be dishing out any new bets below, but I will be highlighting some of the games that could have Heisman Trophy implications. There will be opportunities for players to make some big first impressions this weekend, so make sure you keep reading to see which games you should be watching.

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All odds from DraftKings Sportsbook (as of 5:00 pm PST on Wednesday, August 28th)

Clemson (Cade Klubnik 50-1) vs. Georgia (Carson Beck +800)

This is arguably the biggest game on the Saturday slate, meaning this is a massive stage for the starting quarterbacks. Klubnik isn’t viewed as a Heisman favorite heading into the year, but he definitely has some sleeper appeal. Dabo Swinney once compared Klubnik to Deshaun Watson, who led Clemson to a national title, was a two-time Davey O’Brien Award and Manning Award winner and was a consensus All-American.

Klubnik was disappointing in his first full season under center, throwing for 2,844 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine picks. However, this will be Klubnik’s second year in offensive coordinator Garrett Riley’s system, so he should be a little more comfortable with his surroundings. Clemson also happens to have a better group of pass catchers in 2024, and one would think the Tigers will be better along the offensive line than they were a year ago. So, it shouldn’t surprise anybody if Klubnik starts to put things together. And he’ll have one heck of an opportunity to showcase his talents in Week 1, as he’s going up against the top-ranked team in the nation. A big performance against an elite Georgia defense could change Klubnik’s trajectory very quickly.

As far as Beck goes, the senior is coming off a season in which he threw for 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and only six picks. He’s a proven commodity at this point, and many scouts believe he’ll be the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Before we start thinking about that, Beck has his eyes on a national title and a Heisman Trophy. In regards to the Heisman, only Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel rests above Beck on the oddsboard. So, it’s very realistic to think that Beck will be in the conversation at the end of the year. He gets the ball out quickly and accurately puts it on his pass catchers. And Georgia has some of the most talented ones in the world.

Beck’s first test will be a tough one. Clemson was fifth in the nation in EPA per play allowed last year, and the Tigers are loaded on the defensive side of the ball again. But if Beck executes the game plan and Georgia emerges with a win, that’d be quite the start to a Heisman campaign. Georgia is almost a two-touchdown favorite, so the expectation is that the Bulldogs will win this convincingly.

Miami (Cam Ward 15-1) vs. Florida

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the Hurricanes this year, and a lot of that has to do with the arrival of Ward. Last year, Ward threw for 3,735 yards with 25 touchdowns and only seven picks with Washington State. He was one of the most sought after players in the transfer portal, but it was ultimately Mario Cristobal that landed him. Ward is now on a team with real expectations, which wasn’t the case in Pullman. But with the increase in pressure also comes an increase in surrounding talent. Ward has a good offensive line, a talented group of running backs and a wide receiver corps that is headlined by star Xavier Restrepo. Ward will also be operating an offense led by Shannon Dawson, one of the best offensive coordinators in college football. This situation is perfect for the 22-year-old signal caller, who is hoping to make a push for the Heisman Trophy and also improve his NFL Draft standing.

Ward will have a shot at putting himself on the national radar right off the bat. Miami is taking on rival Florida in The Swamp. The Hurricanes are favored by just about a field goal, and this is a game they should really win. Florida’s defense was just 103rd in the nation in Dropback EPA per play allowed last season. However, you can’t just expect him to light things up in a game like this. This will essentially be the Gators’ Super Bowl.

Notre Dame (Riley Leonard 22-1) vs. Texas A&M (Conner Weigman 30-1)

If Clemson-Georgia isn’t the biggest game on Saturday, it’s this meeting between Notre Dame and Texas A&M. Both of these teams are looking to compete this year, and both have quarterbacks that could have something to say about the Heisman Trophy.

For Notre Dame, Riley Leonard is hoping to take advantage of the Fighting Irish brand. Leonard got injured as Duke’s quarterback last year, but he’s one of the most intriguing dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation. At 6-foot-4, 216 pounds, with a good set of wheels, Leonard is a load to bring down. And he has been improving as a passer. Leonard is also going to be coached up by offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, who held the same position with LSU last year. Denbrock helped Jayden Daniels win a Heisman Trophy last season, and he’s expected to open up this Notre Dame offense in a big way.

It’ll be interesting to see how Leonard does in Week 1. He’s going up against his former head coach, Mike Elko. The former Duke coach is one of the best defensive coaches in the nation, and he should be very familiar with what Leonard wants to do. Elko also has a very talented defense to throw at Leonard, and the Fighting Irish lost their starting left tackle before the season. But if Leonard can overcome that and put up some big numbers in a win, he’ll quickly become a Heisman favorite.

For Texas A&M, Conner Weigman is looking to make a name for himself this season. Scouts like the quarterback’s potential, but a foot injury ended his season last year. Weigman needs to prove that he can stay healthy and produce against some of the SEC’s best defenses. And he can make a serious statement by leading the Aggies to a win over the Fighting Irish in Week 1.

Texas A&M hired Kansas State offensive coordinator Collin Klein to call plays. He’s one of the most creative coaches out there, so the Aggies should consistently scheme guys open. Weigman has proven he can accurately move the ball around, so he should put up big numbers if he’s healthy. Weigman is also a mobile quarterback, which is always nice when looking at the Heisman market. But, like Beck, Weigman has an insanely difficult task in Week 1. Notre Dame was the top-ranked defense in the nation in EPA per play allowed last season, so Weigman is being thrown into the deep end. Will he sink or swim?

USC (Miller Moss 35-1) vs. LSU (Garrett Nussmeier 22-1)

Moss ended up winning the USC starting job, so he’ll be Lincoln Riley’s guy this season. Riley has coached three quarterbacks to the Heisman Trophy, so you always have to take the Trojans quarterback seriously. Moss also gave us a taste of what he’s capable of in last year’s DIRECTV Holiday Bowl. With Caleb Williams sitting to avoid the risk of injury, Moss threw for 372 yards with six touchdowns in a 42-28 win over Louisville. Moss might not be as good of a runner as some of Riley’s previous stars, but he is very confident leading this offense and has legitimate weapons to get the ball to. Moss will also open the season with a good matchup, on paper. LSU’s defense was miserable last season. The team did hire Missouri defensive coordinator Blake Baker to address that, but the Tigers are still vulnerable in the secondary. That’s part of the reason this game has a sky-high total.

The situation in LSU is actually pretty similar. Nussmeier filled in for Daniels in the bowl game against Wisconsin, and he shredded a good Badgers defense. Nussmeier threw for 395 yards with three touchdowns in a 35-31 win, and expectations are now very high for the junior. Like Moss, Nussmeier does have some massive shoes to fill. Luckily for him, the talent at the skill positions is off the charts in Baton Rouge, and co-offensive coordinators Joe Sloan and Cortez Hankton aren’t going to play around with what Denbrock did with this offense. So, Nussmeier should put up big numbers this season. The Week 1 matchup also looks good for Nussmeier. USC’s defense was a mess last season. But the Trojans did hire D’Anton Lynn, who built an elite defense at UCLA, to get things sorted on this side of the ball. So, it’s no guarantee that Nussmeier will shred USC here.

If this game does turn into the shootout that many are anticipating, the quarterback of the winning team will likely garner most of the Heisman buzz heading into Week 2.

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