Now that the 2024 Heisman Trophy has been handed out – Colorado two-way sensation Travis Hunter took home college football’s most prestigious individual award on Saturday night – who are some of the top names that could be in the hunt for the Heisman Trophy next season?
ESPN highlighted some way-too-early 2025 Heisman contenders, taking a look at various potential candidates, and among those that ESPN named is Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik.
Heading into the Tigers’ first-round College Football Playoff game this Saturday, Klubnik ranks third nationally this season in passing touchdowns (33) and 11th nationally in passing yards (3,303).
The 6-foot-2, 210-pound junior has thrown just five interceptions this season and is 15th in the country with a 78.9 QBR, while he has rushed for 458 yards and seven more scores on the ground, giving him 40 total touchdowns.
Klubnik is coming off an ACC Championship Game record-tying four passing touchdowns against SMU and became only the third player ever to win multiple ACC Championship Game MVP honors (Deshaun Watson and Tyrod Taylor, two each).
Here’s what ESPN’s Mark Schlabach had to say about Klubnik as a way-too-early 2025 Heisman contender:
Clemson fans might have laughed at the notion of Klubnik being a Heisman Trophy contender after he struggled in the Tigers’ 34-3 loss to Georgia in the opener in Atlanta. He threw for 142 yards with no touchdowns, leaving many fans questioning whether Clemson would be moving on. But Klubnik was one of the sport’s most improved passers this season, completing 63.7% of his attempts for 3,303 yards with 33 touchdowns and five interceptions. He passed for 262 yards with four scores in a 34-31 win against SMU in the ACC championship game.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings was also named by ESPN as a potential Heisman contender, as was South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers.
Klubnik and the 12th-seeded Tigers (10-3) will return to action this Saturday when they face No. 5 seed Texas (11-2) in the CFP First Round Game at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game is set to kick off at 4 p.m. ET and will be televised on TNT.