Since 1996, the SEC has claimed nine national championships, including a once-unfathomable streak of seven consecutive titles.

During that same time frame, despite recruiting and on-field dominance, the conference hasn’t even claimed half that many Heisman Trophy winners. It’s an elusive award, even for the SEC.

RELATED: Ranking the Top 5 SEC Heisman contenders in 2015

These days, winning a Heisman nearly requires that an individual a) play quarterback, b) play on a Top 10 team and c) either make the College Football Playoff, rush for 1,000 yards or preferably both.

As much as SEC fans love to tout players like Nick Chubb and Leonard Fournette for the award (see: Todd Gurley early in 2014), the conference’s running backs have an especially tough time winning the award. Alabama’s Mark Ingram (2009) became just the fifth SEC halfback ever to win the Heisman, and the first since Auburn’s Bo Jackson (1985).

According to Heisman Trophy odds listed by Bovada, as of Monday afternoon, just eight SEC players are even worthy of Heisman discussion this year.

While looking at these odds may give you the impression that it’s unlikely the conference will claim its first Heisman since Johnny Manziel (2012), that’s a little misleading. There are no odds on which conference will win the award, but just three players hold better odds than the SEC’s top trio, and two of them play for the same team: TCU QB Trevone Boykin (+500), Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott (+500) and Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett (+900).

Here are the SEC players ranked by Bovada’s odds, plus two wild cards that are not listed on the board:

T1. Auburn QB Jeremy Johnson (+1200): The Tigers signal-caller has several things working in his favor. He plays for a preseason Top 10 team. He gets to throw to a potential All-SEC receiver in D’haquille Williams. And he plays within a Gus Malzahn scheme. Big, visible performances against Alabama and Georgia could propel him in the conversation.

T1. Georgia RB Nick Chubb (+1200): If Chubb only can duplicate his 2014 performance after Todd Gurley’s midseason suspension — eight 100-yard games in eight tries — for an entire season, he’s got a good chance to lead the nation in rushing. That’s a major question mark, though. Not because Chubb performed over his head. But because UGA features two other five-star backs in Sony Michel and Keith Marshall. The Bulldogs want to keep Chubb healthy all season, so opportunity will determine whether he’s in the running.

T1. LSU RB Leonard Fournette (+1200): The Tigers’ No. 1 option on offense enjoys great name recognition, a good run-blocking offensive line and no longer has to share a backfield with Terrence Magee or Kenny Hilliard. Still, the team’s passing game must get better, or opposing defenses may send as many as eight players into the box. Plus, LSU’s chances of winning the SEC West are OK, but not as good as Alabama or Auburn.

4. Mississippi State QB Dak Prescott (+1600): Last year’s SEC frontrunner, Prescott must manage to keep Mississippi State in the College Football Playoff discussion for at least a good portion of the year in order to have a chance at winning the award. Picked seventh in the SEC West preseason, that may be a difficult task. But there’s no doubting Prescott’s individual talent, and if he propels the Bulldogs to another strong season, he’ll get a lot of the credit.

5. Alabama RB Derrick Henry (+2500): Alabama always has featured backfield co-stars since coach Nick Saban arrived. Kenyan Drake appears to be the second guy in 2015, but he may generate more offense as a receiver than as a runner. And the next option appears to be true freshman Damien Harris. Quarterback is a major unknown and Amari Cooper is gone. So Henry, who is 6-foot-3 and 242 pounds, could get a massive workload. If the Tide wins another SEC title while he’s the No. 1 option, he could follow Cooper as a Heisman finalist.

6. Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs (+5000): If you want to bet on a true SEC dark horse, Dobbs is your guy. Already a strong runner, if he can manage to become a 3,000 yard passer — and Tennessee wins the SEC East — he’ll at least be a part of the conversation. It will help if Von Pearson, Marquez North and Pig Howard all stay on the field for the entire season.

T7. Ole Miss WR Laquon Treadwell (+10000): A prodigious physical talent and seemingly healthy, Treadwell must make more downfield plays in order to have a chance at the Heisman Trophy. He may lead the SEC in receptions, despite some talented fellow pass-catchers that will divert targets. But his career average of 10.3 yards per catch is not going to be enough to leapfrog him ahead of the nation’s most prolific quarterbacks.

T7. Tennessee RB Jalen Hurd (+10000): Hurd’s inclusion within Bovada’s odds seems more like an intentional add to incite Vols fans to spend some cash than a true conviction that the sophomore running back has a chance at the hardware. Tennessee’s offensive line should improve, and Hurd has a real shot at 1,000 rushing yards. But expecting him to lead the nation in rushing or approach 2,000 seems like too much.

9. Texas A&M QB Kyle Allen (Off): The Aggies buzz near 4,000 passing yards as a team most every season under coach Kevin Sumlin. The team features an unmatched collection of pass-catchers in the SEC this year. Allen has a chance to put up giant numbers. If Texas A&M can pull off a strong start against Arizona State, Arkansas and Mississippi State, much like last year, the team’s quarterback could thrust himself into the Heisman discussion.

10. Florida CB/PR Vernon Hargreaves III (Off): Probably the best cover corner in the nation, Hargreaves III also will return punts this season. He’ll need double-digit interceptions and perhaps multiple touchdown returns to even get into the discussion. And Florida’s 2015 team may not give him much help in terms of contending in the SEC East. Opposing quarterbacks probably will throw away from him. But he’s got the individual talent to at least be in the discussion to become a finalist if things break right.