There’s a pretty decent chance that when the Heisman Trophy ceremony rolls around, any sort of highlight reel for the winner will include a significant SEC presence.

That’s just based on the fact that the conference boasted 3 consecutive Heisman winners until Caleb Williams ended that streak in 2022.

Still, though. We could see a Heisman pose busted out against an SEC team. There are plenty of opportunities to do that, at least based on some preseason odds (you can see our consensus Heisman odds here).

Here are the top 10 Heisman contenders that the SEC will face in 2023:

10. Arch Manning, Texas QB

SEC matchups — at Alabama

No, no, no. I’m not saying Manning is a good bet for this, but it’s pretty thin late on this list. I’m all in on Quinn Ewers, which you’ll see later. In fact, Ewers was my Heisman pick last year. The Manning Heisman arc would require some sort of 2017 Jacob Eason early-season injury to make that even a remote possibility with that Alabama game in Week 2. And again, it’s not a good bet knowing that a true freshman has never won the award. But at the same time, with Manning’s household name and Texas’ offensive surroundings, it’s not totally out of the realm of possibility that instead of turning to promising backup Maalik Murphy, we could see a star born as early as 2023.

9. Tyler Van Dyke, Miami QB

SEC matchups — vs. Texas A&M

You’re buying low on Van Dyke. Real low. It was bad last year. With a totally overhauled offensive staff, it could be bad this year. But at the same time, TVD isn’t that far removed from being considered 1 of the 10 best quarterbacks in the country. There’s hope for a potential bounce-back year, despite the odd post-spring transfer portal story. New offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson could be exactly what the doctor ordered, and if Miami totally flips the script in Year 2 of the Mario Cristobal era, perhaps Van Dyke is right back in that conversation by November.

8. Michael Pratt, Tulane QB

SEC matchups — vs. Ole Miss

If you want to impress your friends, tell them that Pratt is the best quarterback that not enough people are talking about. Instead of leaving for the NFL on the heels of a historic season, Pratt elected to return for Year 4 as the Green Wave’s starter. The guy who beat last year’s Heisman Trophy winner could be at the forefront of the conversation this year. If you’re going to emerge through the non-Power 5 ranks, you need a big-time showing both the year before and the year of. Pratt can deliver that by leading Tulane past Ole Miss in a renewal of the old SEC rivalry. Video game numbers for a potentially undefeated Tulane team is the path for Pratt.

7. Will Howard, Kansas State QB

SEC matchups — at Mizzou

I love, love, love Howard as a dark horse if you’re looking for the 100-to-1 range. He’s taking over an offense that lost Deuce Vaughn so it’ll have an identity shift, but let’s not forget that Howard was a huge reason why Kansas State knocked off TCU and won the Big 12. He was excellent down the stretch. No, that didn’t carry over into the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. You know he’s not facing before the Heisman ceremony? Alabama. He’s got Mizzou and a bunch of Big 12 defenses. Don’t sleep on Howard lighting up scoreboards behind an experienced K-State offensive line.

6. Cameron Rising, Utah QB

SEC matchups — vs. Florida

It’s difficult for me to only have Rising at 6 on this list because as a player, there are few quarterbacks in America I’d rather have leading my team on a given night. That dude is tough as nails, and if you’ve watched him extensively the last couple years like I have, you know that he maxes out every time he steps on the field. Rising has the dual-threat ability, he has the occasional viral run (something you need if you aren’t putting up 50 touchdowns) and he’s got USC’s number. But that 2023 slate is absolutely brutal with games vs. Florida and at Baylor to start with a deep Pac-12 slate awaiting. Rising would need to 3-peat as a Pac-12 champ for a Playoff-bound Utah to be in the discussion.

5. Will Shipley, Clemson RB

SEC matchups — at South Carolina

I know, I know. We’re 8 years removed from a running back winning the award, and Shipley might not even be the best Heisman candidate on his own team (more on that in a second). But he absolutely has a chance to follow the Heisman narrative. Clemson fans have been clamoring for him to get more touches. In stepped Broyles Award winner Garrett Riley, who’ll create space and tempo that the Clemson offense lacked in Shipley’s first 2 years. He can do it all, though obviously, he’ll need to average around 25 touches to truly be in that conversation. Then again, if he hits 2,000 scrimmage yards for a Playoff-bound Clemson squad, look out.

4. Cade Klubnik, Clemson QB

SEC matchups — at South Carolina

I’m not crazy about only getting 20-to-1 odds on Klubnik just because I think he’ll be held to the Trevor Lawrence/Deshaun Watson standard, and those guys were 2 of the best players to not win a Heisman in recent memory. So the idea of one-upping them feels slim, though you have to like the fact that Klubnik is playing for the same offensive coordinator who just turned Max Duggan into a Heisman runner-up. The aforementioned Riley should work wonders in the Clemson offense. And as much as those Clemson legends scare me off, the schedule sets up extremely well. Klubnik can avenge last year’s South Carolina loss to close the regular season in a potential bounce-back year for Clemson. The season is bookended with Clemson’s only road games vs. teams with winning records last year. The former 5-star recruit could finally give the Tigers that Heisman season.

3. Jordan Travis, Florida State QB

SEC matchups — LSU (in Orlando), at Florida

To be clear, I’m not saying there’s value in getting Travis at +1200. I am saying that someone who was vastly improved in 2022 can put it all together with extremely favorable surroundings. FSU ranks No. 1 in America in percentage of returning production coming off a 10-win season. The addition of Jaheim Bell bodes well for an offense that’s already loaded with offensive firepower. That schedule has plenty of headliner matchups, including that season opener rematch against LSU in Orlando. We know that Heismans aren’t won in September, but Travis was brilliant against Florida last year and he could make a loud late-season statement in The Swamp. If FSU makes its first Playoff run of the post-Jimbo Fisher era, Travis will have a strong push to bring the award back to Tallahassee for the first time in a decade.

2. Quinn Ewers, Texas QB

SEC matchups — at Alabama

I’m a believer. I don’t care who knows it. What I saw Ewers do before that injury against Alabama was the exact reason he was my 2022 Heisman pick. His precision, his effortless motion, his understanding of the position … it’s all there. What’s not there is a full season of a healthy Ewers. Seeing that while holding off the Arch Manning buzz is by no means a given. But Texas, in Year 3 with Steve Sarkisian, ranks No. 3 in percentage of returning offensive production. That group added former Georgia Playoff hero AD Mitchell, too. Ewers already showed he can play with Alabama. If he leads the Longhorns into Tuscaloosa and gives the Tide its first nonconference home loss in 16 years, buddy, Ewers is your new Heisman favorite. All you can ask for is an opportunity. Ewers, for a Texas team that’s desperate to be “back,” has just that.

1. Drake Maye, UNC QB

SEC matchups — South Carolina (in Charlotte)

I’m a little bit worried about the fact that Maye is transitioning to a new offensive coordinator with Phil Longo is off to Wisconsin (of all places). And part of me wonders if Maye will be asked to do as much heavy lifting if UNC is even slightly improved defensively. But he has to be the choice here. The guy had 45 touchdowns and over 5,000 scrimmage yards last year. Even though there’ll be this strange notion that he has to one-up his 2022 self, you have to like the fact that Maye has already shown he can do it at this level. After the late-season struggles last year, perhaps Maye’s Heisman narrative is that he plays his best ball in the final month. Maybe instead of being the over-scrutinized preseason Heisman contender, he turns into the guy who hangs around the top 5 in the odds, but then an ACC Championship victory against FSU or Clemson lifts him to the award. That’s the path.

You know. As long as he doesn’t start off with an ugly loss to South Carolina in the opener.