The 2024 college football season is loaded with meaningful games that will help shape the expanded playoff picture, but if the expectation of parity truly comes to fruition, much of that will come via players with sights set on spoiling preseason projections. We’re referencing the guys who stick out on film, but haven’t garnered national attention this offseason as Heisman frontrunners.
With the SEC and Big Ten expected to generate more than half of the playoff in its inaugural campaign, it comes as no surprise many of the players included on this list play within the recently expanded super-conferences.
There are a couple playmakers within the Group of Five ranks worthy of merit as well. There’s at least one guaranteed playoff team coming outside of the Power Four group, perhaps two if there are multiple unbeatens who go through a nationally-ranked opponent to get there.
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Here’s a glance at 10 players who will undoubtedly impact the College Football Playoff race, even if their respective programs are not considered national title-contending hopefuls:
Kyron Drones, QB, Virginia Tech
Kyron Drones and the Hokies play Miami and Clemson — two teams that finished just behind Florida State in the preseason ACC title media voting — this season. And that’s not going to be an easy game for the Hurricanes or Tigers. Virginia Tech brings back more starters (21) than any team nationally and Drones is going to press the issue offensively as a junior second-year starter. He rushed for 412 yards over Virginia Tech’s final three games in 2023 and was responsible for 10 total touchdowns (nine passing) over that stretch. He’s one of the most underrated players nationally heading into the season.
Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado
Shedeur Sanders is the straw who stirs the drink at Colorado, but playing both sides of the football and making an impact at each position is quite a feat for Travis Hunter, who will be asked to cover a variety of elite wideouts in the Big 12. He’s going to be a top receiver for the Buffaloes, too, as the headliner of a talented room that includes a bevy of transfers along with Jimmy Horn Jr. If Hunter has a big season, that’s going to mean Heisman-finalist honors and even more craziness in the Big 12 than most are expecting.
Miller Moss, QB, USC
If Miller Moss produces at the same level as most Lincoln Riley quarterbacks, the Big Ten is in for it this season. The other side of the football will likely dictate USC’s worth in its new conference, but offensively, the Trojans will have several dynamic weapons with Moss relaying the football. USC plays LSU in the season opener and travels to Michigan a couple weeks later. Penn State and Notre Dame also dot the schedule and both of those games come in Los Angeles. There’s no doubt the Trojans will own the spoiler role if Moss is a difference-maker and they’re able to unexpectedly take out one of the aforementioned titans.
Mario Anderson, RB, Memphis
After rushing for nearly five yards per carry last season behind a bad offensive line at South Carolina, Mario Anderson hit the portal and now co-stars for one of the Group of Five’s top offenses this fall at Memphis, alongside multi-year starting quarterback Seth Henigan. This ballcarrier could help Memphis tout the spoiler label early if he has a big outing against Florida State on the road in September. Memphis tallied 31 touchdowns on the ground last season, tops in the conference, and steadily fed outgoing senior Blake Watson (1,152 yards). The Tigers play Tulane, USF and UTSA in AAC play and most expect the Group of Five’s playoff representative to go to the winner of that league or Liberty.
Malachi Nelson, QB, Boise State
Boise State will make it really tough on other Group of Five teams if the Broncos go into Autzen Stadium and beat Oregon in Week 2. With former USC transfer Malachi Nelson at quarterback, they’re going into that showdown with confidence despite Eugene being one of the toughest places to play in college football. Win there and the rest of the slate looks manageable in getting to the playoff. A loss to Boise State wouldn’t tank Oregon’s playoff hopes, but anything less than a one-loss finish in Big Ten play moving forward likely would. Nine wins for the Ducks with one of those losses being to Boise State will not be good enough for at-large hopes, and 7-2 in conference play is not getting to Indianapolis.
James Pearce Jr., LB, Tennessee
Identify where James Pearce Jr. is on the field and get after him with multiple blockers because if not, he’s going to wreak havoc on your offense. One of the frontrunners for the SEC’s Defensive Player of the Year award this fall given his numbers last season, Pearce could go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft if his career progression continues from an elite pass-rushing perspective. Tennessee plays NC State, Oklahoma, Alabama, Kentucky and Georgia — teams ranked in various preseason polls — and could be a thorn in the side of several offensive fronts trying to halt his progress.
Eugene Wilson III, WR, Florida
Despite playing only 10 games with seven starts as a true freshman, Eugene Wilson III made quite a splash for the Gators last fall. Wilson finished with a team-high six touchdown catches and ranked second on the team in receptions (61), receiving yards (538) and receiving yards per game (53.8). And given how many nationally-ranked opponents Florida will play this fall, especially down the stretch with five straight at one point, Wilson is a playmaker who can take the top off a defense and potentially shred a top SEC team’s title hopes during the second half of the campaign.
Dylan Raiola, QB, Nebraska
If five-star freshman Dylan Raiola is the program-changer those around the Huskers expect him to be this season, Nebraska could be a force in the Big Ten with a schedule considerably more favorable than most. The only game against a team ranked inside our preseason top 25 at 247Sports is Ohio State and that one comes in Week 9 at the end of October. By that time, Raiola will have worked himself into a lather as Nebraska’ top signal-caller, we’re expecting. Nebraska’s wideout group is talented and much of the offensive line is experienced. File Nebraska under the “dark horse” label heading into fall.
Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan
How many national analysts have taken Michigan to make the playoff this fall after winning the national championship in 2023? Not many. The Wolverines are being overlooked a bit despite bringing back several projected early-rounders on defense and a running back in Donovan Edwards who says he’s more than willing to handle the heavy lifting for a new-look attack under Sherrone Moore. Some of the most notable performances of Edwards’ career have come in Michigan’s biggest games — 216 yards rushing and two touchdowns during a win over Ohio State in 2022, 173 yards and two touchdowns against Penn State that same season and 104 yards and two scores in last year’s national championship game.
Nic Scourton, Edge, Texas A&M
Texas A&M lost Walter Nolen and LT Overton within its pass rush to the transfer portal this offseason, but the pick up of Purdue star Nic Scourton at EDGE was extremely vital. Reportedly unblockable during the spring as one of the headliners on a team most have placed outside of the top 20 in a wildly-competitive SEC, Scourton gets an opportunity quickly this season to prove his value at the point of attack. Texas A&M opens against Notre Dame and travels to Florida two weeks later. If the Aggies are 3-0 with wins over the Fighting Irish and Gators, you’re looking at a playoff hopeful in College Station under Mike Elko — in Year 1.