Heisman Trophy Race: Colorado Buffaloes' Travis Hunter Ranked Over USC Trojans' Miller Moss?

Despite a hot start to the year for the USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss is still ranked behind a number of other Heisman hopefuls in a recent top 10 list, including Colorado Buffaloes star Travis Hunter.

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws the ball in the second half against the LSU Tigers at Allegiant Stadium / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Three weeks into the 2024 college football season, USC Trojans quarterback Miller Moss ranks No. 8 in On3's Heisman Trophy poll.

Moss checks in behind Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava and Colorado wide receiver and defensive back Travis Hunter, who ranked just outside the top five.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart, Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe and Miami quarterback Cam Ward make up the poll's top five.

While Moss currently sits in at No. 8, he and Jeanty both have played one less game than the rest of the field as USC had a bye in Week 3. With a huge matchup against the Michigan Wolverines looming, however, Moss will have a chance to push his name even higher in On3's rankings with a solid outing.

In two games, the redshirt junior signal caller has completed 72.7% of his passes for 607 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Sep 1, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Miller Moss (7) throws a pass against the LSU Tigers during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

"Like Jeanty, Moss was on a bye this week so he wasn’t able to further pad his stats. That he remains on the list speaks to what he did in the first two weeks to impress the Heisman Trophy voters," On3 wrote. "Not gaudy numbers, by any means, but the tape is excellent. He was crisp and accurate in a marquee win over LSU in the season opener."

Moss will have the opportunity to put a few more impressive performances on tape with a tough schedule lying ahead for the Trojans. After defeating LSU in Week 1, Lincoln Riley's team still has to square off against Michigan, Penn State, Nebraska and Notre Dame, four ranked teams who could all be fighting for a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff.

If Moss is able to play well against the aforementioned squads, however, he would quickly ascend in Heisman leaderboards.

Riley has coached three Heisman Trophy winners during his tenure as an offensive coordinator and head coach, with Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray winning the award under Riley's tutelage at Oklahoma and Caleb Williams taking home the trophy in 2022.

"Going back and forth with (Caleb Williams) for those two years really helped shape me as a player really pushed competitively to be the person, and the player I am today," Moss said. "I'm always grateful for those times. Like I said, me and Caleb are really, really close and I'll always be rooting for him."

In addition to the aforementioned players, Jalen Hurts was the Heisman runner up to Joe Burrow during his lone year playing under Riley in Norman.

Dec 28, 2019; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) prepares for an offensive series during the fourth quarter of the 2019 Peach Bowl college football playoff semifinal game between the LSU Tigers and the Oklahoma Sooners at Mercedes-Benz Stadium / Jason Getz-Imagn Images

With a solid group of weapons around Moss and a strong start to the season, the Bishop Alemany (CA) product will certainly be in the mix for the Heisman in 2024 if he can lead the Trojans through a tough schedule into the College Football Playoff during Southern Cal's first year in the Big Ten.

LSU signal caller Garrett Nussmeier, who Moss and the Trojans defeated in Week 1, checked in at No. 9 in On3's poll while Georgia quarterback Carson Beck rounded out the list at No. 10.

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