Predicting Every CFB Conference's Player of the Year in 2020
College football has been gutted of star power from a 2019 season that was loaded with impressive talent. But the great thing about this sport is that there's always an endless supply.
While Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, Chase Young, Jalen Hurts and others are exiting stage left, the next crop of megastars is coming up right behind them. And next year's group of NFL-eligible players may just be the best in a long time.
From the top-shelf talent trotted out by Clemson and Ohio State to some names you should familiarize yourself with, plenty of elite players are returning in every conference. So, who is going to take home the best-of-the-best honors in each league?
The ACC has 2019 Player of the Year Travis Etienne returning for his senior year as Clemson's running back, and the Big Ten gets Offensive Player of the Year Justin Fields back to highlight the league, too. Only one of those guys will repeat in 2020. The other will have to settle for second billing on his own team.
Big 12 star Chuba Hubbard will try to defend his title, too.
All 10 conferences should have healthy battles for their Player of the Year awards, even if a conference like the SEC lost many of its most well-known playmakers. Let's take a look at every league and who will win the honors in each one.
Of course, each conference hands out offensive and defensive accolades, so this article is going to use talent, on-field production and projections to determine the top overall playmaker in every conference. As always, make your ideas known in the comments section.
AAC: Kenneth Gainwell, Memphis Running Back
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During the 2019 season, Navy senior quarterback Malcolm Perry took home the top offensive player honors, but the league has a ton of capable stars returning this season.
Memphis quarterback Brady White and receiver Damonte Coxie, SMU signal-caller Shane Buechele, UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel and Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder are just a few of the potential stars. If former UCF Heisman Trophy candidate McKenzie Milton returns, there's another wild card in the mix.
But the best player is Memphis rising sophomore running back Kenneth Gainwell. New head coach Ryan Silverfield has a ton of weapons coming back, but nobody can change the game quite as quickly as the former Mississippi prep star.
It was late in the recruiting game before any of the big-name programs came after Gainwell, and that was a testament to Memphis' great scouting job. Former head coach Mike Norvell cultivated several players like him during his time at the school before bolting for Florida State, and Silverfield will benefit.
Though slight of build, Gainwell has proved he can carry the load for the Tigers. He has a second gear once he gets past the line of scrimmage and is a big-time home run hitter. A season ago, he ran for 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns in 14 games, and he did so on 6.3 yards per carry.
A year in the weight room will help him be even bigger and better, and with guys like White and Coxie keeping pressure off him, watch out for another big year. If he stays healthy, look for him to beat out the big-time quarterbacks and take home top honors.
Before his career is over, he could be a dark-horse Heisman Trophy candidate.
ACC: Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Quarterback
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The past two years, the ACC's Offensive Player of the Year—and, quite frankly, the best player in the league—was Clemson running back Travis Etienne.
The Louisiana native and workhorse runner for head coach Dabo Swinney's national title-contending Tigers is back for his senior season, which means he's going for three in a row. The problem is he won't get it because it's going to go to teammate Trevor Lawrence.
During his freshman season, Lawrence didn't play full-time the first few games before taking over for Kelly Bryant. In 2019, he had too many turnovers before getting on track and playing up to his elite potential.
Though he'll be without Tee Higgins in 2020, look for him to have his most complete season in what is likely to be his final one with the Tigers. Lawrence still has Justyn Ross as an elite playmaker, and Amari Rodgers and Joseph Ngata are plenty capable of filling the void. Other quality pass-catchers are coming in, too.
With Etienne keeping defenses honest, Lawrence can let it fly.
There are plenty of stars in the ACC, and the league looks like it's coming back after a few down years.
Miami's D'Eriq King is going to make plays as he hopes to help the Hurricanes return to prominence. North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell is going to be a big-time star, and everybody is excited to see what he does for an encore after a spectacular freshman year. Louisville running back Javian Hawkins is dynamic, too.
But this is Clemson's league for the foreseeable future—at least until somebody proves otherwise. The battle for the league's top player is going to come down to friendly fire between Lawrence and Etienne. The gamble here is the quarterback wins it for the first time.
Big 12: Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State Running Back
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The prediction here involves Texas having a major bounceback season in 2020, so there's a temptation to pick senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who should have a brilliant final year in Austin with playmakers all around him.
Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy, Baylor's Charlie Brewer and Oklahoma State receiver Tylan Wallace are some other potential options. You just know Big 12 royalty Oklahoma is going to have several superstars ready to contend for top honors, too.
But when Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard elected to return to Stillwater rather than head to the NFL, the Canadian catalyst became not only the frontrunner for the top honor in the Big 12 but perhaps even a favorite to be a Heisman Trophy finalist.
All things considered, Oklahoma senior quarterback Jalen Hurts was deserving of the honor in '19. But even though he was a Heisman Trophy finalist, the league's Offensive Player of the Year award went to Hubbard.
If he doesn't repeat this year, it will be a shocker.
Last season, Hubbard ran 328 times for 2,094 yards and 21 touchdowns and averaged 6.4 yards per carry. Though OSU head coach Mike Gundy may be known for flinging the ball around the field, he has a history of developing quality runners, and Hubbard is by far the best.
Quarterback Spencer Sanders is back and more seasoned with plenty of star receivers like Wallace around him, so the Cowboys should have a balanced attack. Oklahoma has plenty of question marks, meaning the rival Cowboys could sneak into league contention.
If that's going to happen, Hubbard needs to have a massive year. Though he'll have some miles on the tank by the time the NFL comes calling, he wants to get his program back on top. Watch out for a huge season filled with electrifying big-gainers and some hardware at the end of it.
Big Ten: Justin Fields, Ohio State Quarterback
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When Justin Fields transferred from Georgia to Ohio State and the NCAA granted him immediate eligibility, there were still plenty of questions about how he'd do leading his own high-profile team and how he'd mesh with first-year head coach Ryan Day.
Those were answered in resounding fashion.
The Buckeyes ran roughshod over the Big Ten all the way to the College Football Playoff, where they blew a big lead and were still a couple of toss-up calls from beating Clemson for their shot at LSU in the title game. On the way, Fields became one of the sport's biggest stars.
He finished his sophomore season as a Heisman Trophy finalist and the league's Offensive Player of the Year, throwing for 3,273 yards, 41 touchdowns and just three interceptions while running for 484 more yards and 10 additional scores. He was a no-brainer pick, and he is again this year.
The Big Ten lost some star power, but it still returns plenty of quality players like Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford, running back Journey Brown and linebacker Micah Parsons, Michigan running back Zach Charbonnet, Purdue wide receivers Rondale Moore and David Bell, Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan and others. But none of them have Fields' flash.
The things he does with the ball are amazing, and though he lost plenty of weapons on the perimeter, the Buckeyes should be even more talented at receiver than they were, bringing in a trio of freshmen in Julian Fleming, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Gee Scott Jr. to go along with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.
With J.K. Dobbins gone, Fields may be asked to carry a little more of the load on the ground. But you know the Buckeyes are going to have talented options there, too, led by Master Teague III.
This is a team that can win it all. With Fields leading the way, Ohio State is a quality pick to play for the national title.
Conference USA: Chris Robison, Florida Atlantic Quarterback
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How is life going to be without Lane? That's the major question facing Conference USA's best team, the Florida Atlantic Owls.
With former head coach Lane Kiffin off to Oxford to take over at Ole Miss, the Owls are going to be facing the next era. They're hoping new head coach Willie Taggart can recapture some of the South Florida magic he had back when he led the USF Bulls before getting the Oregon coaching job.
Though Taggart fizzled out at Florida State the past couple of seasons before getting fired, he has developed some quality offenses over the years. If he's going to do the same thing this season, it'll be because quarterback Chris Robison continues to grow.
The Owls signal-caller was one of the league's top players a season ago, completing nearly 62 percent of his passes for 3,701 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions. He'll have to endure life without tight end Harrison Bryant, but he still has weapons.
Though defending winner J'Mar Smith is no longer at Louisiana Tech, Conference USA has some strong returning players. Defending Defensive Player of the Year DeAngelo Malone of Western Kentucky is a force, and Southern Miss quarterback Jack Abraham is a good player, too.
Middle Tennessee quarterback Asher O'Hara, Marshall running back Brenden Knox and Louisiana Tech running back Justin Henderson are playmakers who could elevate their play, too.
But Robison, the former Oklahoma transfer, is simply a standout in Conference USA, and he's going to keep getting better while jelling with Taggart and leading the Owls to another strong season in 2020.
MAC: Jaret Patterson, Buffalo Running Back
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Plenty of running backs for high-profile teams are ready to break out and become household names in 2020. Guys like Georgia's Zamir White, Boston College's David Bailey, Tennessee's Eric Gray, Wisconsin's Nakia Watson, Iowa's Tyler Goodson and Texas' Jordan Whittington are just a few.
But one runner is already a standout and should become a true star. The only reason you haven't heard of him is that he plays for the Buffalo Bulls. (No, not the Bills.)
Head coach Lance Leipold has a propensity for churning out quality offensive players, and though you may not watch much of the MAC unless it's a Tuesday or Wednesday night game, you should circle the opportunities to watch running back Jaret Patterson play.
You will not be disappointed.
Western Michigan running back LeVante Bellamy won the award for the league's top offensive player in 2019. Not to take anything away from the great year the Broncos senior had, but Patterson should have won. He will in 2020.
As a sophomore, Patterson led the league with 1,799 rushing yards, while Bellamy was a distant second with 1,472. Patterson averaged more yards per carry, though he did have "only" 19 touchdowns while Bellamy churned out 23.
The MAC has a bunch of talented running backs returning like Ball State's Caleb Huntley, Toledo's Bryant Koback and Northern Illinois' Tre Harbison. Ball State quarterback Drew Plitt and Kent State signal-caller Dustin Crum could win the award, too. Defensive player of the year Treshaun Hayward is back for Western Michigan, too.
But Patterson is the best player in the league and one of the top running backs in the nation. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him eclipse 2,000 yards in 2020.
Mountain West: Donald Hammond III, Air Force Quarterback
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The biggest wild card for any conference's Player of the Year award in 2020 goes to the Mountain West Conference.
With so much talent graduating or off to the NFL, including Offensive Player of the Year Josh Love of San Jose State, Defensive Player of the Year Curtis Weaver of Boise State and stars like Utah State's Jordan Love, Hawaii's Cole McDonald and others, the league is losing a ton.
There's probably no other player with as much next-level potential as Boise State quarterback Hank Bachmeier, but can he stay healthy? Can the Broncos protect him?
Then there are talented running backs like the league's returning leading rusher in Wyoming's Xazavian Valladay, UNLV's Charles Williams, Air Force's Kadin Remsberg and exciting Boise freshman George Holani.
Holani is a dark-horse bet for these honors, but the biggest sure thing for a league in which there simply are none is Air Force quarterback Donald Hammond III.
Playing for head coach Troy Calhoun's impressive 11-2 Falcons, Hammond starred while doing a little bit of everything with the ball. He ran for 553 yards and 13 touchdowns on a run-first team, but he isn't one of the service academy quarterbacks who can't throw the ball. He also completed 50.5 percent of his passes for 1,316 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Those aren't dynamic numbers, and it's tough losing three multiyear starters on the offensive line along with two starting receivers. But Hammond should be better in his second full season as a starting signal-caller. He should even be the best player in the league, though it's certainly no guarantee.
This conference is up for grabs, and so is the battle to be the best playmaker.
Pac-12: Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon Edge
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From the biggest crap-shoot pick to the biggest swing-for-the fences selection. The only defensive player on this list comes from a league not known for its defensive prowess.
However, the Pac-12's top two programs a season ago—Oregon and Utah—did most of their damage on defense, and head coach Mario Cristobal's Ducks are going to field an absolutely elite unit in 2020 with top-tier talent on every level.
There's no better player than rising sophomore Kayvon Thibodeaux, who took a while to get his feet wet in his first collegiate action before coming along and becoming one of college football's biggest playmakers as a true freshman, along with LSU's Derek Stingley Jr.
Thibodeaux finished fourth in the league with nine sacks, and he should take a monumental leap forward in 2020. Yes, there are great pass-rushers returning like Oregon State's Hamilcar Rashed Jr. and Cal's Cameron Goode. But Thibodeaux is the most talented with the most untapped potential.
This is a league with two of the country's biggest rising stars at quarterback: USC's Kedon Slovis, who should hold off JT Daniels in his return from injury, and Arizona State's Jayden Daniels. It would take an electrifying campaign from Thibodeaux to steal the spotlight from those two.
But that's exactly what's going to happen.
The Ducks are going to find a quality quarterback and be right back at the top of the Pac-12 in 2020, and it's going to be because the defense carried them through the difficult times while they try to find the right guy to replace Justin Herbert.
With talent all over the field on both sides of the ball, Oregon is going to be the league's best team. And Thibodeaux is the best player on the best team.
SEC: Najee Harris, Alabama Running Back
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Remember when everybody was talking about Alabama going to California and plucking one of the top high school running backs ever after Najee Harris decided to sign with the Crimson Tide?
With all the high-flying receivers catching missiles from Tua Tagovailoa the past two seasons, it might have been easy to forget about Harris. But when he got the opportunity for carries, he was one of the brightest stars on the field. After Tua got hurt, Harris carried Bama at times.
Now that Tagovailoa is off to the NFL, he'll have to do it again. Look for the type of senior season everybody expected when he first committed.
Harris had 370 and 783 rushing yards during his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa, scoring seven touchdowns and averaging more than six yards per carry. Last year, the running back proved he could do a lot more, piling up 1,224 yards and scoring 13 touchdowns. Showcasing his skills for the NFL, Harris also grabbed 27 catches for 304 yards and scored seven touchdowns.
He'll have a lot of backfield help in 2020 with Trey Sanders returning from injury, Brian Robinson Jr. back and the Tide bringing in talented change-of-pace back Jase McClellan. But this should be the Harris show. He came back to Alabama to do more and help lead the Tide to a title.
He may just do that.
That's why he gets the nod for Player of the Year over guys like Georgia's Jamie Newman and Zamir White, LSU's elite cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. and defending Biletnikoff Award winner Ja'Marr Chase and Florida signal-caller Kyle Trask. Teammates like receivers DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle are strong, too.
There are a lot of great players in the rugged SEC, but Harris is going to be the best one now that he's finally out of the considerable shadow cast by Tagovailoa. Look for head coach Nick Saban to get back to pounding the rock, and Harris is one of the best in the business when he gets opportunities.
Sun Belt: Zac Thomas, Appalachian State Quarterback
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Normally, when you change coaches, there is a bit of a learning curve.
With Appalachian State playing musical coaches the past two seasons, that hasn't hurt rising senior quarterback Zac Thomas at all. He thrived under Scott Satterfield before he got his big opportunity at Louisville. Then, after just one season in Boone, Eli Drinkwitz was plucked away by Missouri.
Now, the Mountaineers have tabbed former offensive line coach Shawn Clark to lead the program, and it's going to be interesting to see if Thomas will just keep marching ahead. The bet here is that he will.
As a sophomore, Thomas completed nearly 63 percent of his passes for 2,039 yards, 21 touchdowns and six interceptions. Last year, he improved those numbers to 2,718 yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing a nearly identical percentage of his tosses.
Yet somehow, he's never won Player of the Year. That has gone to an Arkansas State player each of the past four seasons: Ja'Von Rolland-Jones in 2016 and 2017, Justice Hansen in 2018 and Omar Bayless a season ago.
Head coach Blake Anderson's Red Wolves could have another winner this year, too. Rising sophomore Layne Hatcher is a budding star posting the same type of numbers as Thomas while two years younger. He will have to deal with life minus his former star receiver, Bayless, though.
Of course, Thomas and the Mountaineers will have to keep their offensive firepower going without elite running back Darrynton Evans, who left for the NFL after his junior season.
If Clark is going to continue the Mountaineers' run of dominance in the Sun Belt, he needs a huge senior season from Thomas. He'll probably get it if the past two seasons are any indication.
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