UNC quarterback Sam Howell is the best Heisman dark horse to bet on

Sam Howell led North Carolina football to an immediate turnaround as a freshman. As a sophomore, he’s a Heisman Trophy dark horse worth betting on.

As we approach a new college football season, there is undoubtedly going to be plenty of discussion about the 2020 Heisman Trophy race. And as you’d expect, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields (7/2) and Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence (4/1) are the betting favorites, via William Hill and SI. However, another quarterback might be the best dark horse bet on the board: North Carolina’s Sam Howell.

The Tar Heels are starting to garner some sleeper buzz as the 2020 season grows nearer. Mack Brown‘s return to Chapel Hill went better than anyone could’ve expected last year as the team went 7-6 but was in every game they played. And Howell, who started under center as a true freshman, was at the center of that for UNC.

In his first taste of college action, Howell played in all 13 games for North Carolina and completed 61.4 percent of his passes for 3,641 yards along with an impressive 38 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. Even that doesn’t take into account his penchant for rising up in big moments and making plays to keep his team in position to win.

Howell’s first season with the Tar Heels was far more successful — both from an individual and team perspective — than most would’ve imagined. But now he’s set the bar and, as Brown has continued to add more talent around an already developing core group of players, the quarterback could very well clear that bar.

Currently listed with 30/1 odds to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy, the same odds as SEC quarterbacks Bo Nix and Kyle Trask, both of whom had worse years in 2019, and with worse odds than unproven quarterbacks like Myles Brennan and Mac Jones, it’s hard not to see the value in Howell as a dark horse.

With weapons such as running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams along with wide receivers Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown, a quartet that combined for over 4,000 yards last season, Howell has plenty to work with. And Mack Brown has clearly proven he still has what it takes to win in modern college football and is in charge of a group that is clearly talented and only getting better with experience and new additions.

It’s worth noting, however, that the Heisman Trophy isn’t always solely based on talent and individual performance. There’s no escaping that the award is often narrative-driven as well. Howell has that working in his favor.

If Howell and Brown are able to take the Tar Heels from bottom-dweller to potential ACC Coastal division champs in the span of two years, it’s going to be impossible to ignore that. That’s the type of turnaround that warrants some hardware, especially if the player can put up the numbers too. Should the quarterback improve on his 3,600+ yards and 38 touchdowns, he’ll clearly have those in the bag as well.

To be sure, guys like Fields and Lawrence are deserving favorites to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy. If you’re looking to cash in big, however, you won’t find a better dark horse bet than Sam Howell. Every box you need to check is there and, if he does, it’s completely realistic that he could be in New York raising the award come December.

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