Despite all the success and accolades in recent seasons at Georgia, the Bulldogs have not yet won a Heisman Trophy under Kirby Smart.

Stetson Bennett finished fourth in voting back in 2022. Prior to that, you’d have to go back to Garrison Hearst’s 1992 season for Georgia to have a Heisman finalist. The last Bulldog to win the Heisman Trophy was Herschel Walker, doing so in the 1982 season.

The early odds don’t look good for a Georgia player doing so in the upcoming 2025 season. Per FanDuel Sportsbook quarterback Gunner Stockton has the top odds at 33-to-1. Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck, who is coming off elbow surgery, has better odds at 25-to-1 for comparison.

Stats and numbers only do so much when it comes to Heisman voting. You need a story as well if you’re to win over the voting public.

Which makes linebacker CJ Allen an interesting selection as Georgia’s top Heisman hopeful for the 2025 season.

"Realistically, Georgia probably doesn’t have a serious Heisman contender, but Allen will have a serious case for being one of the best defenders in college football," Shehan Jeyarajah of CBS Sports wrote. “The junior totaled 117 tackles with six for loss in his first two seasons in Athens and should take on an even bigger role after Jalon Walker’s departure. If Georgia’s defense gets back to all-world caliber, Allen will be a huge part.” 

Allen is Georgia’s leading returning tackler, picking up 76 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and an interception last season.

Allen will be entering his third season at Georgia in 2025. Traditionally, that is when a Georgia linebacker has brought home some form of hardware. Roquan Smith, Nakobe Dean and Jalon Walker all won the Butkus Award as juniors. Smith and Walker went on to become first-round picks after those seasons, while Dean ended up going in the third round. Dean though won a national championship during his stellar 2021 season.

Allen hopes to replicate that feat, much more so than any individual honors.

Georgia brings back a loaded linebacker room for the 2025 season, with Allen, Raylen Wilson, Chris Cole and Justin Williams. The group is expected to be one of the real strengths of the 2025 team.

Travis Hunter did win the award last season, though the Colorado defensive back played on both sides of the ball. No linebacker or defensive lineman has ever won the award.

On the offensive side of the ball, Stockton and running back Nate Frazier may be the best bets for the award. Stockton is likely to be the team’s starting quarterback, while Frazier is expected to be the team’s top option at running back. Frazier led Georgia in rushing with 671 yards last season to go along with 8 rushing touchdowns.

The last running back to win the Heisman Trophy was Derrick Henry back in 2015. For comparison, he rushed for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns that season.