Top 10 underdogs to watch out for in the 2024 college football season ft. Noah Fifita

The 2024 college football season is quickly approaching as many players fight for their spot on the field during spring practices. There are many returning players that fans will be familiar with this season, but there are lesser-known ones who are poised to steal the spotlight in 2024.

These underdogs may not be the most popular players on their team or get the most attention from the media, but they could be set to have a breakout season. Here's a look at the top-10 college football underdogs to watch out for this season.

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Top 10 underdogs to watch out for in the 2024 college football season

USC wide receiver Zachariah Branch

#10 Keon Sabb, S, Alabama

Safety Keon Sabb played two seasons of college football at Michigan before transferring to Alabama in 2024.

Sabb played as a backup defensive back his first two seasons but played well when he got on the field. He's now in line to start at safety for Alabama this season. He had 28 tackles for Michigan last season with 0.5 sacks along with two interceptions, with one returned for a touchdown.

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#9 Terion Stewart, RB, Bowling Green

Terion Stewart flew under the college football radar last season at Bowling Green, but he ran for 762 yards and eight touchdowns.

He has played three seasons at Bowling Green but missed the 2022 season for mental health and academic reasons. Stewart is an extremely shifty back who doesn't go down easily, averaging 6.6 yards per carry in his career.

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#8 Zacharia Branch, WR, USC

USC receiver Zacharia Branch caught 31 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns during his freshman season of college football in 2023.

Branch has the potential to be a real weapon for USC as a receiver and on special teams in 2024. He had 24 kick returns for 440 yards and a touchdown, along with 16 punt returns for 332 yards and one touchdown, last season. He finished with a punt return average of 20.8 yards, which led the Pac-12.

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#7 Barion Brown, WR, Kentucky

Kentucky wideout Barion Brown's numbers dropped last season due to the team's offensive struggles.

In 2023, he recorded 43 receptions for 539 yards and four touchdowns. He had 147 rushing yards, was a huge threat on special teams with 576 kick return yards, and returned three kickoffs for a touchdown.

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#6 JT Tuimoloau, EDGE, Ohio State

Ohio State's JT Tuimoloau didn't perform as well last season as he did in 2022. He still posted an impressive statline of 38 total tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and a fumble recovery.

Tuimoloau can also be effective in pass coverage and has two career interceptions with seven career pass breakups.

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#5 Tez Johnson, WR, Oregon

Tez Johnson continues to be one of the most underrated receivers in college football after improving his numbers each season. He played three seasons at Troy before transferring to Oregon in 2023.

Johnson worked well with quarterback Bo Nix last season, catching 86 passes for 1,182 yards and 10 touchdowns. With Nix on his way to the NFL, Johnson will be hoping that he can pick up where he left off with the new Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

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#4 Jalon Daniels, QB, Kansas

Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels was set to be one of college football's most electic players last season before he missed most of the season with a back injury. Daniels will return to Kansas in 2024, but there will be questions about his durability.

When healthy, he has shown how accurate a passer he is, ending 2022 with a 66.1% completion percentage and 2,014 yards. His touchdown total is relatively low, but he has the arm to carve up the opposing secondary.

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#3 Noah Fifita, QB, Arizona

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita will return for his third season at Arizona in 2024. Fifita took over as Arizona's starter in week five last season but still threw for 2,869 yards and 25 touchdowns. He's extremely accurate, ending last season with a 72.4% completion percentage.

Fifita is undersized for his position, measuring just five-foot-11, but his ability to get out of the pocket and throw into extremely tight windows makes him so dangerous. College football fans will get to see what Fifita can do in a full season as Arizona's starting quarterback in 2024.

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#2 Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame

Cornerback Benjamin Morrison is entering his third season with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish after seeing a slight drop in his numbers last season.

He still finished the season with 10 pass breakups, three interceptions and 3.5 tackles for loss. Morrison is a bit undersized for a corner but still has tremendous agility and football instincts to lock up opposing receivers.

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#1 Kaidon Salter, QB, Liberty

Due to Liberty not being one of the big college football programs, their quarterback, Kaidon Salter, may not be a name fans recognize.

He originally signed with Tennessee in 2021 but was dismissed by the program for issues off the field. He transferred to Liberty that same year to continue his football career.

Salter quietly threw for 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns in his junior year last season. He also added over 1,000 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns on the ground. He briefly entered the transfer portal to find a new program in 2024 but quickly announced that he will return to Liberty for another season.

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Which college football underdog do you think will have the best season in 2024? Let's know in the comments section below.

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