Outrageous Predictions for the 2018 Heisman Trophy Ceremony

As we continue on with the annual preseason Outrageous Predictions series for college football, it's time to take a look at the race for the most prestigious and coveted individual award in the sport -- the Heisman Trophy.

The annual race for the Heisman Trophy rarely goes how the experts think it will. Everyone has a list of front-runners and favorites, but most of those lists look the same. Here are some OUTRAGEOUS predictions about the 2018 Heisman race that have the potential to render most, if not all, of those preseason lists wrong.

Heisman Watch 2018: ACC I Big 12 I Big Ten I Pac-12 I SEC I Dark Horse

Outrageous Predictions for the 2018 Heisman Trophy Ceremony

No SEC players get an invite to the ceremony in NYC

The SEC has plenty of talent as usual, I just don't know if they have the high-profile skill players who can separate themselves from their elite teams. There are plenty of future NFL stars in the SEC playing running back and receiver, but those guys simply won't pile up the stats or big moments along the way to vault them to the top of the Heisman race.

Two Group of 5 quarterbacks get invited to New York

UCF's McKenzie Milton and Boise State's Brett Rypien are going to be under center for some high-powered offenses on teams favored to win most of their games handily. Both play different styles of football, but both will put up video-game numbers en route to leading their teams to double digits in the win column. They'll both be in the front row when the trophy is presented.

AJ Dillon is the only running back at the Heisman ceremony

Look for Dillon to lead the nation in rushing thanks to a stingy defense that is going to give him plenty of possessions to pile up touches. He'll flirt with the 2,000-yard mark, while Stanford's Bryce Love and Wisconsin's Jonathan Taylor struggle and eventually fail to match the numbers they put up in 2017.

Related: Why 2018 Heisman Trophy Winner Will Be a Running Back

Brandon Wimbush wins the Heisman Trophy

Notre Dame might be favored in every game following their Sept. 1 tilt with Michigan at home. Irish quarterback Brandon Wimbush will be operating behind an offensive line with at least four future NFL starters on it. He'll be looking downfield at two 6-foot-4 wideouts as his top receiving targets. Additionally, he -- not a running back -- will be the focal point of Notre Dame's rushing attack. He'll improve on the 30 total touchdowns he posted in 2017, the Irish will stay in the College Football Playoff conversation all season and Wimbush will be the face of Notre Dame this fall. Hand him the trophy.

*Remember, "outrageous" can be defined as “wildly exaggerated or improbable,” and “very bold, unusual, and startling.” These are "outrageous" predictions and should be treated as such.

— Written by J.P. Scott, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. His work has appeared on SI.com, FoxSports.com, Yahoo! SBNation and Bleacher Report. He is a two-time FWAA writing contest award winner. Follow him on Twitter @TheJPScott.