JACKSON — One of the top quarterbacks in the country leads the list of nominees for the best in Mississippi.

Ole Miss quarterback Jaxson Dart is among 10 finalists for the C Spire Conerly Trophy, given each year to the top college football player in Mississippi.

Each of the state’s 10 four-year football programs gets to nominate one finalist. The winner will be announced Dec. 3 at a banquet at the Sheraton Refuge Hotel in Flowood.

The banquet will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person and can be purchased at msfame.com or by calling the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum at 601-982-8264.

The other nominees are Alcorn State quarterback Xzavier Vaughn; running backs Kelvin Smith (Delta State) and Irv Mulligan (Jackson State); linebackers Wyatt Beck (Belhaven) and Brennan Blake (Mississippi College); Mississippi State safety Isaac Smith; Mississippi Valley State wide receiver Nathan Rembert; and Southern Miss punter Bryce Lofton.

Dart will likely be the favorite to give Ole Miss its sixth Conerly Trophy winner in the past nine years.

Dart has led the Rebels to a top 10 ranking and is a Heisman Trophy contender after throwing for 3,409 yards and 22 touchdowns in the first 10 games of the season. He leads the Southeastern Conference in passing yards and touchdowns.

C Spire Conerly Trophy winners
2023 – Patrick Shegog, RB, Delta State
2022 – Quinshon Judkins, RB, Ole Miss
2021 – Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
2020 – Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss
2019 – Kylin Hill, RB, Mississippi State
2018 – Jeffery Simmons, DL, Mississippi State
2017 – A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss
2016 – Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss
2015 – Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
2014 – Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
2013 – Gabe Jackson, OL, Mississippi State
2012 – Bo Wallace, QB, Ole Miss
2011 – Austin Davis, QB, Southern Miss
2010 – Chris White, LB, Mississippi State
2009 – Anthony Dixon, RB, Mississippi State
2008 – Juan Joseph, QB, Millsaps
2007 – Damion Fletcher, RB, Southern Miss
2006 – Patrick Willis, LB, Ole Miss
2005 – Jerious Norwood, RB, Mississippi State
2004 – Michael Boley, LB, Southern Miss
2003 – Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss
2002 – Rod Davis, LB, Southern Miss
2001 – Eli Manning, QB, Ole Miss
2000 – Josh Bright, QB, Delta State
1999 – Deuce McAllister, RB, Ole Miss
1998 – J.J. Johnson, RB, Mississippi State
1997 – Stewart Patridge, QB, Ole Miss
1996 – Tregnel Thomas, RB, Delta State