We now know the four Heisman Trophy finalists who will travel to New York City next weekend with hopes of receiving the most prestigious individual award in college football.
The Heisman has been criticized for having a bias toward quarterbacks, and this year’s group certainly does nothing to dissuade those aspersions. All four of this year’s finalists are signal-callers: USC’s Caleb Williams, Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, TCU’s Max Duggan and Georgia’s Stetson Bennett.
As you’ll soon see, one of these is not quite like the others. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Here’s a recap of how each of these four got here (with their odds to win the award).
All odds and ends via BetMGM
QB Caleb Williams, USC (-2500)
Williams’ decision to follow Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to Los Angeles paid off immensely. The sophomore finished the season with 47 total touchdowns (37 passing, 10 rushing) to just four interceptions while leading the Trojans to an 11-2 record and appearance in the Pac-12 title game. A loss to Utah may have hurt his case a little, but he remains the odds-on favorite to win the award.
QB Max Duggan, TCU (+2000)
Despite TCU’s loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 title game, Max Duggan likely played his way to New York with a gutsy performance in that game. He was clearly gassed and possibly injured, leaving it all out on the field in an overtime loss that can hardly be blamed on his effort. His numbers are nothing to scoff at either, as he has 30 passing touchdowns to four interceptions with six more scores on the ground.
QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia (+3000)
With just 20 passing touchdowns (plus seven on the ground) to six interceptions, Bennett doesn’t have the numbers to match the other quarterbacks on this list. He likely landed here due to his accomplishments at Georgia. A former walk-on who transferred to junior college before eventually returning to Athens, Bennett led the Bulldogs to a national title last season and, at 25, became the oldest quarterback to win an SEC Championship this season.
QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State (+5000)
Stroud was seen by many as the Heisman favorite entering the season, and he held that status throughout most of 2022. However, he was a bit limited by Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s absence this season. He threw 37 touchdowns to six interceptions, but he cooled off near the end of the year. The Buckeyes are heading to the CFP in spite of a loss to Michigan, but Stroud has likely played himself out of contention for the award.
Prediction: Caleb Williams
This seemed like a no-brainer entering championship week, and though he likely could have ended the discussion if he led the Trojans to a win, Williams still boasts the strongest resume among the contenders. He has the best numbers and passes the eye test, and I can’t really see the argument for giving it to anyone else. Oh, and did I mention Williams isn’t eligible for the draft and has to return to USC in 2023?
