Saturday night marks the presentation of college football’s most prestigious award-the Heisman trophy. The four finalists, all quarterbacks, were announced Monday night. Injuries have contributed to taking the likes of Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker and Michigan’s Blake Corum out of the running. But the finalists consist of USC’s Caleb Williams, Stetson Bennett from Georgia, Max Duggan of TCU, and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud.
THE 2022 HEISMAN FINALISTS 🏆 pic.twitter.com/9KaRZew0UG
— ESPN (@espn) December 5, 2022
Caleb Williams, USC
Caleb Williams made the decision last offseason to follow head coach Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to USC. And it appears that the decision has paid off in a big way.
Williams is sixth in the FBS in total offense per game, averaging 342.1 yards per game. His 37 passing touchdowns are tied for the first and his 169.9 passer rating is good for fifth. In addition, he also adds 372 rushing yards and 10 more touchdowns to his total. To boot, he has only thrown four interceptions.
Williams has been the main catalyst for USC’s quick turnaround. After going 4-8 in 2021, the Trojans win 11 games, earning a Cotton Bowl bid in the process.
Max Duggan, TCU
Max Duggan can be considered the Cinderella story of the finalists. After starting the last three seasons, Duggan lost the starting job to Oklahoma transfer Chandler Morris. However, Duggan got his job back due to an injury to Morris, and the rest was history.
Duggan has put up career-best numbers in almost every passing category. He has thrown for 3,321 yards and has accounted for 36 touchdowns for the Horned Frogs this year. He also logged a 148.3 passer rating against top-25 teams. TCU went 5-1 against AP top-25 ranked teams.
Overall, TCU has been a Cinderella story just like Duggan. After starting the season unranked, the Horned Frogs finished 12-1, earning a #3 ranking and a College Football Playoff berth.
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Of all the Heisman contenders, Stroud is the only one that has been considered for the award before. Just last season, Stroud earned a trip to New York after his Sophomore season. However, he lost the award to Alabama signal-caller Bryce Young.
Statistically, Stroud has seen a mild drop-off from last season, but he has still had elite production. Stroud has thrown 37 touchdowns this season, earning him a three-way tie for first in the FBS. Coincidentally, Stroud is tied with fellow Heisman contender Caleb Williams. His 87.7 QBR is good for 3rd in the FBS, the best in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are 11-1 and have found themselves back in the Playoff after USC lost the Pac-12 Championship.
Stetson Bennett, Georgia
It is only fitting to have a player from the #1 ranked team in the country and defending national champions as a finalist.
Statistically, Bennett’s numbers are not as eye-popping as his contemporaries. However, Bennett has remained steady. Bennett’s 3,425 yards is good for 11th in the FBS, second in the SEC only behind Mississippi State’s Will Rogers. His QBR of 86.3 is sixth in the country, second to only Stroud among the Heisman finalists.
The reigning champions have continued their dominant stretch with a perfect 12-0 record.
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