Paolo UggettiESPN
Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, USC’s Caleb Williams, TCU’s Max Duggan and Ohio State’s CJ Stroud were announced Monday as finalists for the Heisman Trophy. The four quarterbacks, who play for four of the top 10 teams this season, including three who will play in the College Football Playoff, will be in New York this weekend for the Heisman ceremony on Saturday. USC’s Williams is the (-2500) odds-on favorite to take home the award, even after the Trojans were eliminated from the College Football Playoff after losing to Utah in the Pac-12 championship. The sophomore, who transferred to USC from Oklahoma after the Trojans hired Lincoln Riley, surpassed 4,000 passing yards this season and had 37 touchdowns, tied for the most in the nation. Duggan, who led TCU to an undefeated regular season, threw for 3,321 yards and 30 touchdowns this season, along with just four interceptions. The senior from Iowa will lead the Horned Frogs against Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl, with the winner heading to the national title game. 2 Related The Peach Bowl semifinal will feature the other two Heisman finalists facing off in Bennett and Stroud. Bennett returned to Georgia for his senior season after leading the Bulldogs to a national title and throwing for 3,425 yards and 20 touchdowns for his encore. Stroud were finalists last season and finished fourth. This season, Stroud threw for 3,340 yards and 37 touchdowns — tied for the most in the nation with Williams. Quarterbacks have dominated the award in recent years, winning 18 times since 2000 and taking five of the last six trophies. In 2020, Alabama’s DeVonta Smith was the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard in 1991. Last season, Alabama’s Bryce Young won the award, becoming the first Tide quarterback to win. Despite throwing for 3,007 yards and 27 touchdowns this season, Young was not drafted. The Heisman Trophy will be presented Saturday in New York (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
