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Paolo UggettiESPN
Georgia’s Stetson Bennett, USC’s Caleb Williams, TCU’s Max Duggan and Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud were announced Monday as the Heisman Trophy finalists.
The four quarterbacks, who play for four of the top 10 teams this season, including three that will play in the College Football Playoff, will be in New York for the Heisman ceremony Saturday.
USC’s Williams is the odds-on favorite (-2500) to take home the award even after the Trojans were eliminated from the College Football Playoff after a loss to Utah in the Pac-12 championship game Friday. 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 country.
Duggan, who led TCU to an undefeated regular season, threw for 3,321 yards and 30 touchdowns this season as well as only four interceptions. The senior out of Iowa will lead the Horned Frogs against Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl, with the winner heading to the national title game.
The Peach Bowl semifinal will feature the other two Heisman finalists facing off against each other in Bennett and Stroud.
Bennett returned to Georgia for his senior season after leading the Bulldogs to a national title and threw for 3,425 yards and 20 touchdowns for his encore.
Stroud was a Heisman finalist last season and finished fourth. This season, Stroud threw for 3,340 yards and 37 touchdowns — tied for the most in the nation alongside Williams.
Quarterbacks have dominated the award in recent years, winning 18 times since 2000 and taking home five of the past 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 became the first Tide quarterback to win the award. Despite throwing for 3,007 yards and 27 touchdowns this season, Young was not nominated.
The Heisman Trophy will be presented Saturday in New York (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).