Category: Heisman Trophy Watch

2023 Heisman Candidates: Early Top 20 Watch List

2023 Heisman Candidates: Very, very early, who are the top candidates to watch out for next year?

2023 Heisman Candidates: To start speculating early, who should belong on the watch list for the trophy?

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2023 Heisman Candidates: Early Top Ten Watch List

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Sure you had Caleb Williams on the short list of 2022 Heisman candidates last year at this time, but it wasn’t a done deal he was going to USC.

CJ Stroud and even Stetson Bennett weren’t tough to call, but Max Duggan?

Two years ago no one would’ve put Kenny Pickett on any Heisman list after a 13 touchdown season. In 2000, who thought a wide receiver – even one as good as DeVonta Smith – would win over one of the tremendous quarterback prospects?

Don’t even start with Joe Burrow.

And then there’s the truly crazy part about the 2022 race when it comes to basing any future Heisman predictions on talent. Bryce Young, Michael Penix Jr., Hendon Hooker, and Will Levis – and throw in Anthony Richardson – are all potential top ten overall draft picks, and none of them got to New York this year.

This is always tough to do because of all the stars coming out of the blue. This year it’s almost impossible, and it’s mainly because of the transfer portal.

Just assume a few of the guys on this list will be on a different team by the time it all starts, and a few others will end up being on here after they find a new home.

Who’s going to be Deion’s quarterback running Kent State’s FlashFast style of offense at Colorado?

Really, who’s going to be the quarterback at Ohio State? Alabama? Texas? Who’s going to bomb away for a gajillion yards, and who’s going to rise up out of nowhere and go full Duggan on the season.

Just assume that if you don’t see your guy here – CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, Bijan Robinson, Spencer Rattler, Cam Rising – that’s because he’s a mortal lock to leave early for the NFL. If needed, we’ll add those and other stars to the list on the fly.

The goal is getting the early 2023 Heisman call close to the pin – last year we did got two of the four finalists – but there will be some massive misses to go along with easy base hits.

Remember, this isn’t a list of the best players. The Heisman is a popularity contest. It’s about who has the big, splashy moments in the big, splashy games for the big, splashy teams.

2023 Heisman Candidates Watch List: Just In Case

The first ten are the Johnny Manziel/Cam Newton//Joe Burrow/DeVonta Smith honorary list of fliers, just in case one of them rises up and becomes amazing.

20. The Field

There are a whole slew of cop-outs on this list, and it starts with a big one. It’s never a bad call if the betting world gives you The Field.

Again, Duggan, DeVonta, Burrow, Manziel, Lamar, Cam – you never know who’s going to rise up and be a big Heisman thing. It’s guaranteed that at least two players who’ll be deep in the 2023 Heisman race aren’t currently on this list.

19. Brock Bowers, TE Georgia

He’s a tight end, so of course he’s not going to win. He could be a finalist, though, if everything aligns correctly. The hype is going to be off-the-charts as he becomes the cause célèbre for the Best Player In College Football Heisman voting types.

18. KJ Jefferson, QB Arkansas

Like it is for every SEC quarterback, the chances to shine will be there. As is he’s going to be one of the conference’s best all-around playmakers and leaders, and his Heisman stock could go through the roof with slightly better passing numbers and a win over an SEC West big name.

17. DJ Uiagalelei, QB UNDECIDED

If I put Bo Nix here last season you’d all mock, laugh, and ridicule. And then Nix put up a Heisman-caliber season at Oregon. Uiagalelei might make the same transformation for the Ducks, or UCLA, or Auburn, or … he’ll get his shot to shine somewhere large.

16. Georgia starting quarterback

Unlike other top teams later on down the list, the quarterback who takes over Georgia likely won’t have the stats or responsibility to crank up a Heisman-level season. Even so, being the starting quarterback of another national title contender puts you on second base in the Heisman race.

Tennessee and Texas will probably have the nation’s most interesting quarterback fights this spring, but Brock Vandagriff, Carson Beck, and Gunner Stockton are big-time prospects who’ll be worth watching.

Ranking the 86 all-time Heisman Winners

15. Braelon Allen, RB Wisconsin

There are a whole slew of things that could make a Braelon Allen Heisman run go one way or another. Is he really going to stay at Wisconsin? For the moment he says he is. Will the Badgers dominate on the ground under Luke Fickell? Yeah, almost certainly. He’s one of the few backs with everything in place to push for a massive-stat run. The other should be …

14. Quinshon Judkins, RB Ole Miss

Bijan Robinson. That’s the problem – he wasn’t even a finalist – and that’s why there aren’t a lot of running backs on the list. You can be the best back in college football and not come all that close to winning the Heisman – it’s mostly a quarterback award now.

Judkins, though, might have the stats to go along with the elite talent and a ton of high-profile SEC games to break through the position pack.

If it’s impossible to win now as a running back, try …

13. Marvin Harrison Jr., WR Ohio State/Kayshon Boutte WR LSU

It took an insane set of circumstances and a perfect storm of factors – including a global pandemic that cut the season in half for a slew of key teams – for a receiver to win the Heisman when DeVonta Smith did it in 2020.

Boutte (chose to come back) and Harrison Jr. (not eligible until next year) are top ten overall NFL draft pick-caliber targets with the ability to be like Smith or, more likely, 2014 Heisman-finalist Amari Cooper. Either one might go from ultra-talented to finalist with an unstoppable season.

12. Jordan Travis, QB Florida State

Travis might not be all that big, but he’s got next-level skills and upside. Fortunately for Florida State, this was the wrong year to enter the draft as a quarterback if you’re not a sure-thing first rounder.

The stats will have to boost up a bit, but he’s got the all-around game, five years of experience, and the offense around him to be one of the ACC’s signature stars in a slew of high-profile games.

11. Drew Allar, QB Penn State

Here comes the hype.

The 6-5, 238-pound super-recruit had to wait behind better-than-you-think veteran Sean Clifford – I’ll save that rant for another time – but it’s going to be his team now. Penn State is loaded with young talent, and Allar should be the signature star who leads all of it. 2023 is expected to be the breakthrough season to maybe be what Michigan has been over the past few seasons.

– Top Ten 2023 Heisman Candidates

NEXT: 2023 Heisman Candidates: Top Ten

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

Heisman Trophy Winner Rankings: Who Had The Best Seasons?

Heisman Trophy Winners Ranking: Who were the most worthy winners among the college football legends?

What would happen if you took all 86 Heisman winners and tried to figure out who were the most worthy and who had the best seasons in their respective campaigns?

– Contact/Follow @PeteFiutak

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The Heisman is supposed to go to the player who had the best year, so throwing out everything else you know about many of the greatest college football players ever, and only going by their Heisman winning years – and NOT factoring in how they did in the pros – here’s how their respective winning seasons would stack up.

This isn’t a ranking of the best players of all-time. It’s a ranking of how good each Heisman-winning season was compared to the rest of the field, and put into a historical sense.

There are several things to take into account with all-time Heisman rankings.

– The information available now is night-and-day better than it was in past eras.

With the internet, ESPN, on-demand stats, better television coverage, better direct marketing campaigns, and more sophisticated sports information departments, the Heisman voting is – 2020 finish behind DeVonta Smith aside – far, far stronger than it was in the old days.

That’s why many of the older winners are further down the list – they weren’t necessarily the best candidates. However, that didn’t stop a few major mistakes in recent seasons, too.

– Historically, the Heisman almost always went to junior or senior offensive skill players – underclassmen winning the thing is relatively new.

– Don’t just go by statistics. Different eras meant different things to the numbers.

– Who was the signature player in each season? That’s always debatable, but a whole lot of older winners got the Heisman because it was their turn, and not necessarily because they were the biggest stars of the season or had the best campaigns.

– Several players on this list had better seasons than their Heisman winning years, but they don’t count. For example, Army’s Glenn Davis would’ve probably ended up in the top three if either of the two seasons before his Heisman winning year were included. Nebraska’s Johnny Rodgers was better in 1971 than he was in 1972 when he won the Heisman. Only the Heisman winning seasons count.

And finally, all of these players were amazing, all of them are legends, and all of them are key parts of the history of college football. There’s no ripping on the players here – it’s all about the worthiness of the win in their respective seasons.

And with that …

Heisman Winner Rankings 
Top 86 | Top 75 | Top 50 | Top 25 | Top 20 | Top 10 | Top 5

86. 1967 Gary Beban, QB UCLA

runner-up: O.J. Simpson, RB USC

The strangest of all Heisman victories, Beban only threw for 1,359 yards with eight touchdown passes and eight interceptions. His one shining moment came on national television completing 16 of 24 passes for 301 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against USC. There was one problem … UCLA lost thanks to a scintillating performance from Trojan star RB O.J. Simpson.

Simpson led his team to the national title thanks to a historic 64-yard touchdown run against the Bruins to finish with 1,543 rushing yards and 16 total touchdowns. Beban did run for 11 scores on the season, but he only gained 227 yards.

85. 1953 Johnny Lattner, HB Notre Dame

runner-up: Paul Giel, HB Minnesota

Call this one for the Notre Dame hype machine. Lattner didn’t even lead the Irish in passing, rushing, receiving or scoring. He was a great all-purpose player and a fantastic defensive back, but his close win over Minnesota’s Paul Giel is among Heisman historians’ all-time arguments.

84. 2001 Eric Crouch, QB Nebraska

runner-up: Rex Grossman, QB Florida

Had Florida’s Rex Grossman been a senior and Nebraska’s Eric Crouch been a sophomore, and not the other way around, it would’ve been a Grossman landslide. Crouch had a great year rushing, but his claim to the honor was a touchdown catch to seal a win over Oklahoma. Grossman threw for fewer than 300 yards once, 290 in the win over Florida State, and in the team’s biggest games he threw for 362 against Tennessee, 464 against LSU and 407 against Georgia.

83. 1971 Pat Sullivan, QB Auburn

runner-up: Ed Marinaro, RB Cornell

Sullivan was a fine passer, but he was known more for being a great winner and leader, getting Auburn to a 9-0 start. However, he had his worst performance in the biggest game of the year, throwing for only 121 yards with two interceptions in a 31-7 loss to Alabama. On the year, he threw for 2,262 yards and 21 touchdowns with 13 picks, and he ran for 66 yards and two scores. He won partly because he was tremendous the year before – he had a better 1970 season.

82. 1992 Gino Torretta, QB Miami

runner-up: Marshall Faulk, RB San Diego State

Torretta’s name has become unfairly become synonymous for players who win the Heisman when voters can’t decide on a candidate. He threw for a solid 3,060 yards and 19 touchdowns with seven interceptions before the Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama, but it helped that he was a senior, and San Diego State’s Marshall Faulk and Georgia’s Garrison Hearst weren’t.

81. 1956 Paul Hornung, QB Notre Dame

runner-up: Johnny Majors, RB Tennessee

Either you could say Hornung won because of the Notre Dame name, or you can just call him a victim of circumstance as he was a great player on a lousy team. The only Heisman winner from a losing team, he only ran for 420 yards and racked up 1,337 yards of total offense. However, stats don’t measure quite how good he was on an awful team.

80. 1947 Johnny Lujack, QB Notre Dame

runner-up: Bob Chappus, HB Michigan

Sort of the early version of Gino Torretta, Lujack won the Heisman as the signature player on a ridiculously talented team. Along with being one of the most accurate quarterbacks in the first half of the 20th Century, he was also known for being a top tackler.

79. 1975 Archie Griffin, RB Ohio State

runner-up: Chuck Muncie, RB California

One of the great Heisman debates, Griffin won his second straight award despite only rushing for only four touchdowns – Pete Johnson took carries and stats away rushing for 1,059 yards and 26 touchdowns. Cal’s Chuck Muncie ran for 1,460 yards averaging 6.4 yards per carry with 13 touchdowns. Worse yet, Griffin had his only non-100-yard day against Michigan with a 46-yard performance. The Buckeyes still won and went off to the Rose Bowl where they lost to UCLA – Griffin ran for 93 yards.

78. 1958 Pete Dawkins, RB Army

runner-up: Randy Duncan, QB Iowa

Dawkins was the leader of a mighty Army team that went 8-0-1. He ran for 12 touchdowns and was a decent kick returner, but he primarily won the Heisman for being the American ideal. He was smart, good-looking, and the top player for the high-powered Army team.

77. 1959 Billy Cannon, HB LSU

runner-up: Rich Lucas, QB Penn State

Cannon was the heart and soul of the 11-0 LSU team … in 1958. He was good in 1959, remembered for a legendary performance in a 7-3 win over Ole Miss, but he won the Award off the year before. Had he won it in 1958, Cannon would be much, much higher on this list.

76. 1964 John Huarte, QB Notre Dame

runner-up: Jerry Rhome, QB Tulsa

Huarte had a good season leading the Irish to a 9-1 record, but it was nothing special, only completing 57% of his passes for 2,062 yards and 16

Heisman Winner Rankings 
Top 86 | Top 75 | Top 50 | Top 25 | Top 20 | Top 10 | Top 5

 

NEXT: Top 75 All-Time Heisman Winners

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7

Caleb Williams Wins Heisman Trophy (and why I voted for him)

Caleb Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy. Here’s why Pete Fiutak voted for him in what turned out to be a strange season for the award.

Caleb Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy. Here’s why Pete Fiutak voted for him in a weird year for the award.

Why My Heisman Vote Went To Caleb Williams

– Contact/Follow @PeteFiutak

The 2022 Heisman Trophy run was weird.

Caleb Williams didn’t emerge until the very end – mostly because no one seemed to watch him until the Notre Dame game – and even with the performances over the final few games his USC team wasn’t able to win the Pac-12 Championship.

Max Duggan didn’t win the Big 12 Championship, CJ Stroud didn’t even get to his title game, and the guy who did get it done – Stetson Bennett – was roasted mercilessly on social media for being one of the four finalists.

And that’s what made this all a little bit off.

Are Williams, Duggan, Stroud, and Bennett the best players in college football? No, but that’s not really how the Heisman voting works.

Heisman Trophy Finish
1. Caleb Williams, USC 2,031 (544 1st)
2. Max Duggan, TCU 1,421 (188)
3. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State 539 (37)
4. Stetson Bennett, Georgia 349 (36)
5. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee 226 (81)
6. Bryce Young, Alabama 141 (34)
7. Blake Corum, Michigan 125 (8)
8. Michael Penix Jr., Washington 114 (9)
9. Bijan Robinson, Texas 75 (4)
10. Drake Maye, North Carolina 42 (3)

Alabama pass rusher Will Anderson and Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter are probably the two best players, and the 2023 NFL Draft might prove that.

Were the four finalists the best quarterbacks in college football? It’s debatable. I think Bryce Young is college football’s best quarterback, and you could name ten others and not necessarily be wrong, but that’s not really how the Heisman voting works.

Were any of the four finalists the nation’s leading passer? No. That was Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., and he put up the best numbers by a mile. But that’s not how the Heisman voting works.

– 2023 Early Heisman Watch List

I wish we could vote for this thing after the bowls and College Football Playoff are over – aka the games that matter most – but we can’t. So to me, the Heisman voting is always about who the signature player was in the regular season, making it a combination of the MVP and MOP.

Who is The Guy who was the regular season?

I’m not going to argue against Stetson Bennett – at least as a finalist.

Yeah, he had a ton of talent around him to work with, but he also became the glue for an unbeaten run for a team that had to do a near-total rebuild of top starters.

Everyone seems to forget just how amazing he was in the first quarter of the win over Oregon. No one remembers how he pulled the Missouri game out of the fire, outplayed – sort of – Hendon Hooker in the big win over Tennessee, and again, won his conference championship.

But no, Stetson Bennett didn’t make my list. You can only pick three players.

Hendon Hooker and Blake Corum didn’t make my list, either, but Hooker was 3B.

It’s brutally unfair – I despise dealing with negatives in a contest like this – but Hooker didn’t pull out the one game the team had to win. It wasn’t his fault Tennessee didn’t beat Georgia, and getting hurt late in the season was an awful break, but in this nitpicky beauty contest that matters.

The same goes for Corum. He was brilliant for the Michigan offense, and it’s not fair that he got hurt, but he wasn’t able to do much in the team’s biggest game of the year against Ohio State and wasn’t in the Big Ten Championship against Iowa.

Like Hooker, CJ Stroud didn’t win his biggest game, but he led the nation in passing efficiency, threw for 349 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to Michigan – the defense wasn’t his fault – and again when we’re splitting hairs, he ended up doing a bit more than the guys who just missed the top three.

Yes, Hooker was amazing against Alabama. Stroud was amazing against Penn State. Ohio State is in the College Football Playoff. Tennessee isn’t. Someone had to be left out.

Stroud was my 3, Duggan was my 2.

Would I have voted for Duggan if he got into the end zone on 4th-and-1 and if TCU won the Big 12 Championship? No, but it might have made the final decision more difficult.

In an MVP way, Duggan’s team to the College Football Playoff and Williams’ isn’t. That might not be fair, but that’s the deal when having to decide between two players with comparable seasons. Even so …

There really wasn’t any choice other than Caleb Williams.

I’m not going to do the “USC might have beaten Utah if Caleb didn’t hurt his hamstring” thing – that’s not fair to the other candidates or the Utes. However, on one leg he threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns in the loss to Utah – his defense and lines did nothing to help him out. Gutting it out like he did sealed the Heisman deal.

The 470 yards and two touchdowns against UCLA were big, the 18-of-22 day with three rushing touchdowns against Notre Dame was the spotlight everyone was looking for, and there was the Oregon State game.

It was a subtle Heisman moment, nothing was working against the Beavers, but he was able to rise up on the road and lead the way on a game-winning drive to save the day.

All of that, and he was the one who put USC into hyperdrive after Lincoln Riley took over.

It was a weird Heisman year. Williams was able to outlast the field.

My all-time Heisman votes …
2021 QB Bryce Young, Alabama
2020 QB Kyle Trask, Florida (DeVonta Smith won)
2019 QB Joe Burrow, LSU
2018 QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
2017 QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
2016 QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Lamar Jackson won)
2015 RB Derrick Henry, Alabama
2014 QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon
2013 QB Jameis Winston, Florida State
2012 LB Manti Te’o, Notre Dame (Johnny Manziel won)
2011 QB Robert Griffin III, Baylor
2010 QB Cam Newton, Auburn
2009 DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (Mark Ingram won)
2008 QB Tim Tebow, Florida (Sam Bradford won)
2007 QB Tim Tebow, Florida
2006 QB Troy Smith, Ohio State
2005 RB Reggie Bush, USC

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College Football Award Winners. Who Took The Top Honors?

College Football Awards: Who won all of the top college football awards on the big night to honor the best and the brightest from the 2022 season? 

Who won all of the top college football awards on the big night to honor the best and the brightest from the 2022 season? 

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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2022 College Football Awards

Bednarik Award

Who were the best defensive players in college football?

2022 Bednarik Award Winner

DE Will Anderson, Alabama

2022 Bednarik Award Finalists

DE Will Anderson, Alabama
LB Ivan Pace, Cincinnati
DE Tuli Tuipulotu, USC

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Anderson, 2) Tuipulotu, 3) Pace
Best Player Not On Ballot: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
2021 Bednarik Award Winner: DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

Biletnikoff Award

Who were the best receivers in college football? 

2022 Biletnikoff Award Winner

Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

2022 Biletnikoff Award Finalists

Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Xavier Hutchinson, Iowa State
Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Harrison, 2) Hyatt, 3) Hutchinson
Best Player Not On Ballot: Josh Downs, North Carolina
2021 Biletnikoff Award Winner: Jordan Addison, Pitt

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Who were the best defensive players in college football?

2022 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Winner

DE Will Anderson, Alabama

2022 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Finalists

DE Will Anderson, Alabama
DT Calijah Kancey, Pitt
S Chris Smith, Georgia
DE Tuli Tuipulotu, USC

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Anderson, 2) Tuipulotu, 3) Kancey, 4) Smith
Best Player Not On Ballot: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
2021 Bronko Nagurski Award Winner: DE Will Anderson, Alabama

Butkus Award

Who were the best linebackers in college football?

2022 Butkus Award Winner

Jack Campbell, Iowa

2022 Butkus Award Finalists

Drew Sanders, Arkansas
Jack Campbell, Iowa
Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia
Dalyan Henley, Washington State
Ivan Pace, Cincinnati

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Pace, 2) Campbell, 3) Sanders, 4) Henley
Best Player Not On Ballot: Jason Henderson, Old Dominion (unless you count Alabama’s Will Anderson as a linebacker)
2021 Butkus Award Winner: Nakobe Dean, Georgia

Davey O’Brien Award

Who were the best quarterbacks in college football? 

2022 Davey O’Brien Award Winner

Max Duggan, TCU

2022 Davey O’Brien Award Finalists

Max Duggan, TCU
CJ Stroud, Ohio State
Caleb Williams, USC

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Williams, 2) Duggan, 3) Stroud
Best Player Not On Ballot: Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
2021 Davey O’Brien Award Winner: Bryce Young, Alabama

Doak Walker Award

Who were the best running backs in college football?

2022 Doak Walker Award Winner

Bijan Robinson, Texas

2022 Doak Walker Award Finalists

Chase Brown, Illinois
Blake Corum, Michigan
Bijan Robinson, Texas

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Robinson, 2) Brown, 3) Corum
Best Player Not On Ballot: Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota
2021 Davey O’Brien Award Winner: Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

Thorpe Award

Who were the best defensive backs in college football?

2022 Thorpe Award Winner

S Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU

2022 Thorpe Award Finalists

S Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU
CB Clark Phillips, Utah
CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Witherspoon, 2) Phillip, 3) Hodges-Tomlinson
Best Player Not On Ballot: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
2021 Davey O’Brien Award Winner: CB Coby Bryant, Cincinnati

John Mackey Award

Who were the best tight ends in college football?

2022 John Mackey Award Winner

Brock Bowers, Georgia

2022 John Mackey Award Finalists

Brock Bowers, Georgia
Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
Sam LaPorta, Iowa

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Bowers, 2) Mayer, 3) LaPorta
Best Player Not On Ballot: Dalton Kincaid, Utah
2021 John Mackey Award Winner: Trey McBride, Colorado State

Lou Groza Award

Who were the best kickers in college football?

2022 Lou Groza Award Winner

Christopher Dunn, NC State

2022 Lou Groza Award Finalists

Christopher Dunn, NC State
Joshua Karty, Stanford
Jake Moody, Michigan

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Dunn, 2) Karty, 3) Moody
Best Player Not On Ballot: Tanner Brown, Oklahoma State
2021 Lou Groza Award Winner: Jake Moody, Michigan

Outland Trophy

Who were the best interior linemen in college football? 

2022 Outland Trophy Winner

C Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan

2022 Outland Trophy Finalists

DT Calijah Kancey, Pitt
C Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Kancey, 2) Olumwatimi, 3) Skoronski
Best Player Not On Ballot: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia
2021 Outland Award Winner: DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

Ray Guy Award

Who were the best punters in college football?

2022 Ray Guy Award Winner

Adam Korsak, Rutger

2022 Ray Guy Award Finalists

Mason Fletcher, Cincinnati
Bryce Baringer, Michigan State
Adam Korsak, Rutgers

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Baringer, 2) Fletcher, 3) Korsak
Best Player Not On Ballot: Kai Kroger, South Carolina
2021 Ray Guy Award Winner: Matt Araiza, San Diego State

Heisman Memorial Trophy

Who was the most outstanding player in college football?

2022 Heisman Trophy Finalists

QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia
QB Max Duggan, TCU
QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State
QB Caleb Williams, USC

Fiu’s Ballot: Not allowed to release until after announcement
Who Will Win: QB Caleb Williams, USC
Best Player Not On Ballot: QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
2021 Heisman Award Winner: QB Bryce Young, Alabama

Maxwell Award

Who were the best players in college football?

2022 Maxwell Award Winner

QB Caleb Williams, USC

2022 Maxwell Award Finalists

QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State
QB Caleb Williams, USC

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Williams, 2) Stroud, 3) Hooker
Best Player Not On Ballot: QB Max Duggan, TCU
2021 Maxwell Award Winner: QB Bryce Young, Alabama

Walter Camp Award

Who were the best players in college football?

2022 Walter Camp Winner

QB Caleb Williams, USC

2022 Walter Camp Finalists

RB Blake Corum, Michigan
QB Max Duggan, TCU
QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State
QB Caleb Williams, USC

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Williams, 2) Duggan, 3) Stroud
Who Will Win: QB Max Duggan, TCU
Best Player Not On Ballot: QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington
2021 Maxwell Award Winner: RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

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– 2021 Heisman Trophy: Who’ll Come In 2nd?

Heisman Trophy Candidates. Can ANYONE Beat Caleb Williams?

Who are the top candidates still in the mix for the 2022 Heisman Trophy race? Are there ANY candidates worthy other than Caleb Williams?

Who’s in the hunt for the 2022 Heisman Trophy? Are there any other candidates than Caleb Williams now?

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Heisman Watch: Top Candidates, Championship Week

Week 13 Roundup
Rankings CFN 1-131 Rankings | AP | Coaches
Bowl Eligible Teams | Week 13 Scoreboard
Championship Week opening lines | CFP Top 25 Prediction
Bowl Projections, CFP Predictions | CFP Chase: 6 Teams Alive
– Contact/Follow @PeteFiutak

Last year at this time we still didn’t really know who the Heisman finalists were, much less the possible winner.

Alabama QB Bryce Young put together a drive for the ages to get by Auburn, but whatever – his candidacy was about to run into a hard wall with Georgia coming up next.

And then he threw for 421 yards and three touchdowns in the 41-24 SEC Championship win. That made it easy, and it’s simple this year, too, unless Caleb Williams has a disastrous day against Utah in the Pac-12 Championship.

Full disclosure, I’m a Heisman voter and can’t reveal my vote, preferences, or potential ideas for my ballot under penalty of death, or something far, far worse – like being forced to watch some sort of country music holiday special. With that said …

Can anyone provide any sort of a challenge to Williams?

The USC star did what he had to against Notre Dame, taking the Carson Palmer 2002 Heisman playbook and stepping up when the world was watching. However, Palmer didn’t have to play in a Pac-12 Championship with a College Football Playoff spot on the line.

There might be an opportunity for someone other than Williams to take the cheese with one monster performance this weekend.

Here are the five top realistic candidates for the 2022 Heisman Trophy.

Player(s) of Week 13

RB Donovan Edwards & QB JJ McCarthy, Michigan
But … but … Blake Corum?

After a week of speculation about whether or not Corum could play against Ohio State, he only ran twice for six yards. Edwards stepped up behind a great day from the Michigan offensive line, running 22 times for 216 yards and two scores. McCarthy ran six times for 27 yard and a score, and he hit half his passes for 263 yards and three touchdowns without a pick in the shocking 45-23 win.

5 Other Players On The Heisman Watch List

Reality check – if you’re not playing this weekend in one of the conference championship games, you’re not winning the 2022 Heisman Trophy.

You might be a finalist, but it’s going to take something amazing just to be close to the pin if you’re not doing something Heismaney with everyone paying attention.

Next week will be the list of finalists, and again, a few of these guys could be on it. None of them will win the trophy, though.

In alphabetical order …

QB Hendon Hooker, Tennessee
QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
QB Bo Nix, Oregon
RB Bijan Robinson, Texas
QB Bryce Young, Alabama

5. RB Blake Corum, Michigan

Unstoppable throughout the regular season, he wasn’t needed much in the first three games – he still managed to crank up five touchdown runs against UConn. Once the lights came on, he was fantastic averaging close to six yards per carry with 18 scores before suffering a knee injury late in the year against Illinois. He ran for 108 yards against the Illini as part of a run of eight straight 100-yard days.

Why Blake Corum Will Win the Heisman: He was the signature star for what’s turning into the signature team of the college football regular season. Seriously, Georgia was fun and all, but does it have wins as good as Michigan has over Ohio State and Penn State?

Why Blake Corum Won’t Win the Heisman: Shhhhhhh. You’re not supposed to say this out loud, but … 1) Blake Corum isn’t the best running back in college football – Bijan Robinson probably is. 2) Blake Corum isn’t the best running back in the Big Ten. He’s not even in the top two – Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim and Chase Brown of Illinois had better seasons.

All that, and he – TOTALLY unfair, but it’s part of the Heisman deal – didn’t do much against Ohio State, and he’s hardly a lock to be a big factor in the Big Ten Championship with his knee injury still a concern.

NEXT: 2022 Heisman Candidates: Top 4

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Heisman Trophy Watch Top Candidates After Week 7: The Race Is On

2022 Heisman Trophy race: Who are the top candidates now that the race is on?

Who’s in the hunt for the Heisman Trophy? The top candidates, what they need to do, and who still has a realistic shot.

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Heisman Trophy Watch: Top Candidates, Week 7

College Football Week 7 Roundup
CFN 1-131 Rankings | Rankings by Conference
Bowl Projections | Week 7 Scoreboard
Week 8 Early Lines | AP Rankings | Coaches Poll
What 12-Team Playoff Would Look Like
Top 10 Hot Seat Coach Rankings
– Contact/Follow @PeteFiutak

And now it’s on.

The race for the Heisman Trophy hadn’t really kicked in yet.

Bryce Young was banged up, no one who goes to bed at a reasonable hour had seen Caleb Williams play a full game, CJ Stroud was rolling with too much ease – there wasn’t any intrigue.

That all changed up in a big way last weekend, and now the Heisman Trophy chase is in high gear.

Who are the five most realistic candidates in the hunt? As a Heisman voter, I’m not allowed to reveal my thoughts or ballot under penalty of death – or worse, be forced to watch the Iowa offense – but here’s the best guess at how the voting would go if the season were to end now.

Before getting going, remember the reality of this thing. To be in the hunt, you have to 1) be on a team in the mix for the national title, or at least the College Football Playoff, 2) be a quarterback, or 3) be having an otherworldly season if you’re at another position.

And you have to do stuff when everyone is watching.

To me, it’s about who the signature player is in a given season – a combination of MVP and MOP – but again, this list isn’t necessarily what I would do with my ballot.

The top five players in the Heisman Trophy race after Week 7 are …

Player of Week 7

WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
There were a few other guys out there who had pretty good days, too, but Hyatt came up with something otherworldly in the 52-49 win over Alabama. He only made six grabs, but they were all big with 207 yard and a school-record five touchdowns.

5 Other Players On The Heisman Watch List

These five are in the waiting room with the potential to make it on to the set, but they all need to rise up and rock over the next several weeks, and they need the top five to stumble.

In alphabetical order …

QB Stetson Bennett, Georgia
QB Max Duggan, TCU
QB Drake Maye, North Carolina
QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA
QB DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson

5. RB Blake Corum, Michigan

Why Blake Corum Will Win the Heisman: It’s been totally forgotten about now, but if Bryce Young doesn’t lead Alabama to that amazing game-winning drive against Auburn last year – and if Tank Bigsby had stayed in bounds – we’re talking about Michigan trying to get its second Heisman in a row.

Aidan Hutchinson proved Michigan players really can be in the mix for this thing, and now Corum is starting to build up his own Heisman resumé.

He hit the 120-yard mark in each of the four Big Ten games – and didn’t in the first three games of the season because the team didn’t need him. The 901 yards are great, the 13 touchdowns are strong, and running for 166 yards and two scores against Penn State was huge.

Rock against Michigan State, keep on winning, and then roll up Ohio State, and then look out.

Why Blake Corum Won’t Win the Heisman: It’s not wrong to think he’s not even the best back in the Big Ten, or even second.

Chase Brown of Illinois is having a monster season, but the name recognition isn’t there to be in the Heisman mix. Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim is right there in the discussion of best backs in the Big Ten, Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen has to be in the mix, and the Ohio State backs are …

Corum is the star of an unbeaten Michigan team that keeps on rolling. To be in the hunt for the Heisman, though, the stats and performances have been great, but it all has to go up several notches in this beauty contest.

NEXT: 2022 Heisman Candidates: Top 4

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10 Best Heisman Trophy Candidates – If It’s Not CJ Stroud or Bryce Young

The 10 best Heisman Trophy candidates going into the 2022 season if it’s not CJ Stroud or Bryce Young?

Who are the 10 best Heisman Trophy candidates going into the 2022 season – if it’s not CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, or Will Anderson taking the prize?

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– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

CJ Stroud isn’t going to win the 2022 Heisman Trophy.

Actually, he might – he’s certainly talented enough and Ohio State will be in the national championship chase all season long – but that’s too easy.

That, and the Buckeye defense should be better, Stroud probably won’t have the same numbers, and he might not be quite as sensational.

Bryce Young isn’t going to win the 2022 Heisman Trophy.

Actually, he might – he’s certainly talented enough and Alabama will be in the national championship chase all season long – but that’s too easy.

That, and it has been impossible to repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner after Archie Griffin pulled off the twozie in 1974 and 1975.

Was Joe Burrow in any discussion to win the Heisman before 2019? He was barely a blip at LSU, much less nationally.

Could a wide receiver really win the greatest individual trophy in all of sports? It didn’t happen since Desmond Howard pulled it off in 1991, and then DeVonta Smith was unstoppable in 2020.

How hard is it to win the Heisman Trophy? Quick, off the top of your head, who were the favorites before the 2021 season to win it?

Time’s up. Yes, Bryce Young was one of the favorites, but he was behind Spencer Rattler – the former Oklahoma quarterback is now at South Carolina – and DJ Uiagalelei, who struggled through an ugly year for Clemson.

Stroud was high up in the odds, but so was Texas RB Bijan Robinson, Iowa State RB Breece Hall, North Carolina QB Sam Howell, Miami QB D’Eriq King, Arizona State QB Jayden Daniels, USC QB Kedon Slovis, and Georgia QB JT Daniels.

Where was Pitt QB Kenny Pickett? He was hanging out with Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson about 50 miles off the radar.

Here’s my advice – if you think your long shot option might pull it off, go for it. And if it’s possible to take The Field, that’s your best bet.

With all of that said, here are the ten best picks to win the 2022 Heisman Trophy other than Bryce, CJ, and Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson – it’s SO hard to crank up the massive sack numbers needed to get close.

Remember, considering how many finalists come from out of nowhere, sometimes the wilder the call, the better, so let’s start this off with a few insane fliers …

– 2022 CFN Preview of all 131 Teams

10. Tyler Shough, QB Texas Tech

ODDS: +10000
I’ve been trying for a few years to make Tyler Shough into a thing ever since he was at Oregon.

He’s got the talent, he’s got the tools, and he’s got the NFL upside to be a top pick. He now has the Texas Tech starting quarterback job after winning a three-way battle.

But really, why is he here? You know that Western Kentucky offense that threw for over 6,000 yards and 63 touchdowns last season? It’s now in Lubbock under new offensive coordinator Zach Kittley.

Shough’s numbers should be astronomical.

9. Jarek Broussard, RB Michigan State

ODDS: Off The Board
There was a moment last season when Kenneth Walker had the Heisman won. He ripped up Michigan for five touchdowns – the race appeared to be over going into November. Six carries for 25 yards against Ohio State ended that, but he had a Heisman-caliber season.

Wisconsin transfer Jalen Berger might have something to say about it, but Broussard – a transfer from Colorado who rancor 896 yards in six games in 2020 – has the potential to bust out in Walker’s role.

8. Malik Cunningham, QB Louisville

ODDS: +6600
Stats, stats, stats, stats, stats. It’s asking the world for Cunningham to pull of a Lamar Jackson – the former Louisville quarterback who won the Heisman in 2016 – but the numbers should be there.

The senior threw for close to 3,000 yards with 19 touchdowns last year and ran for over 1,000 yards and 20 scores. If he can go off early and generate a buzz, and if Louisville can start winning right away, the momentum will build for the November 12th date at Clemson.

– CFN Expert Picks: Week 0
Week 1 Thursday/Friday | Week 1 Saturday

7. Bijan Robinson, RB Texas

ODDS: +2000
Robinson probably would’ve won the Heisman last season if it was handed out at halftime of the Oklahoma game on October 9th. If he can stay healthy, and if he’s able to be the focus of a Texas offense that’s going to wing it around the yard, he’s got a shot.

However, it could all end immediately with Alabama coming up on September 10th. Or, if he goes big and the Longhorns win, he might have the Heisman wrapped up. Or …

6. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Alabama

ODDS: +3300
The Texas game could be the showcase for the new Alabama starting running back.

While Bryce Young and Will Anderson should be the headliners, Gibbs – a Georgia Tech transfer – has the potential to blow up with his speed, home run hitting ability, and upside to show off in spotlight game after spotlight game.

5. Anthony Richardson, QB Florida

ODDS: +5000
If you believe the NFL scouts, Richardson has already won the Heisman, the No. 1 pick in the draft, and maybe start fitting him for one of those snazzy yellow jackets. They might not be wrong.

Richardson has all the skills and all the talent to have a huge season, and he has the offense to show off. The Billy Napier attack will get Richardson in places where he can do big things, and he’ll get a shot to make an early statement with Utah coming to town.

4. Hendon Hooker, QB Tennessee

ODDS: +6600
Sort of like Louisville’s Malik Cunningham, the Heisman potential here comes down to stats, stats, and stats.

Hooker took over the Tennessee starting gig after a few games, and he ended up throwing for close to 3,000 yards with 31 touchdowns and just three picks, and he ran for 613 yards and five touchdowns.

The starting quarterback in the Tennessee offense will be a statistical monster, and if Hooker can rip up Pitt, Florida, and LSU early on, the Heisman spotlight will be on when Alabama comes to Knoxville on October 15th.

– CFN Ranking of All 131 Teams

3. DJ Uiagalelei, QB Clemson

ODDS: +2500
I still believe.

So do the oddsmakers – +2500 just isn’t that high.

The formula works – who’s the big name star on the team that’s going to be a near-lock to make the College Football Playoff? Ohio State has Stroud, Bama has Bryce, and Clemson has … well, Clemson’s stars are on the defensive line, but it’s the quarterback who’ll get the spotlight. A recommitted Uiagalelei should be in for a huge rebound season as the offense perks back up.

If he puts up big numbers early and Clemson rolls by NC State, Boston College, Wake Forest, and Florida State, the stage will be set for the showdown in South Bend when the Tigers deal with Notre Dame on November 5th.

Uiagalelei threw for 439 yards and two scores and ran for a touchdown the last time he made that trip.

2. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR Ohio State

ODDS: +3300
Yeah, Stroud is probably the right call if you’re picking any Heisman contender from Ohio State, but again, his numbers probably won’t be what they were in 2021. He’ll still be great, but he won’t have to bomb away like he did.

However, Smith-Njigba could be the guy who steps out as the main man after catching 95 passes for 1,606 yards and nine scores.

The 15-catch performance against Utah in the Rose Bowl set the tone, and it’s not crazy to think he could end up with 117 catches for close to 2,000 yards and 23 scores like DeVonta Smith did.

1. Caleb Williams, QB USC

ODDS: +700
Everything is set up perfectly.

The Lincoln Riley offense, having Jordan Addison to throw to, and the relatively easy schedule to build up the hype week after week. Williams will be front-and-center in the Heisman race over the first half of the season, and then comes the date at Utah that should make-or-break his candidacy.

If he’s amazing against the Utes and and USC keeps on winning, the spotlight will be on at UCLA and against Notre Dame to end the regular season. It’s all there to take the prize …

If it’s not CJ Stroud, or Bryce Young, or Will Anderson.

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– Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings
– Schedules For All 131 Teams

2022 Heisman Candidates: Early Top Ten Prediction, Watch List

2022 Heisman Candidates: Who are the top candidates to watch out for next year?

2022 Heisman Candidates: To start speculating early, who should belong on the watch list for the trophy?

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– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

Yeah, Bryce Young was on every list of 2021 preseason Heisman candidates, but Kenny Pickett? The guy who didn’t get past 13 touchdown passes in any of his first four years?

DeVonta Smith – a wide receiver? – was going to win the 202 Heisman? NO ONE came close to predicting that, and no, you and nobody else had the first clue that Joe Burrow would have one of the greatest seasons in college football history in his 2019 run.

That’s why we always start any Heisman prediction piece by going with The Field, The Field, The Field.

For every Spencer Rattler of 2021 was a Will Anderson, Kenneth Walker, or Aidan Hutchinson just waiting to pop up and into the race.

Making the 2022 Heisman race even more insane to figure out is that we really don’t know what we don’t know, because …

1. Transfers, transfers, transfers. Not only will a few guys on this list be gone to other spots by the time you’re probably done reading this, but others are going to transfer into sweet gigs with big statistical potential.

2. Draft, draft, draft. Who’s this year’s Kenny Pickett type who’ll stay in school and bet on himself? A whole slew of key players – like Georgia’s JT Daniels – aren’t on this list because we’re just assuming they’re off to the NFL. We’ll do this piece again after all the early entries are set.

3. Coaches, coaches, coaches. Really, who’s going to be Lincoln Riley’s quarterback at USC? Really, what’s Brent Venables going to do at Oklahoma? Will Miami start winging it around? Where will all the star offensive coordinators end up?

The goal is getting the early 2022 Heisman call close to the pin – last year we did have Young at 3; but cheerfully ignore 1 and 2.

2022 Heisman Candidates Watch List: Names On A List As Fliers … Just In Case

Call this the Johnny Manziel/Cam Newton//Joe Burrow/DeVonta Smith base-covering list. These all might seem crazy, but Matt Corral was in this space last year.

It’s in alphabetical order after beginning with …

The Field
Again, if someone offers you The Field, take it. Oh, there’s a 2019 Joe Burrow out there, and we have eight months before next season to find him.

QB Jaxson Dart, Soph. USC
There’s a chance this could be Kedon Slovis’s offense to fly, but there’s a better shot that new head coach Lincoln Riley ends up with Caleb Williams – more on that in a moment – or some other superstar transfer in the Baker, Kyler, Jalen mold. Dart is on this list just in case he turns out to be The Guy.

QB Quinn Ewers, Fr. Undecided
Will he be Steve Sarkisian’s guy at Texas? Will he take over at Texas Tech? More on that with the Red Raiders in a moment. No matter where he ends up, the former superstar get for Ohio State has the talent to be instantly special wherever he goes.

QB Jake Haener, Sr. Fresno State
He was in the transfer portal – the thought was that he’d be off to Washington with former Fresno State head coach Kalen DeBoer – and then he came back in to be new/old head man Jeff Tedford’s quarterback. This is a straight stat play after throwing for over 3,800 yards and 32 touchdowns. He might put up eye-popping numbers that blow away the 2021 stats.

QB Sam Hartman, Jr. Wake Forest
What, you think this is slowing down? For all of the love and affection given to Kenny Pickett this year in the Heisman race, Hartman was stride-for-stride statistically for stretches before the interceptions kicked in. Throw in the 11 touchdown runs with the 36 touchdown passes and close to 4,000 yards, and the stats will be there.

– Bryce Young wins 2021 Heisman Trophy: He checked all the boxes

QB Hendon Hooker, Sr. Tennessee
Possibly the most underappreciated quarterback in college football over the lsat few years, the former Virginia Tech transfer stepped in at Tennessee – after not getting the job to start the year – and finished with 26 touchdowns passes just three interceptions, and 561 yards and five touchdown runs. He could be a super-senior and take his game up a few notches in the Josh Heupel offense.

RB Mohamed Ibrahim, Sr. Minnesota
At the very least, he might be the feel-good story of 2022 if he comes back to form after tearing his Achilles tendon in the opener against Ohio State. He was crushing the Buckeyes with 163 yards and two scores before getting hurt. If he’s his old self, he’ll be a statistical monster.

QB KJ Jefferson, Jr. Arkansas
Totally overshadowed in a division with Bryce Young, Matt Corral, and Will Rogers, all the 6-3, 245-pound Jefferson did was throw for close to 2,600 yards with 21 touchdowns and just three interceptions, and run for 554 yards and five scores. Now he knows what he’s doing.

QB Devin Leary, Jr. NC State
Leary didn’t air it out quite as much as some of the other ACC stars, but he’ll finally get a little bit of the spotlight after throwing for 3,433 yards and 35 touchdowns with five picks.

QB Will Rogers, Mississippi State
Did Bryce Young lead the SEC in passing? No. Did he lead the SEC in completion percentage – at least among quarterbacks who threw at least 100 passes? No. Did Rogers lead the SEC in both categories, and will he likely blow up the stats in the Mike Leach offense after completing 75% of his throws for 4,451 yards and 35 touchdowns? Probably.

– Top Ten 2022 Heisman Candidates

NEXT: 2022 Heisman Candidates: Top Ten

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Bryce Young Wins 2021 Heisman Trophy: He Checked All The Boxes

Bryce Young won the 2021 Heisman Trophy. He checked all the boxes with a Heisman-caliber season in every way.

Bryce Young won the 2021 Heisman Trophy. The Alabama quarterback rose above the field by checking all the boxes.

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Bryce Young Wins The Heisman Trophy

– Contact/Follow @PeteFiutak

There wasn’t another option.

Others might have received first place votes, but there really isn’t an argument for anyone other than Bryce Young to be the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner.

There wasn’t a box left unchecked as he had a Heisman-caliber season in every way. In a college football season without any obvious options until the very end, he took over when he had to.

2021 Heisman Trophy Voting
1. QB Bryce Young, Alabama, 684 1st, 2311 points
2. DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan, 78 1st, 954 points
3. QB Kenny Pickett, Pitt, 28 1st, 631 points
4. QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State, 12 1st, 399 points
5. DE Will Anderson, Alabama 31 1st, 325 points

Was he the star player for the national championship-level team? Check.

Was he a quarterback or running back – after things went a wee bit off script last year with DeVonta Smith? Check.

Did he have a signature Heisman moment? Down 10-3 with just over 90 seconds to play, Young had 1st-and-97 against Auburn, took the team down the field, got through a few overtimes, saved the season. Check.

Did he show up large in the biggest and most important game of the season when everyone was paying attention? 26-of-44 for 421 yards and three touchdowns and, no picks, and a rushing touchdown against the biggest, baddest defense in the land. SEC Championship: Alabama 41, Georgia 24. Check.

Did he have the stats? WKU’s Bailey Zappe threw more touchdown passes (56), but Young had the most touchdown throws among all Power Five quarterbacks (43) with just four picks. And he did it against an SEC schedule. Check.

He threw multiple touchdown passes in every game and four or more in five games. Check.

Was he that bad in the down moment – he threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns with a pick in the loss to Texas A&M. Check.

Was he the MVP? Alabama is the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff partly because its quarterback got the job done in the big moments. Check.

Was he the MOP? He was outstanding in those moments, threw for 4,322 yards, and again, he was the standout player in the biggest moments that mattered to get to this point. Check.

But don’t take it all for granted.

Yeah, he’s the quarterback at Alabama. Yeah, it’s not like he was getting the job done without NFL talent around him.

Yeah, he’s the first Alabama quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy.

Now 2021 Heisman winner has two more boxes to check, starting with Cincinnati on New Year’s Eve.

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College Football Awards 2021: Who Won? Who Were The Best Players?

College Football Awards: Who won the big individual honors for the 2021 college football season?

Who won all of the top college football awards on the big night to honor the best and the brightest from the 2021 season? 

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

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2021 Home Depot College Football Awards

Bednarik Award

Who were the best defensive players in college football?

And The Winner Is …

DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

2021 Bednarik Award Finalists

DE Will Anderson, Alabama
DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
S Kyle Hamilton, Notre Dame
DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Anderson, 2) Davis, 3) Thibodeaux

Best Player Not On Ballot: DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

Biletnikoff Award

Who were the best receivers in college football? 

2021 Biletnikoff Award Winner

Jordan Addison, Pittsburgh

2021 Biletnikoff Award Finalists

Jordan Addison, Pitt
David Bell, Purdue
Jameson Williams, Alabama

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Bell, 2) Addison, 3) Williams

Best Player Not On Ballot: Jerreth Sterns, WKU

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Who were the best defensive players in college football?

2021 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Winner

DE Will Anderson, Alabama

2021 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Finalists

DE Will Anderson, Alabama
DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
DE Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Anderson, 2) Davis, 3) Thibodeaux

Best Player Not On Ballot: DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

Butkus Award

Who were the best linebackers in college football?

2021 Butkus Award Winner

Nakobe Dean, Georgia

2021 Butkus Award Finalists

Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati
Leo Chenal, Wisconsin
Damone Clark, LSU
Nakobe Dean, Georgia
Devin Lloyd, Utah
Chad Muma, Wyoming

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Dean, 2) Clark, 3) Chenal

Best Player Not On Ballot: D’Marco Jackson, Appalachian State

Davey O’Brien Award

Who were the best quarterbacks in college football?

2021 Davey O’Brien Award Winner

Bryce Young, Alabama

2021 Davey O’Brien Award Finalists

Kenny Pickett, Pitt
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
Bryce Young, Alabama

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Young, 2) Stroud, 3) Pickett

Best Player Not On Ballot: Caleb Williams, Oklahoma

Doak Walker Award

Who were the best running backs in college football?

2021 Doak Walker Award Winner

Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

2021 Doak Walker Award Finalists

Tyler Badie, Missouri
Breece Hall, Iowa State
Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Walker, 2) Hall, 3) Badie

Best Player Not On Ballot: Sean Tucker, Syracuse

Thorpe Award

Who were the best defensive backs in college football?

2021 Thorpe Award Winner

CB Coby Bryant, Cincinnati

2021 Thorpe Award Finalists

Coby Bryant, Cincinnati
Verone McKinley III, Oregon
Jalen Pitre, Baylor

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Pitre, 2) Bryant, 3) McKinley

Best Player Not On Ballot: CB Jaquan McMillian, East Carolina

John Mackey Award

Who were the best tight ends in college football?

2021 John Mackey Award Winner

Trey McBride, Colorado State

2021 John Mackey Award Finalists

Trey McBride, Colorado State
Charlie Kolar, Iowa State
Jalen Wydermyer, Texas A&M

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) McBride, 2) Kolar, 3) Wydermyer

Best Player Not On Ballot: Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

Lou Groza Award

Who were the best kickers in college football?

2021 Lou Groza Award Winner

Jake Moody, Michigan

2021 Lou Groza Award Finalists

Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma
Jake Moody, Michigan
Noah Ruggles, Ohio State

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Moody, 2) Ruggles, 3) Brkic

Best Player Not On Ballot: Jonah Dallas, Boise State

Outland Trophy

Who were the best interior linemen in college football? 

2021 Outland Trophy Winner

DT Jordan Davis, Georgia

2021 Outland Trophy Finalists

DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
OT Ikem Ekwonu, NC State
C Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Davis, 2) Ekwonu, 3) Linderbaum

Best Player Not On Ballot: DT Cameron Thomas, San Diego State

Ray Guy Award

Who were the best punters in college football?

2021 Ray Guy Award Winner

Matt Araiza, San Diego State

2021 Ray Guy Award Finalists

Matt Araiza, San Diego State
Adam Korsak, Rutgers
Jordan Stout, Penn State

Fiu’s Ballot: 1) Araiza, 2) Korsak, 3) Stout

Best Player Not On Ballot: Ryan Stonehouse, Colorado State

Heisman Memorial Trophy

Who was the most outstanding player in college football?

2021 Heisman Winner

COMING

2021 Heisman Trophy Finalists

DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
QB Kenny Pickett, Pitt
QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State
QB Bryce Young. Alabama

Fiu’s Ballot: COMING

Best Player Not Among The Finalists: DE Will Anderson, Alabama

Maxwell Award

Who were the best players in college football?

2021 Maxwell Award Winner

QB Bryce Young, Alabama

2021 Maxwell Award Finalists

QB Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
QB Bryce Young, Alabama

Best Player Not On Ballot: QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State

Walter Camp Award

Who were the best players in college football?

2021 Walter Camp Winner

RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

2021 Walter Camp Finalists

DT Jordan Davis, Georgia
DE Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
QB Kenny Pickett, Pitt
RB Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
QB Bryce Young, Alabama

Best Player Not On Ballot: QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State

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– 2021 Heisman Trophy: Who’ll Come In 2nd?