Tag: Pac-12 Heisman

How many Pac-12 Heisman Trophy finalists will there be in 2023?

We asked our #Pac12 experts how many Heisman finalists the conference is likely to produce. It will probably be more than one.

It’s a simple question, but an irresistible and compelling one: How many Heisman Trophy finalists will the Pac-12 have in the 2023 college football season?

Here’s what our Pac-12 panel had to say:

Matt Wadleigh, Trojans and Buffaloes Wire: There’s a scenario where the Pac-12 has five Heisman finalists: Shedeur, Travis Hunter, Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and Caleb Williams. Right now, it’s Caleb’s award for the taking.

Zachary Neel, Ducks Wire: How many finalists are there in any given year, four? I’d give two to the Pac-12. We have to remember that this conference is going to cannibalize itself throughout the season, so some of these QBs are going to lose a bit of luster.

Matt Zemek, Trojans Wire: At least two. Caleb Williams is lock city USA. Chances are that Michael Penix or Bo Nix, one of the two, will join him. Getting three Pac-12 Heisman candidates will depend on Shedeur Sanders or Travis Hunter being able to sustain an elite level of performance through a full season. Will they hit a wall?

Catch all of Ducks Wire’s Pac-12 team overviews for the 2023 season:

Arizona — Arizona State — California — Colorado — Oregon State  — Stanford — UCLA — USC — Utah — Washington — Washington State

Pac-12 has a chance to dominate the 2023 Heisman Trophy ceremony

If you were to set the over-under on #Pac12 #Heisman finalists for 2023, would it be 2.5? That’s hardly a ridiculous number.

The Pac-12 Conference might be dying, but it could really go out in style this year. One reason the Pac-12 could have a banner year is that there are so many Heisman Trophy candidates in play for the conference. It’s only one week, but if you look around the larger landscape of college football, you will see that there are several legitimate contenders for the award. If they all play really well, it will be hard for Heisman contenders from other conferences to emerge and displace them.

Of course it’s only one week, and of course USC and Oregon played cupcake opponents this past weekend, but Pac-12 players, particularly quarterbacks, are certainly in position to have big years and make Heisman statements.

Let’s go through the main Pac-12 Heisman contenders and mention a few other national Heisman candidates who might get in their way in New York City this December:

Comparing Caleb Williams in 2022 to Oregon Heisman winner Marcus Mariota in 2014

Caleb Williams could become the first #Pac12 #Heisman winner since #Oregon’s Marcus Mariota. We talked to @ZacharyCNeel of @Ducks_Wire for perspective.

Caleb Williams is poised to make history for the Pac-12 Conference. He is likely to become the first Pac-12 Heisman Trophy winner since Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota in 2014. Mariota did one thing Caleb Williams did not: Lead his team to the College Football Playoff. However, Mariota faced a weak Arizona team in the Pac-12 Championship Game, whereas USC faced a much stronger Utah team.

Caleb Williams also got hurt in USC’s Pac-12 Championship Game.

What we can all agree on is that Mariota and Caleb were spectacular in their foremost Pac-12 seasons. Caleb gets another year in 2023, but his 2022 season set a high standard. How does Caleb Williams compare to Marcus Mariota?

We talked to Ducks Wire editor Zachary Neel.

Here’s our Heisman conversation below: