Heisman Trophy finalists: How to rank the top three contenders for college football’s premier 2022 award

Picking the Heisman Trophy winner was not straightforward. Some of the greatest candidates — Michigan operating again Blake Corum, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker — noticed their seasons finish early due to damage. Three top-flight quarterbacks all misplaced their ultimate video games. All of it made for what is likely to be the closest voting since Auburn’s Bo Jackson narrowly beat Iowa’s Chuck Long in 1985.

The frontrunner going into final weekend, USC QB Caleb Williams, was final seen hobbling off the discipline following an upset loss to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud did not even play final week. Georgia QB Stetson Bennett IV did, although; he continued to cement his place as a Bulldogs legend and potential topic of a film sometime.

This yr’s competitors was so robust that Hooker does not make the top three after a transformational season with the Volunteers. Sadly, neither does Bennett. Nineteen months in the past Georgia’s quarterback did not take a snap in spring apply. Last season, he was wanting over his shoulder. A yr in the past this month, Georgia followers had been nonetheless clamoring for J.T. Daniels (keep in mind him?). All Bennett did was change into the No. 2 passer in the SEC in 2022. Georgia went undefeated, received the SEC for the first time in 5 years and carries a nation-leading 15-game profitable streak into the College Football Playoff. 

Before shifting on, we should refer to some budding historical past. USC coach Lincoln Riley is already bordering on a corridor of fame profession primarily based on his quarterbacks alone. Williams would change into his third Heisman winner in the final six years. During that point, Riley has seen six gamers all end amongst the top 4 in Heisman voting.

You will not be seeing another Heisman ballots this early in the week. Voters are prohibited from revealing them till the ceremony concludes. In the curiosity of transparency, I relinquished my ballot a number of years in the past. As such, this is who can be on my poll if I nonetheless had one to submit.

1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC

Knee-jerk response from Friday night time: USC misplaced the Pac-12, CFP spot and the Heisman with Williams limping off the discipline. One night time later, I modified my thoughts. Even with a bum hamstring, Williams was in a position to bravely stand in the pocket — mainly motionless — and throw for 363 yards and three touchdowns. There’s no participant who was extra necessary to his group this season than Williams. He’ll want 69 yards to change into USC’s single-season passing chief, and he is already damaged program information for complete touchdowns and yaradge.

Williams grew as an individual, a passer and a pacesetter. He led a locker room as an outsider from Oklahoma. He built-in a gifted receiving room throwing for greater than 4,000 yards. “He played half a college football season [at Oklahoma]. He reset a team; he reset a location at USC,” Riley stated. “[He] was initially going to be seen as one of the leaders in the locker room. There was a lot to take on. He’s embraced it. I think it’s pushed him out of his comfort zone and made him better.”

Williams’ complete physique of labor is compelling as he tied for the nationwide lead with 37 landing passes (47 complete). This week, he was named a 2022 CBS Sports / 247Sports All-America first group choice in addition to the 2022 CBS Sports Player of the Year. Williams was additionally at his greatest when USC wanted him most — vs. ranked opponents — with 11 touchdowns in the Trojans’ ultimate three video games in opposition to UCLA, Notre Dame and Utah. (In his first assembly with the Utes earlier this season, Williams posted 5 touchdowns.)

2. Max Duggan, QB, TCU

As quarterback of the solely FBS squad to beat each group in its convention, Duggan will get the slight nod for No. 2 over others. That accomplishment is unattainable all over the place else however the Big 12, the solely FBS league to play a round-robin schedule. Weirdly, Duggan had his Heisman second(s) in a loss. Playing to exhaustion, he led the Horned Frogs again from an 11-point deficit in opposition to Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game. If not for some questionable play calling, he may have received that recreation (and maybe the Heisman). Why did not Duggan have the ball in his fingers at the purpose line in extra time?

His story is likely to be the greatest in college soccer this facet of Bennett. If not for a COVID-19 examination that exposed a coronary heart difficulty, Duggan and the Frogs won’t be right here. After coronary heart surgical procedure in 2020, he rebounded to play 32 profession video games prior to this season. He had already postpone foot surgical procedure in 2021 after Gary Patterson had been fired to end out a 5-7 marketing campaign. Then he misplaced the quarterback battle to Chandler Morris. TCU coach Sonny Dykes desperately wanted the veteran when Morris went down in the opener. What resulted was a season for the ages.The Council Bluff, Iowa, product grew to become the Frogs’ unabashed chief, topping the Big 12 in landing passes, cross effectivity and speeding by a quarterback. The picture of Duggan dragging his physique off the discipline late in the recreation will endure. So will his accomplishments this season.

3. C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State

Stroud was the front-runner for a lot of the season however misplaced juice after the Michigan loss. Then watching Williams, Duggan and Bennett carry out final Saturday pushed Stroud again of thoughts. Still, it is exhausting to neglect what he has completed. The newest NFL-worthy Buckeyes quarterback will end No. 2 on the faculty’s profession passing listing regardless of enjoying solely two seasons. He accomplished 70% of his passes this season in opposition to ranked groups. After throwing for 44 touchdowns in his first yr as a starter in 2021, his manufacturing declined. Well, if you happen to think about his 37 landing passes in 2022 a decline; that’s at present tied for the nationwide lead.

Stroud’s “decline” is definitely defined. For most of the season, he was with out his greatest huge receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Injuries severely impacted the operating again room. For giant parts of the season, the offense — truly, the group — was on Stroud’s again. Rutgers and Northwestern held him below 200 yards. Michigan picked off two of his passes. Otherwise, Stroud barely wavered. The playoff mulligan provides Ohio State and Stroud one other likelihood. After ending fourth in the 2021 Heisman voting, Stroud’s greatest days could also be forward if he can lead the Buckeyes to a championship.