www.nfl.com
USC QB Caleb Williams wins 2022 Heisman Trophy
USC's Caleb Williams was awarded the 2022 Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, adding an exclamation point to his electrifying first season with the Trojans.
Politics
USC quarterback Caleb Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, earning college football's most treasured individual honor in his first year with the Trojans.
Williams beat out the other three finalists -- Ohio State's C.J. Stroud, TCU's Max Duggan and Georgia's Stetson Bennett -- in what was the first all-quarterback group of Heisman finalists since 2018. Duggan finished second in the voting, receiving 1,420 points to Williams' 2,031. Stroud finished third (539 points) and Bennett fourth (349 points). It marks the 11th time in the last 13 years that a quarterback has won the award.
"To now be a part of this historic fraternity is truly an honor and something I will cherish for the rest of my life," Williams said during his acceptance speech at Saturday night's ceremony in New York City. "While this may be an individual award, I certainly understand that nothing -- and absolutely nothing -- in this sport, nor life, is done alone."
Williams currently leads the FBS in passing touchdowns (37) and ranks fourth in pass yards (4,075). He and Lincoln Riley both left Oklahoma following the 2021 season and settled at USC, helping to quickly turn the program around.
Although the Trojans fell short of the College Football Playoff after losing to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship Game, they followed up a 4-8 season that saw the ouster of coach Clay Helton with an 11-2 campaign in 2022 and a spot in the Cotton Bowl versus Tulane.
Williams gutted through a painful hamstring injury in the loss to the Utes last weekend, throwing a late interception and taking seven sacks in the game, but he finished with 363 passing yards and three TDs, even picking up a fourth-quarter first down with his legs despite the injury.
Because of the injury, it's not clear if Williams will play in the Jan. 2 bowl game.
As a freshman at Oklahoma in 2021, Williams replaced benched starter Spencer Rattler and finished the season with 1,912 pass yards, 21 TDs and four interceptions, along with 442 rush yards and six more scores in 11 games.