December 8, 2022
CFB InsiderLet's Talk Heisman Finalists and Notable Snubs
Monday night saw the announcement of the 2022 Heisman Trophy finalists: Georgia's Stetson Bennett, Caleb Williams of USC, TCU's Max Duggan, and Ohio State's C.J. Stroud.
However, since some of the strongest contenders — Michigan RB Blake Corum and Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker — had their seasons cut short by injury, it's no surprise that sports experts and fans have flocked to social media to express their opinions on the nominees.
Many in the college football world feel the Heisman voting process is still faulty.
Hooker guided Tennessee to a 10-2 record, propelling the Volunteers to the top of the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time.
In reality, the Volunteers remained in the hunt until late November, when a 63-38 defeat to South Carolina affected not only their CFP chances but also the season of QB Hendon, who suffered a torn ACL.
The same can be said for Michigan RB Blake Corum, who sustained a left knee injury against Illinois late in the first half.
Corum concluded his junior season with 247 attempts for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns on 247 attempts. Except for Michigan's regular-season finale against Ohio State, he rushed for at least 100 yards in every conference game.
The four quarterback finalists, including three participating in the College Football Playoff, will be in New York this Saturday for the annual event where they will announce the 2022 Heisman Trophy winner.
As the season wraps ups, let's look at the top three 2022 Heisman Trophy nominees:
Ohio St. QB C.J. Stroud
The lone returning finalist from 2021, Stroud concluded this season with a completion rate of 70% after passing for 44 touchdowns in his debut year as a starter in 2021. In addition to having the highest passer efficiency rating in the league, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year is tied with Tune and Williams for the most throwing touchdowns in college football with 37.
USC. QB Caleb Williams
Williams has over 4,000 throwing yards this season and tied for the national lead with 37 touchdown passes. And this week, the USC QB was honored as the 2022 CBS Sports Player of the Year and 2022 CBS Sports All-Star. Williams scored 11 touchdowns in USC's last three games against UCLA, Notre Dame, and Utah, all against ranked opponents. Despite USC's elimination from the CFP on Friday following a defeat to Utah in the Pac-12 title game, Williams is still the betting favorite to win the award.
TCU. QB Mac Duggan
Duggan, who led TCU to a perfect regular season, passed for 3,321 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just four interceptions this season. As the quarterback of the lone FBS team to win every game against its league opponents, Duggan edges out the competition for the No. 2 spot. The Iowa senior will lead TCU against Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl, with the winner advancing to the national championship game.