Caleb Williams wins 2022 Heisman Trophy; USC quarterback is 5th sophomore to win award

Williams is the first USC Trojans' player to win the Heisman since Reggie Bush in 2005

USC quarterback Caleb Williams capped a remarkable sophomore season with college football's biggest individual prize: The Heisman Trophy.

Williams was awarded the 2022 Heisman Trophy Saturday night in a made-for-TV ceremony in New York City. He is the eighth USC player and just the fifth true sophomore to win the prestigious award, which is given annually to the sport’s most outstanding player.

Williams, 20, received 544 first-place votes. His 2,031 points easily beat out TCU quarterback Max Duggan, who finished second with 1,420 points.

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud finished third with 539 points, and Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett finished fourth with 349 points.

Statistically, Williams is the most deserving of the award, leading all of college football in total touchdowns with 47 and average points responsible for with 21.7. His 4,447 total yards are third in the nation and a new USC record, as is his lofty touchdown total.

As a passer, Williams ranks in the top five in volume and efficiency, with just four interceptions on the season. However, he has impressed most with his dual-threat ability and set a new USC quarterback record with 372 rushing yards. His 10 rushing touchdowns led his team this year as well.

Across the board, Williams had the most impressive statistical season ever amassed by a USC quarterback. He led USC back to national relevance, turning last year’s 4-8 team into an 11-2 squad that was consistently ranked in the top 10 all season. His Trojans narrowly missed out on the school’s first College Football Playoff appearance after a disappointing Pac-12 Championship loss to Utah.

Though his regular season ended on a low note, in which he was physically limited by a hamstring injury, Williams still had a phenomenal season, one that Trojans' fans will remember for years to come. His elite performance in a thrilling victory at the Rose Bowl over UCLA will forever be etched in the history of the crosstown rivalry.

Eleven wins were enough to bring USC back to the national spotlight and its first New Years’ Six bowl appearance since the legendary 2017 Rose Bowl. If Williams can lead his team to a win over Tulane in this year’s Cotton Bowl, it would mark the Trojans’ first 12-win season since 2008, under Pete Carroll’s leadership.

Along with securing the Heisman Trophy, Williams has earned several other honors for his incredible season, including the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award, as well as being voted the AP Player of the Year.

Williams brought eight of USC’s offensive linemen with him to New York to celebrate the accomplishment, a cool gesture from the superstar quarterback to share some credit with the guys up front who made his on-field antics possible.

The USC Heisman winners he joins include Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. Simpson (1968), Charles White (1979), Marcus Allen (1981), Carson Palmer (2002), Matt Leinert (2004), and Reggie Bush (2005).

Williams is the third quarterback to win the award under Lincoln Riley’s mentorship, joining former Oklahoma stars Baker Mayfield (2017) and Kyler Murray (2018). Another Riley QB, Jalen Hurts, finished second in the 2019 Heisman race to LSU’s Joe Burrow.

With another year before he is allowed to declare for the NFL Draft, Williams will have the rare opportunity to vie for a second Heisman Trophy next season, a feat achieved only once by Ohio State’s Archie Griffin nearly 50 years ago.