Army Black Knights Star Bryson Daily Falls Short of Heisman Finalist Cut

Army West Point Black Knights quarterback Bryson Daily has had an impressive season but it wasn’t enough to land him status as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Dec 6, 2024; West Point, NY, USA; Army Black Knights quarterback Bryson Daily (13) warms up before the first half against the Tulane Green Wave at Michie Stadium. / Danny Wild-Imagn Images

The Downtown Athletic Club announced the finalists for the Heisman Trophy on Monday and Army West Point Black Knights quarterback Bryson Daily failed to make the list of finalists.

That doesn’t mean that Daily didn’t receive votes for the award. He just didn’t receive enough to earn an invitation to Saturday’s ceremony, which is shortly after the end of the Army-Navy game in Landover, Md.

The finalists are Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, Colorado wide receiver/defensive back Travis Hunter, Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Miami quarterback Cam Ward.

Army’s last Heisman winner was Pete Dawkins in 1958. The other winners were Doc Blanchard in 1945 and Glenn Davis in 1946.

Army coach Todd Monken had hoped that his quarterback would earn a finalist nod for the award, even though Saturday’s game would keep Daily from attending the ceremony.

“He embodies everything we want this program to be — toughness, grit, discipline, great leadership,” Monken said. “I’m so glad he’s on our team. He played a great game tonight. He’s had a great season. And the Downtown Athletic Club should extend an invitation to him to come to New York next week.”

Daily is coming off his performance in the American Athletic Conference championship game, during which he rushed for four touchdowns and was named the game’s most outstanding player. He finished the game with 126 yards rushing yards and 17 passing yards, as he completed both of his pass attempts.

Those four rushing touchdowns allows him to set the AAC record for most rushing touchdowns in a season. He now has 29, with multiple touchdowns in 10 straight games. Navy quarterback Will Worth set the record in 2016 with 25 touchdowns.

He has already set Army's single season record for touchdowns responsible for in a season, rushing touchdowns in a season, and rushing touchdowns in a single game.

Daily has now rushed for 100 yards in 10 consecutive games, the most 100-yard games by an Army rusher in single-season history, breaking Mike Mayweather's 1990 record.

Army (11-1) will play Navy (9-3) in Landover, Md., for their annual rivalry game. The Black Knights are hoping to win the game for the third straight time.

As for Army, it had already clinched a 10-win season for just the fourth time in program history and with Friday’s win it matched the 11 wins it claimed in 2018.

The Black Knights have never won 12 games in a season, but they will get two shots to reach that figure with the game against Navy and the bowl game.