Heisman Watch 2022: Latest Race Predictions Entering Week 14
Conference championship weekend in college football should serve as more of a coronation for the likely Heisman Trophy winner than a competition for the most prestigious individual award in the sport.
USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams solidified his position on top of most Heisman ballots in the last two weeks with his performances in wins over the UCLA Bruins and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Williams was in competition with Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud, but he dropped out of the conversation after a lackluster fourth quarter versus the Michigan Wolverines last week.
TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Max Duggan appears to be the only actual competition for Williams in the Heisman discussion.
Williams would have to turn in one of the worst games of his collegiate career in a USC loss to drop out of the top spot.
Any other players still in the Heisman mix are likely competing for invites to New York City for the ceremony instead of for the crown of the best individual player in the sport.
1. Caleb Williams, QB, USC
Caleb Williams launched himself to the top of the Heisman contender list with seven total touchdowns in the last two weeks.
Williams put up impressive totals for the entire season, but he was trailing behind C.J. Stroud and Hendon Hooker for a good part of the year.
The losses by the Ohio State Buckeyes and Tennessee Volunteers in recent weeks took those quarterbacks out of the Heisman picture and allowed Williams to put his name at the top of the list.
Williams ranks seventh in passing yards in the FBS, and he resides in a tie for sixth place in passing touchdowns. He only has three interceptions to his 34 touchdown throws.
He has also been a menace on the ground, as he has 351 rushing yards on 97 attempts. He has 10 touchdowns with his legs.
Williams even shined in USC's lone defeat to the Utah Utes. He produced 381 passing yards and five touchdowns through the air in Salt Lake City on October 15.
USC has an opportunity to avenge that loss in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Friday night.
Another standout performance from Williams in a victory would certainly confirm his status as the Heisman Trophy winner.
The only way Williams loses the award this weekend is if he has the worst performance of his career in a USC loss. He could perform well in a loss and likely still land the award because of his season-long accomplishments.
2. Max Duggan, QB, TCU
Max Duggan seems like the only player who can unseat Williams in the Heisman Trophy race.
The TCU quarterback has 3,070 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and three interceptions. He also has five touchdowns on the ground.
Duggan has been the best player during TCU's unbeaten run through the Big 12, and at minimum, he should be a Heisman finalist.
Duggan needs a dominant showing in the Big 12 Championship Game versus the Kansas State Wildcats to even get close to Williams in the Heisman voting.
The TCU signal-caller needs something like a 400-yard, four-touchdown performance through the air and maybe an extra score on the ground to make voters think about changing their first-place vote.
Duggan and the Horned Frogs need a win to get into the College Football Playoff, so they should air it out from the start and help Duggan's stat line in the Heisman race.
Even though he still has a chance to win the award, Duggan is likely playing to lock up second-place votes unless Williams has a catastrophic Friday night in Las Vegas.
3. C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State
C.J. Stroud was at, or near, the top of the Heisman polls for most of the season, but he dropped down those lists after Ohio State lost to Michigan.
Stroud threw two interceptions in the defeat. He played well in the first half, but his play dipped in the second half when Michigan mounted its comeback.
Stroud still sits in a tie for first in passing touchdowns with 37, and he has some of the best numbers of any FBS quarterback this season.
The stats should allow Stroud to earn an invite to New York City, but he does not have enough on his resume to win the award.
Stroud is not playing in a conference championship game, like Williams and Duggan, and the only way he can qualify for the playoff is if a team ranked ahead of Ohio State loses this weekend.