College Football

USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the winner of the 2022 Heisman Trophy, beating out Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett and TCU quarterback Max Duggan for the honor.

Williams is the seventh player from USC to win the Heisman Trophy, joining Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. Simpson (1968), Charles White (1979), Marcus Allen (1981), Carson Palmer (2002), Matt Leinart (2004) and Reggie Bush (2005).

Williams, who followed head coach Lincoln Riley to USC from Oklahoma for the 2022 campaign, had been the favorite to win the Heisman for the last several weeks. He is the sixth quarterback since 2016 to take home the award, joining Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow and Bryce Young.

The 20-year-old led the Trojans to an 11-2 record this season. They finished first in the Pac-12 before falling to Utah in the conference championship game and missing out on a chance at the College Football Playoff. USC will instead play in the Cotton Bowl against Tulane.

Williams has completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 4,075 yards and 37 touchdowns against four interceptions in 13 games, in addition to rushing for 372 yards and 10 scores. He'll have the opportunity to add to those numbers in the Cotton Bowl.

Williams is now being praised for his "incredible" season, with many saying his Heisman Trophy is well-deserved:

There will likely be many more awards to come for Williams in his football career. He'll have at least one more season at USC before being eligible for the NFL draft, where he is expected to be a first-round pick.

There was more to celebrate on Saturday than just Army's 20-17 double-overtime victory over Navy.

Quinn Maretzki's 39-yard field goal in the second overtime after Army recovered a fumble by Navy running back Anton Hall Jr. at the goal line provided the difference. This was the first overtime game in the 123-year history of the matchup between the United States military academies.

Thanks to two quick touchdowns in the first overtime period, this game hit the over for the first time since 2005.

Things got very interesting in overtime. Markel Johnson ran through the Navy defense for a 25-yard touchdown on the first play for either team.

Army responded on Xavier Arline's 25-yard touchdown pass to Maquel Haywood on its first play in overtime. Haywood's score also pushed the game to the over, causing Twitter to rejoice at the milestone moment.

Gambling analyst Brad Powers noted coming into this game how much a bettor would have won if they started with a $100 bet on the under and rolled over their winnings for 16 straight years:

It looked for a long time like we were destined for another low-scoring affair where the offenses had to grind out every single yard.

Army's only touchdown in regulation came on a blocked punt that Jabril Williams recovered in the end zone.

There were only 10 combined points scored in the first half and it looked like Navy was going to hang on for a 10-7 win until Maretzki's 37-yard field goal tied the score in the final two minutes of regulation.

Thanks to Maretzki's leg, not only was Army able to force overtime and get the win to finish the season .500 (6-6), but members of the Sickos Committee who had a financial stake in the over got to celebrate for the first time in 17 years.

Four-star running back Dylan Edwards has committed to Colorado, per Hayes Fawcett of On3.com. He was previously committed to Notre Dame before announcing Thursday his decision to decommit from the Fighting Irish program.

Edwards cited the recent hire of Deion Sanders as a reason for joining the Buffaloes.

"I've known coach Prime since I was four years old," Edwards said, per Fawcett. "He was actually my coach with my dad when I was younger. We are like family. I'm coming to make make big plays and to be the best all-purpose player in the country."

Edwards, a 5'9", 165-pound running back out of Derby, Kansas, is the 10th-ranked running back in the 2023 class, per 247Sports composite rankings. He is also ranked as the second-best prospect out of Kansas behind quarterback Avery Johnson.

During his senior season at Derby High School, Edwards rushed for 1,900 yards and 32 touchdowns. Additionally, he is one of the fastest players in the country, running a 4.3 40-yard dash, per Fawcett.

Edwards was also the 2021 Gatorade Player of the Year in Kansas after finishing with 3,214 total yards and 40 touchdowns.

247Sports' national recruiting analyst Allen Trieu wrote of Edwards:

"Very productive high school back who is dangerous in multiple phases of the game and can score from anywhere on the field. Has excellent acceleration and good top-end speed. One of his best qualities is the ability to change direction or elude a tackler without needing to throttle down. Is not a big back and is not likely to run through many tacklers in college, but is very slippery and hard to land a clean hits on for tacklers."

Colorado's roster is expected to undergo some major changes ahead of the 2023 season following the hire of Sanders. Shedeur Sanders, Sanders' son, is expected to enter the transfer portal and join the Buffaloes.

If Shedeur Sanders joins Colorado, he will likely be the team's starting quarterback.

However, Edwards may not see much playing time in his freshman season as Deion Smith and Anthony Hankerson are lined up to be the team's lead running backs.

No one can accuse USC quarterback Caleb Williams of lacking self-confidence.

The 2022 Heisman finalist believes his skill set compares favorably to Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes.

"I always said even in high school that I don't think there's anything—obviously, he's special, but I don't think there's anything that I can't do that he's doing out there," Williams told Zach Gelb of CBS Sports.

The comparisons between Williams and Mahomes have been ongoing throughout the 2022 season.

It's arguably an unfair comparison to make for Williams. Mahomes, now in his fifth season as a starting quarterback in the NFL, has completely warped what fans and analysts believe is possible at the position.

Throws like this are completely absurd, yet we just assume it's natural because Mahomes does something similar every single week.

Williams' raw ability might suggest he can make some plays that Mahomes does, but no one can predict it to happen before he proves it in the NFL.

Remember when draft analysts were comparing Zach Wilson's skill set to Aaron Rodgers?

For his part at least, Williams seems unfazed by the chatter.

None of the comparisons matter right now anyway because Williams isn't draft-eligible until 2024. He had a phenomenal sophomore season, throwing 4,075 yards and 37 touchdowns for the Trojans.

Williams will likely be rewarded with the Heisman Trophy for his efforts in 2022. He will almost certainly be the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft when next season begins.

Stanford has hired Troy Taylor as its next football coach, the school announced Saturday.

Joe Davidson of the Sacramento Bee first reported the news.

Taylor has coached Sacramento State for four years and led the Hornets to an undefeated regular-season record and the No. 2 seed in the FCS playoffs this year. They reached the quarterfinals before a 66-63 upset loss to Incarnate Word on Friday.

Stanford director of athletics Bernard Muir discussed the hire in a statement:

"Troy is a proven winner who has experienced success at many levels of football. Throughout our visits together he demonstrated an understanding of what makes Stanford special, and a deep desire to capitalize on our unique strengths. He possesses an incredible football mind and has a long history of caring deeply for the student-athletes he leads. I am excited for the next chapter of Cardinal football and eager for our student-athletes to experience Troy's passion, wisdom and leadership."

Former Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was a finalist for the Stanford job, according to Stewart Mandel of The Athletic, but he announced Thursday that he would remain an analyst for NBC Sports. Former Virginia coach Bronco Mendenhall, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman and former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio were also reportedly in the running.

Taylor has served as Sacramento State's head coach and offensive coordinator. He has been the Big Sky Coach of the Year twice and won the Eddie Robinson Award in 2019 as the FCS coach of the year.

Prior to his time at Sacramento State, the 54-year-old was the offensive coordinator for Eastern Washington in 2016, coaching receiver Cooper Kupp, before moving to the Pac-12 and leading the offense for Utah in 2017 and 2018.

He played four years as a quarterback for California, tallying 51 touchdown passes from 1986 to 1989. He played two years in the NFL with the New York Jets and then moved into coaching, including five seasons as a position coach at Cal from 1996 to 2000.

Taylor will try to turn things around for Stanford after back-to-back 3-9 seasons.

The Cardinal were a perennial Top 10 team in the first part of former coach David Shaw's tenure after he took over in 2011, but the program has floundered in recent years and has only 14 wins in the last four seasons.

Shaw resigned in November as the winningest coach in Stanford history.

If Georgia is going to have an opportunity to try to win a second consecutive national championship, it will first need to get past Ohio State. And that may not be the easiest task.

The Bulldogs and Buckeyes are set to face off in a College Football Playoff semifinal matchup on Dec. 31, when they'll go head-to-head in the Peach Bowl. It should be close to a home atmosphere for Georgia, considering the game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Not only will Ohio State have farther to travel, but it will be looking to pull off an upset. Georgia is the No. 1 seed in the CFP after going 13-0 and winning the SEC championship. Ohio State is the No. 4 seed despite not reaching the Big Ten Championship Game after finishing the regular season at 11-1.

Here's everything else you need to know heading into this year's Peach Bowl.

Latest Peach Bowl Odds

Spread: Georgia -6.5

Over/Under: 62 points

Moneyline: Georgia -260 (bet $260 to win $100); Ohio State +220 (bet $100 to win $220)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

Preview, Prediction

Georgia and Ohio State have been two of the top college football programs in recent years. Yet it's been quite some time since the Bulldogs and Buckeyes have crossed paths.

The only previous meeting between Georgia and Ohio State came at the end of the 1992 season, when the Bulldogs defeated the Buckeyes 21-14 in the Citrus Bowl. Could there be a similar result this time?

It's no surprise that Georgia is favorited to win. It stormed through the regular season in impressive fashion, then beat LSU 50-30 in the SEC Championship Game.

The Bulldogs have mostly relied on their dominant defense to win games. They're allowing only 292.1 total yards per contest (ninth best in the country), and they're especially tough against the run, giving up an FBS-low 77 rushing yards per game.

It will be interesting to see whether Georgia's defense can shut down a loaded Ohio State offense led by redshirt sophomore quarterback C.J. Stroud, one of the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy. He'll be looking to frequently get the ball into the hands of talented sophomore wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.

Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart is hoping to see his defense perform better than it did in its last showing against LSU.

"We can't play the defense we played [in the SEC Championship Game] and expect to be any kind of champions," Smart recently said, per Chase Brown of Eleven Warriors.

When Georgia has the ball, it will have a Heisman finalist of its own leading its offense. Sixth-year quarterback Stetson Bennett has again done a strong job of guiding the Bulldogs this year, and he knows what it takes to win when the stakes are raised.

That will be the case for quite a few players on Georgia's roster. The Bulldogs defeated Michigan and Alabama in the College Football Playoff last season to capture the program's first national title since the 1980 season.

Because of that experience and its shutdown defense, Georgia will be heading back to the CFP National Championship Game on Jan. 9. Ohio State could keep things close early in the Peach Bowl, but it's going to get a bit overmatched in the second half.

The Bulldogs will start to pull away late and come up with some big stops, taking down the Buckeyes to move on.

Prediction: Georgia 31, Ohio State 21

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Last season, Michigan made its debut in the College Football Playoff. It didn't end up being a great showing for the Wolverines, though, as they lost in lopsided fashion to Georgia in the Orange Bowl, a semifinal matchup.

That performance didn't stop the program's momentum, however.

On Dec. 31, No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 TCU will meet in the Fiesta Bowl with a berth in the CFP National Championship Game on the line at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

Here's everything else you need to know heading into this year's Fiesta Bowl.

Latest Fiesta Bowl Odds

Spread: Michigan -8

Over/Under: 58.5 points

Moneyline: Michigan -305 (bet $305 to win $100); TCU +255 (bet $100 to win $255)

Via DraftKings Sportsbook

Preview, Prediction

Georgia isn't the only team entering the College Football Playoff as an undefeated conference champion. Michigan has been just as impressive throughout the 2022 season.

The Wolverines are 13-0 heading into the Fiesta Bowl, and they've mostly dominated their opponents. They took down Ohio State in the regular-season finale to earn a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game, where they then cruised to victory against Purdue.

However, Michigan will be without its star running back in the CFP. Junior Blake Corum is out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

But the Wolverines have had a suitable replacement in their past two games. Sophomore Donovan Edwards has rushed for 401 yards and three touchdowns in Michigan's past two victories.

Michigan will likely need to rely on Edwards in its matchup against TCU, which has had an impressive season in its own right.

The Horned Frogs won their first 12 games of the season, which set them up for a matchup against Kansas State in the Big 12 Championship Game. They lost to the Wildcats 31-28 in overtime, but the CFP selection committee determined that TCU was still deserving of the No. 3 seed.

Senior quarterback Max Duggan, a four-year starter for the Horned Frogs, has passed for 3,321 yards, 30 touchdowns and four interceptions, which earned him a spot as one of the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy.

The Fiesta Bowl could be a significant step up for Duggan and the offense, though. Michigan's defense is allowing only 277.1 total yards per game, which is the third-fewest among all FBS teams.

The Wolverines may shut down the Horned Frogs at times. And with some of Michigan's players having previously experienced the CFP, it's in good shape to fare better than it did at the end of last season.

The Wolverines will run the ball well and play strong defense (as they so often do) and handily win the Fiesta Bowl. Then, they may have a rematch against Georgia awaiting them in the CFP National Championship Game.

Prediction: Michigan 34, TCU 17

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Michigan Wolverines' honorary football captain Dametrius "Meechie" Walker died on Friday after two years of treatment for osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, according to Josh VanDyke of MLive.com.

Walker, a 3-star defensive lineman in the Class of 2022, per 247Sports.com's Composite Rankings, and offers from several schools. He had wanted to play for the Wolverines collegiately but was forced to quit football in 2020, ahead of his senior year at Muskegon High School, because of his cancer diagnosis.

He eventually needed to have his left leg amputated to help stop the cancer from spreading.

Michigan learned of his story and invited him to a practice in August before this season, where he met with the team.

The Wolverines then made him an honorary captain and he came out on the field before a Sept. 24 matchup with Maryland, receiving an ovation from the crowd.

Following Michigan's 34-27 win, the team dedicated the win to him and later gave Walker the game ball following a 41-17 win over Penn State.

"It was just an instant bond there," head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters after the Maryland game regarding Walker. "Instant click with our team. The love that he gives out, you feel that and you want to give that. Our players, they've got big hearts."