It’s obviously a long shot that Cincinnati will have a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender but it’s still important to keep an eye on the prestigious award as the regular season kicks off with a trio of quarterbacks atop the projected candidates list.
Cincinnati Football: Heisman Trophy watch as regular season commences
1) Bryce Young (Alabama quarterback)
After winning the Heisman last year, Young enters this season as one of the favorites alongside CJ Stroud. Nick Saban’s offense will be able to put Young in a position to succeed and it could result in yet another wealthy award season. Young totaled 4,872 passing yards, 47 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 2022.
2) CJ Stroud (Ohio State quarterback)
The Buckeyes are filled with All-American offensive talent including Jaxon Smith-Njigba and TreVeyon Henderson but Stroud will likely have the best shot at winning the Heisman because of his position and statistical accumulation. Stroud racked up 4,435 passing yards and 44 touchdowns on a 71.9% completion rate last season.
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3) Caleb Williams (USC quarterback)
Following his freshman campaign at Oklahoma, Williams decided to follow head coach Lincoln Riley to USC and has plenty of weapons at his disposal. Jordan Addison, Travis Dye and Mario Williams are All-Pac 12 level performers and Williams should be able to step right in and have immediate success in a new conference.
4) Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama linebacker)
There’s no debate who the best defensive player in the country is and Anderson could make a run at the Heisman. Even though a defensive player hasn’t won the trophy since Charles Woodson did so in 1997, Anderson certainly has the ability to dominate all season long and secure a seat at the award ceremony in New York.
5) Bijan Robinson (Texas running back)
A couple other players could occupy this spot as well including Malik Cunningham, Dillon Gabriel and Tyler Van Dyke but Robinson is the nation’s top running back and will have a chance to compete for the trophy. Robinson compiled 1,127 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns on 195 rushing attempts in 10 games.
If the Bearcats are able to upset Arkansas and make a run at another undefeated regular season then it’s possible that Deshawn Pace, Evan Prater, Jabari Taylor or someone else would enter the discussion but that remains unlikely. With that said, Cincinnati will face Arkansas senior quarterback KJ Jefferson, who has received some preseason Heisman hype prior to the opener.