The long-awaited list of Heisman Trophy finalists for the 2023-24 season was announced Monday night.
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, Oregon quarterback Bo Nix, Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr., and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. will travel to New York City this weekend, where one will be presented as the 89th winner of college football’s most prestigious award.
College football players have competed for the Heisman Trophy since 1965, and voters select a group of three or four finalists each season.
The PAC-12 Conference has a chance to bring back a second consecutive Heisman after USC quarterback Caleb Williams took the honor last year, with two finalists in Nix and Penix. Both brought their teams to the pinnacle of the conference in its final season, with Penix and Washington getting the best of Nix and Oregon twice en route to the PAC-12 title and a College Football Playoff appearance.
Williams is not among the finalists, so Ohio State’s Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975) will remain the only player to win multiple Heisman Trophies.
According to BetMGM, Daniels is the favorite to win the award. While his team’s season was not as successful as the others, Daniels exemplified a true dual-threat quarterback, placing among the top three in the country in passing yards and touchdown passes, reaching the top 25 in rushing yards, and scoring 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Meanwhile, many consider Harrison the best player in college football, and he may have been the frontrunner for the award all year. He will be a high draft pick if he declares for April’s NFL Draft and was far and away the best player on Ohio State’s team. However, Harrison never had that signature “Heisman moment” that sealed the deal for most past winners.
The Heisman Trophy will be awarded to the winner during a televised ceremony at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday, December 9.