By Matt Brown, Manny Navarro, Cameron Teague Robinson and Chris Vannini
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Oregon quarterback Bo Nix and Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will make the trip to New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony on Dec. 9 after being named finalists for the award Monday.
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Monday marked the voting deadline for the 89th Heisman after ballots were distributed on Nov. 27. The announcement of the finalists was made on ESPN’s “Monday Night Countdown.”
Daniels finished the regular season with 3,812 passing yards and 40 touchdowns against just four interceptions for LSU, which capped the regular season with a 9-3 record. He also added 1,134 yards on the ground and 10 rushing touchdowns. Daniels has a chance to become LSU’s third Heisman winner, joining Joe Burrow in 2019 and Billy Cannon in 1959. Besides Burrow, Bert Jones (fourth, 1972) is the only other LSU quarterback to finish in the top 10.
Harrison recorded 67 catches with 1,211 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns as the Buckeyes went 11-1 in the regular season. He added two carries for 26 yards and a touchdown on the ground in 2023. Harrison is Ohio State’s sixth top-four Heisman finisher since 2018, though the Buckeyes haven’t had a player finish in the top two since Troy Smith won in 2006. Ohio State’s seven winners are tied for the most. Harrison is the first Ohio State receiver to finish in the top 10. He is the seventh wideout in the past 30 years to finish in the top four, joining 2020 winner DeVonta Smith, plus Dede Westbrook, Amari Cooper, Marqise Lee, Larry Fitzgerald and Randy Moss.
Nix’s regular season ended with Oregon’s loss to Washington in the Pac-12 title game, but his season totals included 4,145 passing yards with 40 touchdowns to just three interceptions, all while completing a dazzling 77.2 percent of his passes. He also added 228 rushing yards and six scores on the ground. Nix is the fifth Oregon player to finish in the top five: QB Marcus Mariota won in 2014, RB LaMichael James finished third in 2010, QB Joey Harrington finished fourth in 2001 and QB Dennis Dixon finished fifth in 2007.
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Penix capped off his regular season with a Pac-12 championship, concluding a year that saw him pass for 4,218 yards with 33 touchdowns and nine interceptions while adding three rushing scores. His Huskies advanced to the College Football Playoff. Penix finished eighth last year and is trying to become the first Washington player to finish in the top three of the Heisman race, let alone win the award. Defensive tackle Steve Emtman is the program’s highest-ranked finisher at No. 4 in 1991, the only Huskies player to finish in the top five. Quarterback Jake Browning finished sixth in 2016.
Daniels fits the bill for the Heisman
It’s not often we see a player win the Heisman Trophy when their team has three losses or more in the regular season. But Daniels, the betting favorite to win, more than fits the bill. Since tailback Ricky Williams won it in 1998 with the 8-3 Texas Longhorns, Florida’s Tim Tebow (2007), Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (2011) and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson (2016) all won the award despite suffering three losses in the regular season. Why? They could run it and throw it, which Daniels does better than anybody at the position with over 1,000 yards rushing and 50 total touchdowns. — Manny Navarro, college football staff writer
Nix had a lead, but lost it
When historians go back and look at why Daniels ultimately won the award, they’ll likely point to how Nix lost twice in head-to-head meetings with Washington. Nix had the lead and was the betting favorite heading into the Pac-12 Championship Game, but his third-quarter interception in Huskies territory hurt his team and his chances. It was one of only three interceptions Nix threw all season. — Navarro
Harrison deserving of finalist spot as a receiver
He won’t win the award, but it’s hard to argue there are more than three players in the country who impact their team more than Harrison does, as a wide receiver. He posted impressive numbers with his standout No. 2 Emeka Egbuka out for nearly a month and lead running back TreVeyon Henderson missing time as well. He saw constant double teams all year and still carried Ohio State’s offense when it needed him most.
He had more than 100 yards in eight of Ohio State’s 12 games and scored a touchdown in 10 of them. Though the award should go to one of the quarterbacks, Harrison is more than deserving of being a finalist after the season he had. — Cameron Teague Robinson, college football staff writer
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Penix is the Big Game finalist
It’s been an interesting and perhaps underwhelming Heisman Trophy season. Among the three quarterback finalists, none is going to be a top-five NFL Draft pick. And because of the lack of upsets this season, we lacked some WOW moments (like Johnny Manziel beating Alabama). But there is one player who made the big plays in every big game he played this season, and that was Penix. The late touchdown pass to beat Oregon the first time. The third-down completions secured a win at Oregon State and the second win over the Ducks. His three touchdowns against Utah.
Oddly, Penix’s biggest issue was how he struggled in the games in which Washington was an overwhelming favorite. But he led the nation in passing yards per game for the second consecutive year, and he’s the only finalist who took his team to the College Football Playoff. — Chris Vannini, college football senior writer
Did Florida State’s Jordan Travis finish fifth?
Only four players earn invites to the ceremony, but it’s fair to wonder who was on the bubble for receiving the fifth-most votes. Maybe, in a cruel twist, it turns out to be injured Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis. After all, for as much as College Football Playoff executive committee chairman Boo Corrigan tied Travis’ injury to why the Seminoles didn’t get into the four-team playoff, it only makes sense, right? How could such a valuable player not be among the top five in the country? Travis, by the way, was outstanding in 11 starts, leading the least turnover-prone team in the country to nearly 40 points a game. — Navarro
GO DEEPER
Heisman straw poll: Jayden Daniels climbs to top, FSU's Jordan Travis receives votes
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(Photo: Brian Rothmuller / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)