ASU FOOTBALL

Former ASU QB Jayden Daniels among Heisman finalists

Dec 4, 2023, 5:46 PM

Jayden Daniels #5 of the LSU Tigers hurdles over Jared Verse #5 of the Florida State Seminoles duri...

Jayden Daniels #5 of the LSU Tigers hurdles over Jared Verse #5 of the Florida State Seminoles during a 40-yard rush in the second quarter at Camping World Stadium on September 03, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., transfer quarterbacks who have all played at least five college seasons, and Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. were announced as the Heisman Trophy finalists on Monday night.

The Heisman has been given to the nation’s most outstanding college football player since 1935. This year’s winner will be announced Saturday in New York. The top four vote-getters determined by more than 870 voters, which include members of the media and former Heisman winners, are selected as finalists.

With Nix and Penix, the Pac-12 has two Heisman finalists for the first time since 2010 when Stanford’s Andrew Luck was the runner-up to Auburn’s Cam Newton, and Oregon running back LaMichael James finished third in the balloting.

The Pac-12 is in its final season with its current membership before 10 schools depart, including Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten.

A look at each finalist’s road to Manhattan.

DANIELS

Daniels had one of the most prolific seasons in Southeastern Conference history for the 13th-ranked Tigers (9-3), his second at LSU and fifth overall after starting his career at Arizona State. He passed for 3,812 yards and 40 touchdowns and ran for 1,134 yards and 10 TDs.

Daniels is trying to become the third LSU player to the win the Heisman, first since Joe Burrow in 2019 — another transfer quarterback in his second season in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Daniels is also trying to become the rare Heisman winner in the BCS/CFP era to win the award with a team that wasn’t in contention for a championship late in the season. The last player to win the Heisman on a team with a 9-3 record was Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson in 2016.

HARRISON

Harrison has 67 catches for 1,211 yards and 15 touchdowns, and his trip to New York gives No. 7 Ohio State (11-1) Heisman finalists in five of the last six seasons.

Harrison’s overall numbers lag behind some of the other star receivers around the country, but he was the most consistent threat for a Buckeyes offense that was breaking in a new starting quarterback and dealt with injuries to its supporting cast all season.

He would be the fifth receiver to win the Heisman in the award’s 87-year history, but the second in the past four years. Alabama’s DeVonta Smith won in 2020 to become the first receiver to take the trophy in nearly three decades.

NIX

While Daniels went from the Pac-12 to the SEC and found stardom, Nix went the opposite way.

After three years at Auburn, the former five-star recruit transferred to Oregon in 2022 and became one of the best players in the country, leading the eighth-ranked Ducks (11-2) to the Pac-12 title game.

Nix has completed 77.2% of his passes, which is slightly behind the major college football record, and has thrown for 4,145 yards and 40 TDs.

PENIX

Penix is in his sixth college season after four injury-filled years at Indiana. He transferred to Washington in 2022 to play for coach Kalen DeBoer, his former offensive coordinator at Indiana, and has guided the second-ranked Huskies to 23 victories, a Pac-12 title and their second College Football Playoff appearance this year.

This season, Penix has passed for 4,218 yards and 33 touchdowns.

ASU Football

Arizona State...

David Veenstra

Arizona State Sun Devils football signing day tracker

Arizona State football announced three-star running back Grayson Rigdon (Texas) committed on Tuesday. 

17 hours ago

Israel Briggs has committed to the ASU Sun Devils...

Tyler Drake

ASU lands commitment from 4-star recruit Israel Briggs for 2026

Four-star recruit Israel Briggs has committed to play for the ASU Sun Devils as part of the defending Big 12 champion's 2026 class.

20 hours ago

The Arizona State Sun Devils will don traditional Sparky helmets against BYU....

Brandon Cadiz

Big 12 releases Arizona State football’s 2025 schedule

The Big 12 released Arizona State football's 2025 conference schedule on Tuesday, which begins Sept. 20 at Baylor.

2 days ago

Arizona State...

Alex Weiner

Report: Arizona State-Iowa State football rematch date revealed

Arizona State will visit Iowa State this year after meeting in the Big 12 championship, and Pete Thamel reported the game will be played on Nov. 1. 

3 days ago

Hayden Vercher is the newest ASU football commit...

Damon Allred

2026 tight end Hayden Vercher picks ASU football over Arizona, others

ASU picked up its fifth football commitment in the 2026 class on Sunday by adding 6-foot-4 tight end Hayden Vercher.

3 days ago

Kenny Dillingham of the Arizona State Sun Devils at Rose Bowl Stadium on November 11, 2023 in Pasad...

Brandon Cadiz

CBS Sports gives Kenny Dillingham ‘A’ grade for second season

CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli graded second-year head coaches in college football and gave ASU's Kenny Dillingham an A.

4 days ago

Former ASU QB Jayden Daniels among Heisman finalists