Bryce Young already collecting major hardware

Bryce Young solidified his status as the favorite for the Heisman Trophy on Thursday night.

The Alabama quarterback won the Maxwell Award for best player in college football and Davey O’Brien Award for best QB ahead of a likely Heisman Trophy win on Saturday. Young is a massive favorite for the award among the four finalists. His odds at BetMGM are at -5000. 

Young is 314-of-462 passing for 4,322 yards and 43 TDs with just four interceptions in his first season as Alabama’s starting QB. He’s also scored three rushing touchdowns.

Young was pivotal in Alabama’s comeback win in the Iron Bowl over Auburn in the final week of the regular season and threw for 421 yards and three touchdowns in Alabama’s SEC championship game win over Georgia. That victory got Alabama the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

The Heisman on Saturday night will go to either Young, Pitt QB Kenny Pickett (+3000), Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud (+1600) or Michigan DL Aidan Hutchinson (+1600). 

Maxwell winner has won the Heisman 6 of past 7 seasons

A Heisman win for Young would give Alabama back-to-back Heisman winners after DeVonta Smith won the award in 2020. And the Maxwell winner typically wins the Heisman Trophy. Smith and Joe Burrow (2019) each won the Maxwell and Heisman in the past two seasons. 

Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa won the Maxwell in 2018 while Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray won the Heisman. But the four Heisman winners before Murray each won the Maxwell Award before getting the Heisman.

Aidan Hutchinson doesn’t win defensive awards

Georgia DL Jordan Davis won two defensive awards Thursday night while Alabama’s Will Anderson won one. Neither player is a Heisman finalist. Michigan’s Hutchinson is.

What Hutchinson did in 2021 — 15.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks — as a game-wrecker for Michigan’s defense is worthy of Heisman consideration. But it was jarring to see two defenders who finished behind him in the Heisman voting get awards Thursday night.

Davis won the Bednarik Award for best defensive player and the Outland Trophy for best interior lineman. The big man absolutely stops running games. Anderson, who has over 30 tackles for loss in 2021, won the Nagurski Award for best linebacker. 

Award winners

Here’s a complete list of who won awards on Thursday night. The Heisman Trophy will be presented just shy of 9 p.m. ET Saturday night on ESPN. 

• Davey O’Brien (Best QB): Bryce Young, Alabama

• Maxwell (Best player): Bryce Young, Alabama

• Walter Camp Player of the Year: Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

• Bednarik (Best defensive player): Jordan Davis, Georgia

• Doak Walker (Best RB): Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State

• Mackey (Best TE): Trey McBride, Colorado State

• Biletnikoff (Best WR): Jordan Addison, Pitt

• Rimington (Best center): Tyler Linderbaum, Iowa

• Outland (Best interior lineman): Jordan Davis, Georgia

• Nagurski (Best LB): Will Anderson, Alabama

• Lou Groza (Best PK): Jake Moody, Michigan

• Ray Guy (Best punter): Matt Araiza, San Diego State

• Jim Thorpe (Best DB): Coby Bryant, Cincinnati