NEW YORK (Fwrd Axis) — Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young walked away with the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night in New York, becoming the first Alabama quarterback to win the award.
Young entered the ceremony as the odds-on favorite to win the award after his SEC championship game performance sent Alabama into the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 ranked team in the nation despite having a loss on the season. In the game, Young set a conference championship record with 461 total yards.
Over the course of 12 games, Young has completed 314-of-462 passes for 4,322 yards and 43 touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions. He set the Alabama single-game passing record with 559 yards and five touchdowns against Arkansas on November 20.
“It’s an individual award, but it’s a team award. I couldn’t do it without those guys,” Young said.
Young’s Heisman win gives Alabama two consecutive Heisman trophy wins after Alabama wide receiver DeVotna Smith won the award last year.
“To follow the great quarterbacks that we’ve had and to have this opportunity, it’s a huge blessing and something I don’t take for granted,” Young added.
Alabama will play the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats in the Cotton Bowl Classic for a chance to go to the Championship game. Meanwhile, the Michigan Wolverines will face the Georgia Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl.
Michigan defensive line Aidan Hutchinson finished second in the voting while Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett was in third. Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud and Alabama linebacker Will Anderson finished fourth and fifth respectively.
With Young’s win, Alabama into a tie with Oklahoma for the most finalists of any school with 11, according to the Heisman Trust. Sooners quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray went back-to-back in 2017 and 2018.
Hutchinson and Anderson are the first two defensive players to finish in the top five of the Heisman voting.
