Can USC QB Caleb Williams win second-straight Heisman?

USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) walks off the field after the game against the Tulane Green Wave in the 2023 Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium. Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Sports Illustrated Sportsbook thinks USC QB Caleb Williams will win second-straight Heisman

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated 1/18/23

USC quarterback Caleb Williams won the 2022 Heisman Trophy award after a simply fantastic season for the Trojans. At least one sportsbook, Sports Illustrated, thinks Williams will do it again as he comes back to USC for his junior season.

We just watched Georgia beat TCU in the College Football Playoff national championship so there's still so much that has to happen between now and then, but as it stands — Williams is the way too early favorite to win college football's greatest individual award again.

Sports Illustrated is giving him +350 odds, while North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye is right behind him at +900.

Sports Illustrated released their early 2023 Heisman odds: pic.twitter.com/cBw0gF5J7N
— Alex Ansted (@AlexAnstedCFB) January 19, 2023

"The dual-threat star led the nation in passing touchdowns (42), while finishing third in the country in passing yards (4,537) en route to leading the Trojans to a Pac-12 title for the first time since 2017," Sports Illustrated wrote. "The price is short, but Lincoln Riley has produced three Heisman winners in the last six years (Baker Mayfield, 2017; Kyler Murray, 2018; Williams, 2022).

Who knows how next season will play out, but SI is right. Williams seems to be in a position to do it. He's with one of the best offensive minds in football in his head coach, Lincoln Riley. USC may have underperformed a bit at the end of this last season but there's a reason Riley is so highly thought of. He's an offensive mastermind and he has a knack for making the most out of dual-threat quarterbacks like Williams. Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield are the two other obvious examples.

If Williams can do it again, he'll be the first player since Archie Griffin in 1947 and 1975 to win the Heisman Trophy twice.

Talk about legendary.

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