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Alabama quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy for the 2021 college football season. He's the fourth Crimson Tide player to ever win the coveted award, but just its first quarterback.
The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Young was presented the award Saturday night at the Lincoln Center in New York City.
Young received 684 first-place votes for 2,311 total points.
Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (954 points) was the runner up, and Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett finished third in the voting with 631 points. Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was also a finalist in attendance, finished fourth with 399 points.
Young has completed 314 of 462 passes for 4,322 yards and 43 touchdowns with only four interceptions this season. He shined brightest on the biggest stages this year. First was a 97-yard drive to send the Iron Bowl into overtime. Then in the SEC Championship game a week ago, he did it through the air and on the ground, even making an improvised pitch to his running back to keep one drive alive. He has the Crimson Tide at No. 1 and in the College Football Playoff as they try to defend their national title.
He's the 18th quarterback in the last 21 years to win the award and 37th quarterback in the trophy's history. Young is the first sophomore to win the Heisman since Louisville's Lamar Jackson won it in 2016.
Alabama's dominance since Nick Saban has been head coach is obvious through national championships and Heisman Trophy winners. DeVonta Smith won the Heisman in 2020, which makes Alabama now the sixth school to win the award in back-to-back years. The others are Yale 1936-37, Army 1945-46, Ohio State 1974-75 and Oklahoma 2017-18.
Alabama now has three Heisman Trophies in seven years (including Derrick Henry in 2015), tying Notre Dame's Heisman-best stretch, done twice (1943-49 and 1947-53). Alabama running back Mark Ingram won the Heisman in 2009.
Here is the list of top 10 finishers for the 2021 Heisman Trophy (points):
- Bryce Young, QB, Alabama (2,311)
- Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Michigan (954)
- Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh (631)
- C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State (399)
- Will Anderson, LB, Alabama (325)
- Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State
- Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss
- Desmond Ridder QB, Cincinnati
- Jordan Davis, DL, Georgia
- Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
How are the candidates selected?
Heisman voters choose their top three candidates (in order), and players receive three points for first, two for second and one point for a third-place vote. Voting is comprised of 870 media members, 57 living Heisman winners and one vote from a collective fan vote. Voters are asked by the Heisman Trust to not reveal their votes until after the winner has been announced.
About the writer
Scott McDonald is a Newsweek deputy night editor based in Cape Coral, Florida. His focus is assigning and writing stories ... Read more