LSU QB Jayden Daniels overcomes being outside CFP race to win Heisman Trophy with prolific season

NEW YORK — LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, becoming the first player since 2016 to win college football’s most prestigious player of the year award as part of a team that did not play for a conference championship.

The fifth-year player, who transferred from Arizona State to LSU in 2022, received 503 first-place votes and 2,029 points. Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. was the runner-up with 292 first-place votes and 1,701 points and Oregon’s Bo Nix was third (51, 885), putting transfer quarterbacks in each of the top three spots. Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. finished fourth.

Daniels, who turns 23 on Dec. 18, won AP Player of the Year earlier this week.

Daniels is the fifth quarterback in the last seven seasons to win the Heisman after transferring, joining former LSU star Joe Burrow in 2019 and USC’s Caleb Williams last year. He is also LSU’s third Heisman winner overall, along with running back Billy Cannon in 1959.