Daniels joined former LSU halfback Billy Cannon in 1959 and quarterback Joe Burrow in 2019 as Heisman Trophy winners from the program.

READ: LSU’s Jayden Daniels wins Heisman Trophy

Daniels made sure to give thanks to those who came across his journey in life. He began his college football career at Arizona State in 2019, joining the Sun Devils as a four-star recruit according to Rivals.

Daniels navigated three seasons at Arizona State, compiling an 18-12 record while the Sun Devils went on to fire head coach Herm Edwards in the middle of the 2022 campaign — when Daniels had already arrived at LSU.

Daniels joined LSU head coach Brian Kelly in becoming part of the Tigers football program. Kelly took the reins as head coach, and Daniels was his quarterback.

Across two seasons at LSU, Daniels went 19-7 and compiled 6,725 passing yards, 57 touchdowns to seven interceptions, and he averaged 231.8 pass yards per game while in college.

READ: LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. among college football award winners

While standing on the Heisman stage in New York City on Saturday night, Daniels gave thanks to his family, the LSU coaching staff, members of Arizona State, former coaches and teammates, and his fellow Heisman finalists, Oregon’s Bo Nix, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. and Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.

Here is Daniels’ full Heisman accepttance speech.

“Thank you,” Daniels said. “This is a dream come true. I want to first give thanks to God for all the glory. He’s my rock, my savior. He blessed me with the talents and ability to get here. All the special people here to develop these skills.

“To Bo, Mike and Marvin, you guys are amazing. I enjoy watching, but the competition is never over. I look forward to seeing you guys on Sundays. I would like to start to think with a few things, thank you’s. I learned from previous winners the first lesson of becoming a great quarterback, you got to thank your O-line first. Thank you guys for getting me here today in one piece. I know it wasn’t easy. I scramble around a lot but you know I love you guys. I have so many coaches to thank.

“My high school coach Nick Rogers. He is here. Thank you for believing in a 14-year-old freshman to start on varsity. I probably weighed 140 pounds. I appreciate you. Taylor Kelly. Thank you for helping me elevate my game, taking me to new heights and the next level. I want to thank Herm Edwards, Marvin Lewis and Antonio Pierce. Thank you for your leadership and welcoming me when I was at ASU and thank you for giving me the keys to the program. To coach Kelly, coach Frank, coach (Mike) Denbrock and coach (Joe) Sloan and the rest of the LSU football staff. Thank you for trusting in me to lead your team. I learned so much from you guys. You took a kid from the West Coast and brought me back down to the bayou. I’m forever thankful. I want to thank to every single LSU fan for having my back. I never seen fans pouring their hearts into a team like LSU. I really wish I could have brought you back another championship, but that was my plan but you know God has other plans for me.

“It’s so hard. I want to thank all my teammates from Arizona State to LSU. You’re my brothers. You work so hard every day inspiring me to be my best. The truth is I will truly miss all you guys. Having future NFL players on my team makes my job look easy. You know, my receivers always say this: they’re like Waffle House, they’re always open.I also want to acknowledge all the unsung heroes of this game. Trainers to the nutritionists, equipment managers, groundskeepers, janitors, you know, security, everybody. Basically everyone who works behind the scenes to make sure our sport is the greatest on earth. I know sometimes it’s a thankless job so I want to say thank you.

“Finally, I would like to turn to my family. Dad, you know you put a football in my hands when I was young. I know you raised me to be a corner but hopefully now you see me playing quarterback. It paid off. You taught me how to play, lead and be calm no matter the situation, and I know I wouldn’t be on this stage if it wasn’t for you, so thank you. I love you. My rock, my momma. You were so nervous when I was playing my first high school game that you couldn’t watch my first high school touchdown. You closed your eyes. But after that you never took your eyes off the field. You always had my best interests at heart from day one, and you showed me that tough love when I needed it. You instilled in me the hardworking mentality thatgot me here and you always told me keep my eyes on the prize. You encouraged me to always bet on myself because you always believed in me no matter what. I graduated in three years because that’s something that you pushed me to do, and here now I’m on this stage and I love you mom. Thank you.

“I want to shout out one more person Sherman Wilson. He’s in the stands somehwere. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, bro. Pushing me no matter what. You might be annoying, but you know I love you dog. Being a college athlete and winning this award has been a dream come true. I want to dedicate this award to every boy and girl who has a dream. With faith and hard work you never know what’s possible.

“They said I was too skinny so I added weight. They said I relied on my legs a little bit too much so you know what? I went to work, completeed all those passes, had this season I had, so I thank everybody out there. And they said I was too quiet so I became more vocal. I stepped out of my comfort zone and now I’m here today. So what did I learn from all this? I learned how to block out the noise, that you can overcome any obstacle and just be humble, be Legendary and most importantly, be joyful about what you do. And when you get knocked down, get back up, keep smiling and never give up on your dreams. I want to end this special thank you to Greg Williams Jr. and his family. You gave me inspiration to continue on this journey of greatness and keep fighting. Thank you.”

The post LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels’ full Heisman Trophy acceptance speech appeared first on Saturday Glory.

No. 1 Michigan claimed the top spot after winning the Big Ten Championship and will play in the Rose Bowl against No. 4 Alabama, which got in after beating No. 6 Georgia in the Southeastern Conference Championship.

READ: Full list of Power 5 bowl games 

In the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Pac-12 champion No. 2 Washington will face Big 12 champion No. 3 Texas on Jan. 1, 2024.

Here are several players and notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board.

Who got the best scenario in the Playoff?

Michigan-Alabama and Washington-Texas will be the matchups in this year’s CFP.

So which team got the best path to a national championship? Well, the answer to that could be any one of the four.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Michigan has the best odds to win the national title at +175. Alabama is second at +210, Texas is third at +260 and Washington is fourth at +800.

Michigan has made an early exit in each of its past two CFP appearances over the past two years. The Wolverines haven’t been able to advance past the semifinal round, and their hopes are accomplishing just that this time around.

The Wolverines will match up with an Alabama team that flew under the radar for most of the season. The Crimson Tide lost to Texas in Week 2, and were widely considered to must win the SEC in order to win the Playoff.

Alabama did just that, though, dethroning the Bulldogs and capturing the SEC crown for the first time since 2021. The Crimson Tide have made the national championship in each of the past six times they’ve made the Playoff, and they’ll have a strong challenge against a Michigan team that has the No. 2 scoring defense holding opponents to 9.5 points per game.

READ: Quotables: Week 14

Texas, much like Alabama, had unfavorable positioning to make the Playoff entering conference championship weekend. The Longhorns seemed locked into the No. 7 spot in the rankings, but after winning the Big 12 in 49-21 fashion, they vaulted to No. 3.

The Longhorns could have the best path to a national championship. A win over Washington, an unbeaten conference champion with a Heisman Trophy finalist in quarterback Michael Penix Jr., could serve as a statement in the Alamo Bowl rematch from a year ago.

Then, Texas could match up with either Michigan or Alabama, and a rematch against the Crimson Tide could settle much of the debate surrounding the major themes in college football this season.

But Washington has long been counted out. The Huskies were nine-point underdogs entering the Pac-12 Championship against Oregon.

Each of the four Playoff teams have a path to a national championship. Now it’s time to find out which can withstand the others.

It’s time to crown a Heisman Trophy winner

The Heisman Foundation revealed its four finalists on Monday, and not too much surprise came with that.

Three quarterbacks are among this season’s Heisman finalists: LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Oregon’s Bo Nix and Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.

Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. became the fifth different Buckeyes finalist in six years. He could follow in the footsteps of former Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith who won the Heisman after the 2020 season.

Any of the four finalists could win the Heisman. They each have a case.

Nix and Penix battled back and forth all season for the top spot in the Pac-12 Conference. Penix and Washington won the conference title after beating Nix and the Ducks for a second time.

Daniels has arguably the strongest chance to win the Heisman. He leads in a multitude of major statistical categories, including passing efficiency and touchdowns.

Daniels has 3,812 passing yards and 1,134 rushing yards, and he’s responsible for the most points in college football this season at 302, more than 20 ahead of the next closest player.

READ: LSU’s Jayden Daniels among 4 named Heisman finalists

Harrison has an interesting case to present as a wide receiver. There have been only three wide receivers to win college football’s top award.

Harrison caught 1,211 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns this season. He was second in receiving touchdowns in the NCAA, and he brought in 67 receptions which were 10 fewer than his season last year.

Daniels has the best odds to win the Heisman according to multiple sportsbooks. If that plays true, Daniels would be the first Tiger to win the Heisman since Joe Burrow in 2019.

Quinn Ewers, Texas

The Longhorns are right where they want to be.

Texas made the Playoff after standing on the outside looking in for most of the season. The Longhorns’ only loss came to Oklahoma in Week 6.

Quarterback Quinn Ewers is a big reason for Texas’ success. He battled injuries throughout the season and missed two games in late October to November.

Ewers led the Big 12 with a 70.7% completion and was second in passing yards per game, behind Oklahoma’s Dillon Gabriel. Ewers had 3,161 passing yards and 21 touchdowns to six interceptions.

Ewers has a decision to make after the season.

Given he began his college football career prior to the 2021 season after enrolling early at Ohio State and now has three years of experience, Ewers has NFL Draft eligibility.

According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, it’s likely though that Ewers remains at Texas for another season. The odds of Ewers’ return “has increased exponentially in the past few weeks,” according to Thamel.

Ewers’ return cold have multiple dominoes fall in line. What would happen with backup and five-star recruit Arch Manning, and who may be interested in joining Ewers in Texas?

According to 247 Sports, Manning is “completely content remaining in Austin” and isn’t expected to consider the transfer portal.

READ: USC’s Lincoln Riley announces QB Caleb Williams won’t play in Holiday Bowl 

With Manning likely to still be a Longhorn in 2024, Ewers could decide to stay at Texas for another season before considering the NFL in 2025.

Whatever decision Ewers chooses to make, the former five-star recruit himself has plenty of opportunity.

The post Big Board: Post-conference championship week appeared first on Saturday Glory.

Washington rose to No. 4 in Tuesday’s rankings, its highest of the season. The Huskies defeated then-No. 11 Oregon State 22-20 and quarterback Michael Penix Jr. threw two more touchdowns to total 30 on the year. 

PODCAST: Despite chalk at the top, week 12 had intrigue

No. 5 Florida State dropped a place in the rankings, and the loss of quarterback Jordan Travis looms large. 

Here are several players and notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

It’s rivalry week 

The final week of the regular season is here. 

Matchups such as “The Game” between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan, the in-state rivalry between No. 13 Ole Miss and Mississippi State, and the Iron Bowl between No. 8 Alabama and Auburn are among the notable bouts this week. 

What’s on the line this week? 

Well, a spot in the Big Ten Championship game is on the line in Ann Arbor. No. 6 Oregon has virtually locked up a spot in the Pac-12 title game, awaiting a potential rematch with No. 4 Washington, while the Ducks will play No. 16 Oregon State. 

No. 7 Texas can clinch a Big 12 Championship game berth with a win over Texas Tech on Friday, and the Longhorns will need to watch multiple games in order to find out their potential opponent. 

No. 13 Oklahoma will host TCU, and No. 20 Oklahoma State will play BYU. The Cowboys have an advantage over the Sooners due to their head-to-head matchup that saw Oklahoma fall 27-24. 

So while the CFP picture is mostly clear, and becoming clearer each week, the conference championship scene still has some things yet to unfold. 

Welcome to rivalry week. 

Jayden Daniels, LSU and Bo Nix, Oregon 

Fourteen touchdowns, two players. 

That’s what LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Oregon’s Bo Nix combined to do last weekend in their respective matchups. 

READ: Quotables: Week 12

Daniels tied Joe Burrow for the LSU program record accounting for eight touchdowns in one game. He threw for six and rushed for two as the Tigers defeated Georgia State 56-14. 

Nix, on the other hand, had a six-touchdown performance for the second time in three games. He tied the Ducks’ single-game record in passing touchdowns, and Nix received Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week for a conference-record seventh time. 

So where do these two quarterbacks sit in the Heisman Trophy odds? 

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Daniels has –110 odds to win the Heisman and Nix has +125 odds, which are second-best. 

These are two of the frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy. Both are on teams with slightly different seasonal paths as Oregon stands No. 6 in the country while LSU is No. 15. 

Both Daniels and Nix could receive invitations to the Heisman Trophy Ceremony in New York City on Dec. 9. LSU will face Texas A&M on Saturday and the Ducks will play No. 11 Oregon State during rivalry week, and both quarterbacks will have a chance to lock up Heisman moments to compete for the sport’s most prestigious individual trophy. 

How will Travis’ injury affect No. 5 Florida State’s season? 

Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a horrific left leg injury last Saturday against North Alabama. 

He announced on Monday that the injury will end his college career, and the sixth-year quarterback will finish with 69 total touchdowns as a Seminole. 

The question next becomes whether or not Florida State can continue to play the way it has this season down the stretch and into the College Football Playoff, which it could reach for the first time since 2014. 

The CFP Selection Committee does factor in player availability into its rankings, and this week saw the committee drop the Seminoles to No. 5. Backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker did throw two touchdowns and for over 200 yards in his appearance after Travis’ injury. 

READ: Stat Pack: Week 12

Florida State already has a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game coming up against No. 10 Louisville on Dec. 2. 

If the Seminoles can continue their winning ways and win out the rest of the season, perhaps they’ll return to the CFP top-four and get back to the Playoff for the first time since 2014. 

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