This season's Heisman Trophy race was defined by quarterbacks who took advantage of second chances.
LSU's Jayden Daniels exploded in his second season after transferring from Arizona State to LSU, Washington's Michael Penix Jr. led the Huskies to an undefeated season after suffering four season-ending injuries at Washington and Oregon's Bo Nix put up otherworldly numbers in the Pac-12 after starting his career at Auburn.
On Saturday night, Daniels stood alone. The Heisman Trust rewarded the Tigers quarterback for an outstanding 50-touchdown season, which included more than 1,000 yards on the ground. Daniels is the first true dual-threat QB to win the prestigious award since Kyler Murray won in 2018, and he joins Joe Burrow as one of two LSU quarterbacks to joint the Heisman fraternity.
MORE: Who was snubbed from the Heisman ceremony?
Here's a look at the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner, the full results and how the finalists stacked up entering the ceremony.
Who won the Heisman Trophy in 2023?
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels won the 2023 Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. Daniels finished first in voting, ahead of Michael Penix Jr., Bo Nix, and Marvin Harrison Jr.
Daniels is the third Heisman Trophy winner in LSU history and the second in the last five years. He had an electrifying season as both a passer and a runner, accounting for 50 touchdowns and torching some of the SEC's best defenses.
The Sporting News has everything you need to know from the voting results below.
Update — 8:52 p.m.
Jayden Daniels is looking to follow the Joe Burrow model, and the comparison is pretty close. Both exploded in their second year after transferring to LSU, more than doubling their touchdown pass total. The Heisman Trophy would also be quite the similarity.
Update — 8:40 p.m.
As the broadcast explains, there is no better story among the four finalists than what Michael Penix Jr. has overcome. The Indiana transfer suffered four season-ending injuries in Bloomington, but he kept persisting and is forever a legend at Washington.
Update — 8:30 p.m.
You don't see a married Heisman Trophy finalist too often, but Bo Nix's wife is on hand for the ceremony tonight along with his parents.
Update — 8:20 p.m.
An always soft-spoken Marvin Harrison credits his son for not just being a great player, but most importantly being a good kid. The Hall of Fame receiver is on hand with his other son, Jett, who is several years younger than Marvin Jr.
Update — 8:05 p.m.
In the leadup to the announcement, suits grabbed the attention. Daniels' suit featured photos of himself doing the Heisman pose, while Penix's suit includes the name of his teammates.
The inside of Jayden Daniels' jacket tonight has photos of him hitting the Heisman pose.
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) December 10, 2023
This inside of Michael Penix's jacket tonight has the names of all his Washington teammates. pic.twitter.com/xBNoJpxoRB
Heisman voting results 2023
| Finish | Player | Pos. | School | Points | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| 1 | Jayden Daniels | QB | LSU | 2,029 | 503 | 217 | 86 |
| 2 | Michael Penix Jr. | QB | Washington | 1,701 | 292 | 341 | 143 |
| 3 | Bo Nix | QB | Oregon | 885 | 51 | 205 | 322 |
| 4 | Marvin Harrison Jr. | WR | Ohio State | 352 | 20 | 78 | 136 |
| 5 | Jordan Travis | QB | Florida State | 85 | 8 | 19 | 23 |
| 6 | Jalen Milroe | QB | Alabama | 73 | 4 | 8 | 45 |
| 7 | Ollie Gordon II | RB | Oklahoma St. | 31 | 1 | 2 | 24 |
| 8 | Cody Schrader | RB | Missouri | 29 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
| 9 | Blake Corum | QB | Michigan | 28 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
| 10 | J.J. McCarthy | QB | Michigan | 21 | 1 | 7 | 4 |
Heisman Trophy finalists' stats
Jayden Daniels, LSU
Passing
| Games | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT |
| 12 | 72.2 | 3,812 | 40 | 4 |
Rushing
| Games | Att | YDS | YPC | TD |
| 12 | 135 | 1,134 | 8.4 | 10 |
Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
Receiving
| Games | Rec | YDS | TD | AVG |
| 12 | 67 | 1,211 | 14 | 18.1 |
Bo Nix, Oregon
Passing
| Games | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT |
| 13 | 77.2 | 4,145 | 40 | 3 |
Rushing
| Games | Att | YDS | YPC | TD |
| 13 | 53 | 228 | 4.3 | 6 |
Michael Penix Jr., Washington
Passing
| Games | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT |
| 13 | 65.9 | 4,218 | 33 | 9 |
Rushing
| Games | Att | YDS | YPC | TD |
| 13 | 29 | -18 | -0.6 | 3 |
MORE: What a 12-team CFB Playoff bracket would've looked like in 2023
College football award winners 2023
- Heisman Trophy (outstanding player of the year): TBD
- Maxwell Award (player of the year): Michael Penix Jr., Washington
- Davey O'Brien Award (best QB): Jayden Daniels, LSU
- Doak Walker Award (best RB): Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State
- Fred Biletnikoff Award (best WR): Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
- John Mackey Award (best TE): Brock Bowers, Georgia
- Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player): Payton Wilson, NC State
- Bronko Nagurski (best defensive player): Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
- Butkus Award (best linebacker): Payton Wilson, NC State
- Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back): Trey Taylor, Air Force
- Rimington Trophy (best center): Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
- Outland Trophy (best interior lineman): T'Vondre Sweat, Texas
- Lou Groza Award (best kicker): Graham Nicholson, Miami (OH)
- Ray Guy Award (best punter): Tory Taylor, Iowa
Heisman Trophy winners history, past 14 winners
| Year | Player | Points | Margin of victory |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU | 2,029 | 328 |
| 2022 | Caleb Williams, QB, USC | 2,031 | 611 |
| 2021 | Bryce Young, QB, Alabama | 2,311 | 1,357 |
| 2020 | DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama | 1,856 | 669 |
| 2019 | Joe Burrow, QB, LSU | 2,608 | 1,846 |
| 2018 | Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma | 2,167 | 296 |
| 2017 | Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma | 2,398 | 1,098 |
| 2016 | Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville | 2,144 | 620 |
| 2015 | Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama | 1,832 | 293 |
| 2014 | Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon | 2,534 | 1,284 |
| 2013 | Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State | 2,205 | 1,501 |
| 2012 | Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M | 2,029 | 323 |
| 2011 | Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor | 1,687 | 280 |
| 2010 | Cam Newton, QB, Auburn | 2,263 | 1,184 |