For the second consecutive season, Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud came up short in his quest for the Heisman Trophy.
Stroud finished third in voting this season, trailing TCU quarterback Max Duggan and USC quarterback Caleb Williams, who took home this year’s trophy. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett was also in attendance as one of the finalists, finishing fourth.
“It feels amazing to be here again,” Stroud told reports in New York before the ceremony. “This is something I’ve dreamed about as a kid. I’m just blessed to really have an opportunity to inspire people, inspire people from back home, not only just back home, but around the world.
“Just letting everybody know that a young black kid can do anything that you put your mind to if you put God first, do good in school and listen to your parents,” he continued. “I definitely think that’s my job and that’s my responsibility of being here at Ohio State.”
Stroud finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting last season and earned his way back to the stage this year, completing 66.2 percent of his passes for 3,340 yards and 37 touchdowns.
He has already been named the Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year and Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year in the Big Ten, and was named a second-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
He is the first Ohio State player to be named a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, and is the 12th player at Ohio State to either be a finalist or win the trophy.
Ohio State’s most recent Heisman winner was quarterback Troy Smith in 2006, but the Buckeyes have been represented in recent years by quarterback Justin Fields and defensive in Chase Young in 2019 and quarterback Dwayne Haskins in 2018.
Stroud and Ohio State will spend the next few weeks preparing to face No. 1 Georgia at the Peach Bowl in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
