College Football Awards 2022: Results, Winners, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

Timothy Rapp @@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVDecember 9, 2022

LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 02: USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) looks on before the Pac-12 Conference championship game between the Utah Utes and the USC Trojans at Allegiant Stadium on December 2, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The College Football Awards doled out its annual collection of distinctions on Thursday night. Below, we'll go through the night's big winners.

Maxwell Award (college player of the year): Caleb Williams, USC

Quite the day for Williams, who also won the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and AP Player of the Year award:

ESPN @espn
USC's Caleb Williams has been named the best all-around player in the country 🤩 The Trojans' QB has been honored with this year's Maxwell Award! <a href="https://t.co/xa4yTOfpkq">pic.twitter.com/xa4yTOfpkq</a>

NFL Rookie Watch @NFLRookieWatxh
Caleb Williams has been awarded the Maxwell Award, which is given to CFB's best all-around player. The Maxwell Award winner has gone on to win the Heisman the past 8 years in a row 👀 <a href="https://t.co/j3qCUrPpV2">pic.twitter.com/j3qCUrPpV2</a>

The USC gunslinger threw for 4,075 yards, 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions while completing 66.1 percent of his passes. He was a threat on the ground as well, rushing for 367 yards and an additional 10 scores.

Williams is arguably the front-runner for the Heisman, so winning the Maxwell didn't come as a major surprise.

Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year): Will Anderson Jr., Edge, Alabama

No surprises here.

SEC Network @SECNetwork
The best defensive player in the game: Will Anderson Jr. <a href="https://twitter.com/will_anderson28?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@will_anderson28</a> is the third <a href="https://twitter.com/AlabamaFTBL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlabamaFTBL</a> player to win the Bednarik Award 🏆 <a href="https://t.co/jbuH04CHQr">pic.twitter.com/jbuH04CHQr</a>

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Anderson is a force of nature off the edge, accumulating 51 tackles (17 for loss), 10 sacks, 12 quarterback hurries and an interception on the season. And that was despite facing regular double-teams this season after registering 17.5 sacks in 2021.

Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award (best quarterback): Max Duggan, TCU

This was a loaded category, with Ohio State's C.J. Stroud and USC's Williams also presenting strong cases. Both are Heisman finalists.

But Duggan, also a Heisman finalist along with Georgia's Stetson Bennett, has torched defenses all season, throwing for 3,321 yards, 30 touchdowns and just four interceptions while completing 64.9 percent of his passes. He also rushed for 404 yards and six scores.

Dean Straka @DWStraka49
TCU QB Max Duggan has won the Davey O'Brien Award. First TCU player to win the QB honor that is named after the Horned Frog great.

Dan Wolken @DanWolken
Duggan winning the Davey O'Brien makes the Heisman ceremony at least a little bit interesting <a href="https://t.co/68fYZfSYnE">https://t.co/68fYZfSYnE</a>

The result was a 12-1 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff. It likely won't be Duggan's last piece of hardware this winter.

Rimington Trophy (outstanding center): Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan

Oluwatimi didn't allow a sack all season and only two pressures, headlining an offensive line that helped Michigan win the Big Ten title and a berth in the CFP. The Wolverines rushed for 243 yards per game this year, sixth in the country. Oluwatimi aided that charge.

Doak Walker Award (premier running back): Bijan Robinson, Texas

Every team knew Texas was going to build its game plan around Robinson, and it didn't matter. He still rushed for 1,580 yards and 18 touchdowns, adding 19 catches for 314 yards and another two scores. He rushed for 200 or more yards twice on the season.

Texas Football @TexasFootball
The best running back in the nation 🤘 Bijan Robinson • Doak Walker Award Winner 🏆 <a href="https://t.co/TzGqtbbU33">pic.twitter.com/TzGqtbbU33</a>

He was special.

Outland Trophy (most outstanding interior lineman): Oluwatimi

Make it two pieces of hardware for Oluwatimi on Thursday night.

John Mackey Award (outstanding tight end): Brock Bowers, Georgia

Bowers was a huge offensive weapon for the top-ranked team in the nation, catching 52 passes for 726 yards and six scores.

SEC Network @SECNetwork
The best TE in college football: Brock Bowers<a href="https://twitter.com/brockbowers17?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@brockbowers17</a> is the first player in <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgiaFootball?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GeorgiaFootball</a> history to win the Mackey Award 🏆 <a href="https://t.co/ok9sRkzuXA">pic.twitter.com/ok9sRkzuXA</a>

This was perhaps a touch of an upset, with Notre Dame's Michael Mayer posting superior stats (67 catches for 809 yards and nine touchdowns). But the award went to Bowers.

Biletnikoff Award (outstanding receiver): Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

Another slight surprise, with Ohio State's Marvin Harrison Jr. often considered the top wideout in the nation after catching 72 passes for 1,157 yards and 12 scores.

PFF College @PFF_College
Jalin Hyatt: 8 REC TDs on 20+ yard throws this season Led all Wide Receivers🚀 <a href="https://t.co/sv7SkGyCa1">pic.twitter.com/sv7SkGyCa1</a>

Wes Rucker @wesrucker247
Numbers vs. ranked opponents this season... Jalin Hyatt — 37 catches, 602 yards, 9 TDs Marvin Harrison Jr. — 22 catches, 361 yards, 1 TD Can't emphasize this enough: Harrison winning the Biletnikoff would be a crime.

Cameron Teague @cj_teague
Not sure who could watch Marvin Harrison Jr, and not think he's the best receiver in college football but alright…

Joey Kaufman @joeyrkaufman
In a bit on an upset, Marvin Harrison Jr. was not selected as the winner of the Biletnikoff Award, which goes to the nation's top receiver. Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt picked up the award.

But the Biletnikoff Award went to Hyatt, who did impress with 67 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 scores. It's fair to argue he had the better statistical season, though Harrison helped lead his team to another berth in the CFP.

Paycom Jim Thorpe Award (best defensive back): Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson, TCU

Another award for TCU.

Hodges-Tomlinson has been excellent this season, with 42 tackles (two for loss), one forced fumble, three interceptions and 11 passes defensed.

Ray Guy Award (punter of the year): Adam Korsak, Rutgers

Korsak averaged 44 yards per punt on 75 total punts this year.

Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award (outstanding kicker): Christopher Dunn, NC State

Dunn was the picture of consistency this season, finishing 24-of-25 on field goals and 30-of-30 on extra points.

Home Depot Coach of the Year: Sonny Dykes, TCU

Dykes led TCU to a 12-1 record and a berth in the College Football Playoff, though the Horned Frogs fell short in the Big 12 title game against Kansas State. No matter—it was a superb season for TCU and a justified piece of hardware for its head coach.