In what may have been a preview of Saturday’s Heisman Trophy ceremony, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young won the Maxwell Award Thursday night, given to the college football player of the year.
Young beat out Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett, and Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III for the award. Young was also the winner of the Davey O’Brien Award, given to the nation’s best quarterback, beating out Pickett and Ohio State‘s C.J. Stroud.
In 13 games, Young posted 4,322 passing yards, 43 touchdowns, and just four interceptions with a 68 percent completion percentage, leading Alabama to a 12-1 record, and the No. 1 ranking in the College Football Playoff.
Georgia defensive tackle Jordan Davis was another star of the evening, taking home both the Outland Trophy (awarded to the nation’s most outstanding interior lineman) and the Chuck Bednarik Award (defensive player of the year).
Davis joins Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh in 2009 and Pitt’s Aaron Donald in 2013 as the only players to win both the Outland and Bednarik awards in the same season.
Cincinnati, who finished the regular season undefeated and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff, had winners in head coach Luke Fickell and defensive back Coby Bryant, taking home the Home Depot Coach of the Year and Jim Thorpe Award respectively.
Kenneth Walker III became the first Michigan State running back to win the Doak Walker award, after rushing for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns. Walker’s best performance of the season came against Michigan, when he rushed for 197 yards and five touchdowns in a 37-33 victory in East Lansing.
Pitt wide receiver Jordan Addison took home the Biletnikoff award after catching 93 passes for 1,479 yards and 17 receiving touchdowns (first in FBS).
Iowa‘s Tyler Linderbaum was the Rimington Award winner after falling short last year to Alabama’s Landon Dickerson, while San Diego State‘s superstar punter Matt Araiza won the Ray Guy Award, and Michigan kicker Jake Moody won the Lou Groza Award.