The Heisman Trophy race enters the final stage on conference championship weekend.
Robert Griffin III, who won the Heisman Trophy at Baylor in 2011, said the winner will be one of two quarterbacks who takes advantage of that spotlight in those conference championship games.
"I do believe the Heisman is a two-man race," Griffin told Sporting News. "It's either Caleb Williams or Max Duggan."
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Williams has emerged as the front-runner. He leads No. 4 USC against No. 11 Utah in the Pac-12 championship game on Friday. Duggan leads No. 3 TCU against No. 13 Kansas State in the Big 12 championship game on Saturday. Both quarterbacks have a chance to lead their programs to the College Football Playoff for the first time.
Griffin, who is continuing his work with the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, admires Williams' work on and off the field. Williams is a member of the Good Works Team. Williams has established the "Caleb Cares" foundation, which has an emphasis on anti-bullying and mental health awareness.
"He's doing some amazing things," Griffin said. "Everyone calls him Superman, of course."
Williams has piled up 3,712 passing yards, 351 rushing yards and 44 total TDs this season. The Oklahoma transfer could become the third Heisman Trophy to play under Lincoln Riley since 2017. Griffin called the USC spring game on April 23 and saw the potential for a special season.
"He just has an innate ability to make the right play at the right time," Griffin said. "He was 25 of 27 passing, and it was very simple. He didn't do anything spectacular. He didn't make any scramble plays, but he knows how to play boring football and he knows how to play exciting football when the time comes."
Duggan has 3,070 passing yards, 294 rushing yards and 34 total TDs for the Horned Frogs. Griffin said he’s had Duggan high on his Heisman board, and that the "unbelievable story" factor is high. Duggan, a three-year starter, lost the starting job in fall camp to Chandler Morris. When Morris was injured in Week 1, however, Duggan stepped in for first-year coach Sonny Dykes. Now, the Horned Frogs (12-0) are one win away from the CFP.
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Griffin covered Duggan for the first time in a 52-31 win against Texas Tech on Oct. 9, 2021. This season, Duggan has lived up to the evaluation Griffin gave that night.
"I said that Max Duggan is one of the best quarterbacks in the country – one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country – and people kind of laughed," Griffin said. "He didn't think about transferring. He didn't think about leaving. He didn't go sulk in a corner. He took his opportunity and made the most of it."
What would Duggan have to do to make a last-minute run on Williams?
"He's going to have to go out there and throw for like 350 yards and five touchdowns or run for 150 and do something crazy to win it," Griffin said. "He's the only guy who has a chance to knock off Caleb Williams."
Does that mean the Heisman Trophy is a foregone conclusion if Williams leads the Trojans to a victory on Friday night?
"I say yes with an asterisk because the only way he wins is if he plays well," Griffin said. "That's typically how it goes for them. When he plays well, they win. They've only lost one game. If he puts another 507 yards of total offense, then he's going to be the Heisman Trophy winner. There's no doubt about that."
So what happens if Williams and Duggan both lose and play poorly? Griffin is looking at a candidate who is not even on the board right now.
"If they both play bad and they both lose, there is a good chance that Hendon Hooker can win the Heisman even though he got hurt and hasn't played in a few weeks," Griffin said. "This is a year where the Heisman is kind of like, 'Ah? I don't know?' But if those two guys win, then they're the favorites."
Griffin is continuing his work with the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, with a focus on the initiative DoSomething.org. Griffin is trying to recruit 1,000 volunteers to make a difference in their communities."I understand the importance of giving back to the community. I feel like it's always been the best way to give back to your community is to be active in it. It's not just about money. It's about time. That's what Allstate has a huge emphasis on."
