Caleb Williams Eliminates Himself from Heisman Race against Notre Dame

USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams may have ruined his chances at the Heisman Trophy after a poor performance against Notre Dame.

In a surprising turn of events, USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams may have jeopardized his chances of winning the prestigious Heisman Trophy during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Despite being hailed as the best quarterback in the nation and a top contender for the Heisman, Williams had a subpar performance in the first half of the game, throwing a total of three interceptions.

The first interception occurred early in the game when USC was driving the ball. Williams attempted a run-pass option, aiming to connect with the tight end in the middle of the field. However, under pressure from the Notre Dame defense, he overthrew his target, resulting in an interception by Xavier Watts. Watts then returned the ball 38 yards, setting up Notre Dame's first touchdown drive.

The second interception took place with only five minutes remaining in the second quarter, with USC trailing 10-3. Faced with pressure from the right side, Williams made a quick decision to step up into the pocket and threw the ball off-balance into double coverage. Once again, Xavier Watts intercepted the pass, this time returning it to the USC two-yard line. Notre Dame capitalized on the turnover, scoring another touchdown and extending their lead to 17-3.

The third interception occurred three minutes before halftime. Notre Dame executed a blitz on second and 10, forcing Williams to scramble outside the pocket. Despite the pressure, Williams attempted another throw into double coverage, only to have Benjamin Morrison intercept the pass at the 50-yard line. Notre Dame took advantage of the turnover once again, scoring a touchdown and widening their lead to 24-3.

At halftime, USC found themselves trailing 24-6, with their only points coming from a field goal as time expired in the first half. This game marked Williams' first three-interception performance of his career and his first multi-interception game since 2021 when he was playing for Oklahoma and threw two interceptions against Baylor in a loss. By halftime, Williams had completed 13 out of 22 passes for 115 yards, failing to throw any touchdowns. Furthermore, this was the largest deficit USC had faced throughout the entire season.