Ohio State football players who could win the 2023 Heisman Trophy
Ohio State football has a streak to continue heading into the 2023 season.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud has been a finalist for the Heisman Trophy for each of the past two seasons — finishing in fourth and third place, respectively.
But after Stroud’s two trips to New York City, the Buckeyes have had five Heisman finalists since 2018, including quarterback Justin Fields and defensive end Chase Young in 2019 and quarterback Dwayne Haskins in 2018.
Ohio State football news:Sign up for the Ohio State Sports Insider text group with Dispatch reporters
Who could be the next Ohio State player to become a Heisman finalist? Here’s a look at six players who could be at the forefront of the conversation in 2023.
Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State wide receiver
Since his three-touchdown performance in the 2022 Rose Bowl against Utah, Marvin Harrison Jr. has emerged as one of the top wide receivers in college football.
A 2022 Biletnikoff award finalist, Harrison led the Buckeyes with 72 catches for 1,157 yards in 12 games, bringing in 12 touchdowns and averaging 16.1 yards per play.
While the Heisman Trophy has not had a wide receiver finalist since Alabama WR DeVonta Smith won the award in 2020, Harrison could be in line to be the next one during his junior season.
TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State running back
TreVeyon Henderson didn’t have a full-season’s opportunity to show what he could do in 2022.
In and out of the lineup with torn ligaments and a broken bone in his foot, the Ohio State sophomore running back finished second on the team with 599 all-purpose yards, averaging 5.4 yards per play with seven touchdowns.
If his freshman season is any indication — recording 1,560 yards and 19 touchdowns from scrimmage in 2021 — Henderson could be in line for a big return, if healthy.
Kyle McCord, Ohio State quarterback
With the likeliness of Stroud not returning to Ohio State in 2023, whoever takes over the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback spot will likely be in the running for college football’s top award.
Kyle McCord is in line to be Stroud’s likely successor.
A former five-star quarterback in the 2021 class, McCord has appeared in 12 games across two seasons, completing 70.7% of his 58 pass attempts for 606 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
How C.J. Stroud handled Michigan loss:‘I never put my head down’: How Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud handled loss to Michigan
Miyan Williams, Ohio State running back
While Miyan Williams, along with Henderson, battled a foot injury in 2022, he ended the regular season as Ohio State’s leading rusher.
Williams brought in a career-high 817 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 125 carries, averaging 6.5 yards each time he touched the football.
Williams could be a major part of the Buckeyes’ offense if he returns next season, coming off his third college campaign in 2022 and heading into the offseason eligible for the 2023 NFL draft.
Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State wide receiver
Emeka Egbuka was the second receiver of a two-headed beast in Ohio State’s passing game in 2021.
Along with Harrison, Egbuka was a 1,000-yard receiver, bringing in 1,039 yards on 66 catches, scoring 11 touchdowns and averaging 14.9 yards each time he touched the ball.
While also recording 81 yards and two touchdowns in the run game, Egbuka could get the attention of the Heisman committee for an offense that will have a lot of attention on Harrison in 2023.
J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State defensive end
J.T. Tuimoloau put together a Heisman-like performance on the road against Penn State.
The Ohio State defensive end recorded three tackles-for-loss, two sacks, two interception and a pass breakup against the Nittany Lions. He finished the regular season with 10.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 sacks along with 28 tackles.
As a Heisman finalist in 2021, Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson recorded 62 tackles, 16.5 tackles-for-loss and 14 sacks. Tuimoloau showed he has the potential for a breakout 2023 season.
Ohio State football schedule 2023
Here’s what Ohio State’s 2023 football schedule looks like.
- Sept. 2: Ohio State vs. Indiana, Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana
- Sept. 9: Ohio State vs. Youngstown State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Sept. 16: Ohio State vs. Western Kentucky, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Sept. 23: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Indiana
- Oct. 7: Ohio State vs. Maryland, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Oct. 14: Ohio State vs. Purdue, Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana
- Oct. 21: Ohio State vs. Penn State, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Oct. 28: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin, Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin
- Nov. 4: Ohio State vs. Rutgers, SHI Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey
- Nov. 11: Ohio State vs. Michigan State, Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Michigan
- Nov. 18: Ohio State vs. Minnesota, Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
- Nov. 25: Ohio State vs. Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
College football rankings 2022
Here’s a look at the final College Football Playoff ranking of the 2022 season.
- Georgia…
Read More: Ohio State football players who could win the 2023 Heisman Trophy