USC Football

USC quarterback Caleb Williams believes all players should not be paid the same amount to appear in the return of EA Sports' college football game.

Williams explained his position to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports:

"Thing about life is, you have to adjust to anything. Businesses and brands and things like that have to adjust to the new brand of college. I'd love to have the game back, but it's the new day and age and everybody knows what the new day and age in college is.

"It's like if you go to school and you are a straight-A student and there's another kid whose strong suit isn't school and he gets B's or B-minuses. How fair would it be if you get the same grade as him? That never works in school and it doesn't make sense. That's how I look at that game with the situation with the $500."

Dellenger noted there has been reporting that EA planned on paying each player $500 to appear in the game, but the company itself has called that "speculation."

The beloved game has not been released since 2013 amid challenges regarding the use of college players before the name, image and likeness opportunities of today's world were present. In theory, the availability of NIL pathways should clear the way for the game to launch.

Yet Dellenger noted leaders from the College Football Players Association have called for athletes to boycott allowing their likeness to be used in the game if the payout is truly going to be a uniform $500 across the board.

It isn't difficult to see where Williams is coming from with his statements.

After all, he is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner and plays quarterback for a high-profile program in USC. His inclusion in the game would likely draw more interest from people looking to purchase the newest edition from EA Sports.

"It depends on who you are and your situation and if you earned it," he continued. "There's certain people that have been in college for many years and been playing for many years, and there's other guys who have been in college for many years and haven't played and haven't been doing this and that. It depends on your situation and who you are and what you have actually earned. I'm not talking about money earned… I'm talking about all the hard work you've put in."

For now, it remains to be seen whether the actual offer will be a uniform $500 across the board.

Perhaps, much like other NIL opportunities, star players such as Williams will be offered more to make an appearance.

According to On3's NIL valuation rankings, Williams has the fourth-highest NIL value among all college athletes. He is behind USC basketball player Bronny James, LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne and Texas quarterback Arch Manning. James and Manning are both household names in large part because of their famous relatives.

Someone like Williams would be in line to make quite a windfall from EA Sports if the company decides to offer different amounts of money to different players.

On the eve of the 2023 college football season, USC star Caleb Williams is the heavy favorite to win the Heisman Trophy for the second consecutive year.

In the latest odds from DraftKings Sportsbook, Williams is a +450 favorite (bet $100 to win $450) to take home the award.

LSU's Jayden Daniels is second on the list at +1100, followed by Texas' Quinn Ewers (+1300), Georgia's Carson Beck, Clemson's Cade Klubnik and Florida State's Jordan Travis (all at +1400).

The hype train for Williams is only picking up steam after a dazzling performance in 2022. He set USC records for the most passing yards (4,537), passing touchdowns (42) and total touchdowns (52) in a single season.

Williams also led FBS in passing touchdowns, ranked third in passing yards and 19th in completion percentage (66.6). He's widely regarded as the best prospect in the 2024 NFL draft if he decides to leave the Trojans after this season.

While it's no surprise to see Williams atop the list of Heisman favorites, he is fighting against 48 years of history. The only two-time Heisman winner was Ohio State running back Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975.

This is a year where that trend could end because the main Heisman contenders Williams was up against last year are, for the most part, no longer in college. Max Duggan, C.J. Stroud, Stetson Bennett, Hendon Hooker, Bryce Young, Blake Corum, Michael Penix Jr., Bijan Robinson and Drake Maye rounded out the top 10 in Heisman voting last year.

From that group, only Corum, Penix and Maye are still in college. Everyone else is currently in the NFL.

Daniels is a fifth-year senior entering his second season at LSU. He's one of the most dynamic players in college football coming off a 2022 campaign in which he threw for 2,913 yards, ran for 885 yards and accounted for 28 touchdowns in 14 games.

One key early-season game in the Heisman race will be on Sept. 3 when Daniels leads the Tigers against Travis and Florida State at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

The race for the 2023 Heisman Trophy will begin on Saturday. Williams and the Trojans will open the season against San Jose State in Week 0.

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USC quarterback Caleb Williams and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye are expected to be the headliners of the 2024 NFL draft, but they reportedly would've gotten top billing this past year as well.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, "multiple scouts" said they would have picked either Williams or Maye with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft ahead of the talented class of quarterbacks that included Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson.

In his latest mock draft on Thursday, ESPN's Matt Miller predicted that Williams will be going to the Arizona Cardinals at No. 1 with Maye heading to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the No. 3 pick. The only reason Maye wasn't at No. 2 is that Arizona was projected to be selecting with back-to-back picks thanks to owning the Houston Texans' 2024 first-rounder.

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner, Williams is coming off a dominant 2022 season for the Trojans in which he threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns against just five interceptions while adding 113 carries for 382 yards and 10 more scores. He's drawn frequent comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs star and two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes because of his creativity and his athleticism.

Thamel noted that "it was unanimous among the scouts that they liked Williams better" than Maye. However, the Tar Heels signal-caller also has a bright future ahead of him.

Whereas Williams is listed as 6'1" and 215 pounds, Maye has the prototypical size for an NFL starting quarterback at 6'4" and 230 pounds. He enjoyed a breakout season for North Carolina last year in which he recorded 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns and seven interceptions through the air while also adding 698 rushing yards and seven scores on the ground.

It's clear that both Williams and Maye are destined for stardom at the next level. But first, they will focus their attention on the 2023 college football season, which kicks off this weekend.

USC quarterback Caleb Williams appears to be the likely No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft and he is reminding scouts of another athletic gunslinger who is currently torching the NFL.

Pete Thamel of ESPN spoke to numerous scouts who acknowledged the similarities between Williams and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

"A lot will give you Patrick Mahomes—yeah, cool, I see it," said a scout, per Thamel. "That's fair. I just think Patrick Mahomes is a unicorn. There's an argument to be said that Caleb is more athletic than Mahomes. Could he be potentially better? I don't know. We get in these superlatives and clickbait. Slow down. Let's just say he's the best quarterback prospect in the draft and evaluate him fairly."

The comparison is lofty, given Mahomes' significant success in the NFL. However, another scout told Thamel that the Chiefs quarterback's rise may have helped Williams have his skill set fully appreciated.

"I think it's scary to compare to Patrick Mahomes," a scout said, per Thamel. "When he was a prospect, he was unfairly treated as more of a project. This dude, and maybe it's because of what happened with Mahomes, I don't think he's viewed that way at all."

Mahomes was excellent in college, tossing for 11,252 total yards in three seasons and throwing 93 touchdowns to 29 interceptions. Despite this, he played in an air raid system at Texas Tech and was viewed as a project quarterback heading into the draft.

Williams doesn't have the same project label that Mahomes did entering the NFL. He is coming off of a season where he eclipsed 4,500 yards with 42 touchdowns and just five interceptions and won a Heisman Trophy for his efforts. He has put up dominant statistics in two Power Five conferences and still has another season to further build his collegiate legacy.

Of note, Mahomes was able to develop for a season under veteran quarterback Alex Smith and entered an offense that was already excellent with a solidified head coach and team culture. Given Williams' pedigree and expectations, he will likely head to a team in transition and he will be expected to produce right away.

While Williams appears to have all the tools to thrive in any situation, Mahomes-esque comparisons are definitely unfair to place on a player who still has at least one more collegiate season ahead before he puts on an NFL jersey.

Caleb Williams is not guaranteeing this will be his last collegiate season.

The USC quarterback, who is widely considered the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, said he won't make a decision on his football future until after this season.

"That's for sure now going to be an in-the-moment decision at the end of the year," Williams told Pete Thamel of ESPN. "It's my third year, and the dream and goal was to go three-and-out. Being around these guys and in college and enjoying it, we'll have to see at the end of this year."

Williams threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns against five interceptions on his way to winning the Heisman, Maxwell and Walter Camp trophies. DraftKings Sportsbook currently lists Williams as a -500 favorite to be the top pick in next year's draft.

Regardless of his public comments, it would be a complete surprise if Williams decided to return for his senior season. He's already put together a pair of stellar seasons as a starter and has all the makings of an NFL superstar, showing poise in the pocket, mobility and ability to hit throws all over the field.

Former USC teammate Jordan Addison, who was a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings, said he thought Williams would have been the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft if he were eligible.

"I would say he would be the No. 1 pick this year," Addison told reporters. "That's how ready he is."

USC opens the 2023 college football season as the No. 6 team in the country and top-ranked team in the Pac-12. Williams said his desire to be one of the best players in college football history and the camaraderie of the locker room are the biggest factors in pushing him toward potentially staying at USC.

"Being in college now, being part of this brotherhood and being with Coach Riley, it's been awesome," Williams said.

Former USC and NFL running back Reggie Bush is reportedly filing a defamation lawsuit against the NCAA in relation to a statement the organization released about him in 2021.

According to ESPN's Kyle Bonagura, Bush plans to file the lawsuit Wednesday after an NCAA spokesperson said two years ago that he was part of a "pay-for-play arrangement" at USC.

After new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules allowed college athletes to start getting compensated in 2021, Bonagura inquired with the NCAA about whether the modifications could lead to Bush having his records reinstated and Heisman Trophy returned.

A spokesperson insisted that would not be the case, saying: "Although college athletes can now receive benefits from their names, images and likenesses through activities like endorsements and appearances, NCAA rules still do not permit pay-for-play type arrangements. The NCAA infractions process exists to promote fairness in college sports. The rules that govern fair play are voted on, agreed to and expected to be upheld by all NCAA member schools."

Bush won the Heisman in 2005, but he vacated it in 2010 after an NCAA investigation determined that he and his family received gifts from a sports agent during his time at USC.

Per Bonagura, Bush's legal representation released a statement on the lawsuit, saying: "The lawsuit is based on the NCAA maliciously attacking his character through a completely false and highly offensive statement that was widely reported in the media and substantially and irreparably damaged his reputation."

The law firm subsequently stated: "The NCAA's statement is completely false and highly offensive. The NCAA knew Mr. Bush was never even accused of, involved in, much less sanctioned for any 'pay-for-play arrangement,' which never occurred."

Although an NCAA investigation found that Bush and his family received several improper benefits, including cash and a home in San Diego, it was never definitively found that he agreed to play at USC in exchange for those gifts.

Bonagura reported that Bush is hoping to have his Heisman Trophy returned, but that likely cannot happen unless the NCAA restores his records.

In addition to Bush having his records stricken, USC was forced to vacate the 2005 season, which saw it go 12-1 and lose to Texas in an all-time classic national championship game.

Bush was an electric and dominant force in 2005, rushing for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns, while averaging a remarkable 8.7 yards per carry. He also caught 37 passes for 478 yards and two touchdowns, and he scored a punt return touchdown.

He went on to be the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft to the New Orleans Saints, and he would enjoy an 11-year NFL career with the Saints, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills.

The NCAA has yet to comment on the lawsuit, but Bush plans to speak on it at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Wednesday.

USC head coach Lincoln Riley's 2026 recruiting class is off to a fantastic start after landing star quarterback Julian Lewis.

Lewis gave the Trojans a verbal commitment on Tuesday.

Julian's father, TC Lewis, told ESPN's Pete Thamel his son made four visits to USC since Riley took over as head coach in November 2021.

Lewis is a 4-star prospect and No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class, per 247Sports.

"You've seen what Lincoln Riley has done with quarterbacks," Lewis recently told 247Sports' Steve Wiltfong before committing to the Trojans.

Lewis is currently a sophomore at Carrollton High School in Georgia. He threw for 4,118 yards and 48 touchdowns as a freshman to help the Trojans advance to the Georgia 7-A championship game.

Despite Carollton's 70-35 loss to Mill Creek in the title game, Lewis set a state finals record with 531 passing yards and five touchdowns.

Riley is racking up an impressive list of quarterbacks who have played for him. The 39-year-old coached back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners at Oklahoma (Baker Mayfield in 2017 and Kyler Murray in 2018).

Jalen Hurts finished second in Heisman voting in his lone season with Riley in 2019. Caleb Williams, who is the early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft, won the award last year in his first season at USC.

"Coach Riley being the quarterback coach and OC makes USC different than a lot of programs," Lewis told Wiltfong. "He's proven, all he does is turn his quarterbacks into to the best players in college football."

Lewis had offers from many of the nation's top programs, including Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and Texas, before committing to USC.

Expectations are likely to remain very high for the Trojans as long as Riley is their head coach. They won 11 games last season for the first time since 2017 and are ranked sixth in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll.

The 2023 Associated Press preseason All-America team was unveiled on Monday.

Headlining the list of college football's top returning players is USC quarterback and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams. He's joined on the offensive side by Ohio State star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michigan running back Blake Corum.

The entire preseason All-America first team looks like this:

Offense

Quarterback: Caleb Williams, junior, Southern California.

Running back: Blake Corum, senior, Michigan; Quinshon Judkins, sophomore, Mississippi.

Tackle: Joe Alt, junior, Notre Dame; Olu Fashanu, senior, Penn State.

Guard: Cooper Beebe, senior, Kansas State; Zak Zinter, senior, Michigan.

Center: Sedrick Van Pran, senior, Georgia.

Tight end: Brock Bowers, junior, Georgia.

Wide receiver: Marvin Harrison Jr., junior, Ohio State; Rome Odunze, senior, Washington; Emeka Egbuka, junior, Ohio State.

All-purpose player: Travis Hunter, sophomore, Colorado.

Kicker: Joshua Karty, senior, Stanford.

Defense

Edge rusher: Jared Verse, senior, Florida State; Bralen Trice, senior, Washington.

Interior linemen: Jer'Zhan Newton, senior, Illinois; Dontay Corleone, junior, Cincinnati.

Linebacker: Harold Perkins, sophomore, LSU; Jamon Dumas-Johnson, junior, Georgia; Tommy Eichenberg, senior, Ohio State.

Cornerback: Kool-Aid McKinstry, junior, Alabama; Kalen King, junior, Penn State.

Safety: Kam Kinchens, junior, Miami; Malaki Starks, sophomore, Georgia.

Defensive back: Cooper DeJean, junior, Iowa.

Punter: Tory Taylor, senior, Iowa.

Arguably the best player in all of college football, Williams is back for the Trojans after being named 2022 AP Player of the Year while also winning the Maxwell Award and the Walter Camp Award. The 21-year-old, who transferred from Oklahoma last year, threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns against just five interceptions while adding 113 carries for 382 yards and 10 more scores.

The son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, the Buckeyes wideout is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign in which he posted 77 catches for 1,263 yards and 14 touchdowns. Harrison leads what might be the best receiving corps in the nation, as fellow Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka was also named to the pre-season All-American team.

Corum was a Heisman Trophy candidate last year after he rushed for 1,463 yards and 18 touchdowns on 247 carries before suffering a knee injury late in the year that held him out of the Big Ten Championship. He will be trying to help the Wolverines make a third consecutive appearance in the College Football Playoff.

The school with the most first-team selections is two-time defending national champion No. 1 Georgia, with tight end Brock Bowers, center Sedrick Van Pran and defensive backs Malaki Starks and Javon Bullard. Ohio State was second with three selections, as linebacker Tommy Eichenberg joined Harrison and Egbuka.

The Big Ten led all conferences with 12 first-team selections, followed by the SEC with seven.

The 2023 college football season will begin on Saturday, Aug. 26, with Williams leading the No. 6 Trojans in a primetime matchup against San Jose State.

A lot of college football fans are betting this is the year Archie Griffin has company as the only two-time Heisman Trophy winner.

DraftKings Sportsbook said Wednesday that USC star Caleb Williams is garnering the most Heisman wagers of any player before the 2023 season kicks off.

Williams is the Heisman favorite (+550) by some distance at DraftKings Sportsbook. He's followed by LSU's Jayden Daniels (+1100), Texas' Quinn Ewers (+1300), Florida State's Jordan Travis (+1400) and Clemson's Cade Klubnik (+1400).

Even though history isn't in his favor, the junior quarterback is undoubtedly the strongest candidate in the field. He threw for 4,537 yards and 42 touchdowns and ran for 382 yards and 10 scores in his first year with the Trojans.

But around this time last year, Bryce Young looked primed to launch a strong defense of his 2021 Heisman win, while C.J. Stroud was viewed as his toughest competition. Young wasn't even a finalist when the dust settled, and Stroud finished a distant third in the voting.

The Heisman hierarchy is bound to evolve once the games begin.

For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting.

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