THREE THINGS TO KNOW

Army-Navy ends with drama, especially for bettors 

Army vs. Navy had plenty of drama in the final moments — especially if you were a fan who bet on this game. It was a flurry of excitement, and ended with Army prevailing 17-11 over Navy in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Army linebacker Kalib Fortner scored on a fourth-quarter strip sack and then helped stuff quarterback Tai Lavatai barely shy of the end zone with 3 seconds left to lead the Black Knights to a victory and win the 124th meeting of the nation’s oldest service academies.

The game had plenty of hype leading up to kickoff, including New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who grew up in Annapolis while his father spent 34 years as a Navy assistant coach, being prominently involved. He spoke to the Midshipmen on Friday night and appeared on ESPN’s College GameDay as the guest picker, pulling on a Roger Staubach-era Navy helmet to predict the winner.

Biletnikoff brouhaha spices up awards night  

The annual college football awards went mostly according to plan, as there were only few surprises. But a shocker arrived for the top pass catcher award, the Biletnikoff Award. Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr. won the award by 1 vote despite being down the line among the finalists with production this season. 

And that didn’t sit well with other fans, particularly from LSU, who said Harrison won the award thanks to his father, a former NFL star. Malik Nabers bested Harrison by 19 catches (86 to 67) and 335 yards (1,546 to 1,211) while both stars caught 14 touchdowns. The LSU wideout leads the nation in plays of 10-plus yards (59), 20-plus yards (34) and 30-plus yards (17). With that context, Nabers called it disrespectful. 

Dillon Gabriel flies west in transfer portal  

Dillon Gabriel, one of the more sough-after quarterbacks in the transfer portal, is going from OU to UO. The standout quarterback is transferring from Oklahoma to Oregon. After 2 outstanding seasons with the Sooners, Gabriel figures to keep Oregon humming at the same level Bo Nix has had the Ducks at over these last two seasons. In fact, Nix already weighed in on the move. 

“I’m happy that they’re doing what they think is best and Coach Lanning’s going to do a good job of putting guys around the team who he thinks is going to win games,” Nix said. “I think obviously the transfer portal worked out for me, so hopefully it continues to have a positive effect on college football.”

Gabriel is the most experienced and productive quarterback available in the portal for next season, with 14,865 career yards passing. He is 4,352 yards behind former Houston quarterback Case Keenum’s major college football record of 19,217 and 2,207 behind Timmy Chang in second place with 17,072. In what is an increasingly experienced position, Gabriel threw for 6,828 yards and 55 touchdowns and ran for 18 scores the last 2 seasons with Oklahoma. He played his first 3 seasons at UCF, passing for 70 touchdowns. He has already started 50 games in his college career.

WHO SAID IT?  

"First of all, Florida fans have the right to be upset. They’re fans. Florida is an elite place. Ohio State fans are really upset they’re 11-1. Florida State fans are losing their mind because they’re not in the Playoff. That’s what makes this great."

Scroll down to see who said today's quote! 

TRIVIA  

For today's trivia, let's discuss running backs and the Heisman Trophy. A running back hasn't won college football's top award since 2015, when it went to Derrick Henry of Alabama. Can you name the last running back to finish in the top 3 of the Heisman vote? Bonus point if you can name the year, too.

Scroll down to see the answer to today's trivia! 

DISCOVER UNDERDOG FANTASY  

Get in on the action with Underdog Fantasy!

Time is winding down in the college football season and the NFL playoffs will also be here before you know it. But never fear! There's still time to get in on the action at Underdog Fantasy. Enter daily drafts or craft your own pick'em contests. Score big because Underdog Fantasy is legal in 41 states. And here's the game-changer—use this exclusive Underdog Fantasy promo code for a $100 value boost! Get those picks in before kickoff on Saturday and Sunday! 

HEISMAN TROPHY

Jayden Daniels captures 2023 Heisman in closer than expected vote

Following the conclusion of the 2023 college football season, one clear choice surfaced for the Heisman Trophy. That would be LSU QB Jayden Daniels, who delivered 50 touchdowns and led the Tigers in passing and rushing as a lethal dual-threat quarterback. While the talented group of finalists included Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr. and Marvin Harrison Jr., Daniels rose to the top and was announced as the recipient of this year’s Heisman Saturday night.

With the win, Daniels becomes LSU’s third all-time winner of the Heisman. He is the second Tiger in the past 5 seasons to win the award, joining Joe Burrow’s victory in 2019. Daniels’ Heisman also carries some significance for the SEC, giving the conference sole possession of the most Heisman winners in college football history. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how Daniels’ prospects for the NFL shape up, but it’s hard to find fault with his worthiness for this year’s top honor:

• How did the vote for Daniels play out? While Daniels had a fairly comfortable margin in the final vote, his win over second-place finisher Michael Penix Jr. was the closest since 2018. That season, it was Kyler Murray beating out Tua Tagovailoa for the award. Bo Nix, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jordan Travis rounded out the top 5 finishers. Saturday Down South’s Connor O’Gara revealed how he filled out his Heisman ballot with Daniels as his winner. Following the full reveal, one mystery writer received plenty of heat on social media for a dubious decision. That decision involved awarding a first-place vote to Michigan QB JJ McCarthy, a player that finished with 19 passing touchdowns this season.

• What guided Daniels during his pursuit of the Heisman? Following his victory, Daniels recognized his family in his acceptance speech. He noted his father “raised me to be a corner” but joked the decision to play QB paid off. Daniels also delivered a shout out to his O-line and encouraged any boy or girl with a dream that “faith and hard work” can help achieve those dreams. In an interview with ESPN’s Marty Smith, Daniels also explained he modeled his cool in-game demeanor after legendary QB Joe Montana. Daniels said it was his father who recommended the Hall of Fame QB as a model for on-field poise and leadership. 

• What will Jayden Daniels’ NFL Draft stock look like? Winning the Heisman never guarantees a QB success at the NFL level, but Daniels is certainly an intriguing option to watch after capturing the award. Kirk Herbstreit is a believer in Daniels at the next level, already saying the QB is “gonna be the steal of the draft.” He also said Daniels is the QB “to look out for,” with a skill set fit for the modern NFL game. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. is also sold on Daniels’ potential, slotting the LSU QB as the No. 8 overall prospect available for the 2024 NFL Draft. He’s Kiper’s third-best QB available behind Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Kiper pointed to “pinpoint accuracy” and “a rare balance” in Daniels’ ability be aggressive without turning the ball over.

Daniels’ season certainly provided a lot of fireworks and he’s a deserving recipient of the Heisman Trophy, joining one of the most exclusive clubs in the world. And while the dust hasn’t even settled from his award, it is never too early to take a glimpse at potential candidates for the 2024 Heisman. Paul Finebaum weighed in with a pair of SEC QBs in Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Georgia’s Carson Beck as players to watch when next season rolls around. For now, Daniels will reign as the most outstanding player in the country.

GOOD READS

• There have now been 40 teams in the Playoff. As we prepare for the last Playoff of the 4-team era, it's worth taking a look back at the teams that have qualified over the last decade. Saturday Down South's Chris Wright took on the daunting task of ranking all 40 teams from the 4-team CFP era. 
• Opt-out season is officially here. Although bowl games won't start until this weekend, players are already revealing their decisions on whether or not to play. Over the years, there have been some elite players who have opted to skip bowl games. Saturday Down South's Brett Friedlander picked his All-Opt Out Bowl Team in this article.
• Florida is bringing Billy Napier back next year. The Gators' coach will certainly enter 2024 on the hot seat, and he'll need to do some work in the transfer portal if he wants to avoid getting fired. Though Napier has the backing of the Florida administration, Saturday Down South's Matt Hayes writes that top Gators entering the transfer portal paints a bleak picture.

LISTEN

• 🎧 The Saturday Down South Podcast: Hosts Connor O'Gara and Will Ogburn break down the Heisman Trophy finalists and why it explains the NIL market for transfer QBs. Then, Jacob Hester stops by to discuss Jayden Daniels' legacy at LSU. Listen here! 
• 🎤 Saturday Football Uncensored: This week, hosts Chris Marler and Tyler Huck take a look at the coaching carousel and discuss Portal Kombat. Then they break down Heisman voting over the years. Listen here!

ANSWERS  

Who Said It? Urban Meyer on Florida fans and their reaction to Billy Napier's tenure.

Trivia: The last running back to finish in the top 3 for Heisman voting was Stanford's Bryce Love back in 2017.

THIS DATE IN HISTORY  

December 12, 2022 — Mike Leach, the beloved and colorful head coach at Mississippi State, died after several days of heart complications. Leach, who helped revolutionize football from high school to the NFL with the Air Raid offense, was 61. In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107. He took an unusual path to the profession after he earned a law degree. Leach was known for his pass-happy offense and wide-ranging interests, from pirates to insurgent warfare. He’s also remembered for his rambling news conferences about Big Foot, Pac-12 mascots, wedding advice and Halloween candy. 

QUOTE OF THE DAY  

"Coach Corso was the first older person that I’ve hung out with on a regular basis. I feel like I’ve missed out not having a chance to talk to somebody that’s lived through everything basically and just like little tidbits. … It was cool to see Coach Corso get his flowers. I wonder if he’ll ever just take a moment and be like, ‘I did it.'"

-- Pat McAfee on working with Lee Corso on College GameDay. 

This edition of the Saturday Football newsletter was written by Adam Spencer, Paul Harvey, Keith Farner and Spenser Davis.