USC quarterback Caleb Williams was named The Associated Press college football player of the year on Thursday, becoming the Trojans’ 1st winner of the award since 2005 after his dazzling debut season.

Williams received 32 of 46 1st-place votes and 117 total points from AP Top 25 poll voters to run away with the award. Williams, who is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, finished well ahead of TCU quarterback Max Duggan, who came in 2nd with 6 first-place votes and 64 points.

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud finished 3rd, while Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker was 4th and Georgia signal-caller Stetson Bennett finished 5th.

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., the 1st repeat SEC Defensive Player of the Year, was the only non-quarterback in this year’s top 8 vote-getters, finishing 6th after coming in 4th last season.

Stroud and Hooker got 2 1st-place votes apiece, while 1 1st-place vote each went to Bennett, Anderson, and star running backs Bijan Robinson of Texas and Blake Corum of Michigan.

Williams passed for 4,075 yards with an FBS-leading 37 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions this season, completing 66.1% of his passes.

Williams also captured the Pac-12′s Offensive Player of the Year award.

The sophomore Williams followed head coach Lincoln Riley from Oklahoma to the West Coast last winter, and they immediately returned USC (11-2) to the national championship picture, improving the Trojans’ record by 7 wins from last year.