The Caleb Williams era in Southern California appears to be over.
The 2022 Heisman Trophy winner will not play in the Holiday Bowl against Louisville on Dec. 27, head coach Lincoln Riley announced on Monday.
Williams, who threw for 3,633 passing yards and totaled 41 touchdowns, will sit out as he is expected to forego his senior season for Southern California. He is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
The decision to sit out caps off what has been a disappointing season for Williams and the Trojans. With the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, USC started the season at No. 6 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and even rose to as high as No. 5 during a 6-0 start to the season. But despite Williams stellar play, the Trojans fell apart in the second half of the season, as they lost five of their last six games of the season to finish 7-5 and 5-4 in Pac-12 play.
Williams won the Heisman Trophy last season after he had 4,537 passing yards and 52 total touchdowns − a USC record − in what was an 11-3 season for the Trojans that included a Cotton Bowl appearance.
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Williams had come to Southern California along with Riley after starting his college career at Oklahoma. He rose into the national spotlight his freshman season with the Sooners after he came in for Spencer Rattler against Texas and was the sparkplug in the 21-point comeback win against the Longhorns.
With Williams sitting out against the Cardinals on Dec. 27, Riley will likely turn to backup Miller Moss to be the signal caller for the bowl game. The Trojans have 2023 five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson on the roster, but he has only appeared in the first game of the season against San Jose State.