College Football

Turning the Tide

Updated Jan. 6, 2021 11:24 a.m. ET

After 29 years, the Heisman Trophy has finally been won by the guy who catches passes from the quarterback – not the quarterback himself.

Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith was named the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner on Tuesday evening, beating out teammate and quarterback Mac Jones, as well as Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence and Florida QB Kyle Trask.

On the season, Smith leads the nation in all major receiving categories, including catches (105), receiving yards (1,641), and receiving touchdowns (20).

Smith – just the ninth receiver to be a finalist for the award – won the trophy after registering seven catches for 130 yards and three touchdowns in his last outing, a 31-14 Alabama win over Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Rose Bowl.

Up next, Smith and the Crimson Tide head to the national championship game on Jan. 11, where they will do battle with the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Smith has made plenty of Heisman-moment plays throughout the season, dazzling fans with ridiculous, seemingly impossible catches.

With one game left, Smith has the chance to hit even more milestones, potentially becoming the first player in to have more than 20 receiving touchdowns in a season since Davante Adams (24) in 2013.

Currently, his 20 scores are tied with LSU's Ja'Marr Chase for the SEC single-season touchdown receptions record.

And Smith might also break a few career records on Jan. 11, as his 223 receptions are closing in on Alabama's career receptions record (Amari Cooper – 228), and his 3,750 receiving yards are only slightly behind the SEC career receiving yards record (Jordan Matthews – 3,759).

While receivers might not often win the prestigous trophy, Alabama players are no stranger to the honor, with the Tide's Mark Ingram winning it in 2009 and Derrick Henry winning it in 2015.

The football world took to social media to celebrate Smith's historic feat.