- USC quarterback Caleb Williams is the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy.
- During a brilliant performance against Notre Dame, eagle-eyed fans spotted that Williams had painted his nails with an "FU" message to his opponents.
USC quarterback Caleb Williams cemented himself as the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy this season with a brilliant performance against rival Notre Dame on Saturday night.
With the Trojans on the edge of a potential College Football Playoff berth, Williams shined, completing 18 of his 22 pass attempts and rushing for three touchdowns.
At times Williams, who is not eligible to enter the NFL Draft until 2024, looked downright Mahomes-ian.
—Luca Sartirana (@SartiranaLuca) November 27, 2022
But there was another feature of Williams' game that caught the attention of some eagle-eyed fans watching from home: his fingernails.
As Williams cradled the ball, close-up shots made clear that he had written out "FUCK ND" on his fingernails as he went about thrashing the Fighting Irish.
—Greg Beacham (@gregbeacham) November 27, 2022
In addition to the trash talk aimed at his opponent, Williams also had a nice reminder of who he was written out to himself on his thumb.
—Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) November 27, 2022
Apparently, it wasn't the first time Williams had pulled off his subtle bit of messaging.
—Colin Pernett (@Colin_Pernett) November 27, 2022
It's an impressive show of panache from one of the best players in college football, but Williams doesn't always use his manicureal real estate to send a message to his opponents — he has also used it to raise awareness for important causes.
During a game against Washington State earlier in the season, Williams wrote out "988" on his nails, promoting the number for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
—FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 11, 2022
Next up on the schedule for USC and in turn, Williams' nails, is a matchup against Utah in the Pac-12 championship game. With a win, the Trojans will not only win their conference, but also essentially seal their spot in the College Football Playoff.
Luckily for Williams, U-T-A-H should fit easily on one hand.