The Chicago Bears will take on the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago, as two former Pac-12 quarterbacks will face off. Former USC star quarterback Caleb Williams will face Shedeur Sanders, who played for the Colorado Buffaloes from 2023 to 2024.

Sanders was recently named the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns by coach Kevin Stefanski for the remainder of the season, which makes Sunday’s matchup against Williams a potential making of another remarkable duel… And history suggests that it could be an all-timer.

Rematch Of Classic College Football Quarterback Duel In 2023 USC Trojans Colorado Buffaloes College Football Caleb Williams Shedeur Sanders quarterback duel Cleveland Browns Chicago Bear

Sep 30, 2023; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) meets with USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) after the game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: John Leyba-Imagn Images | John Leyba-Imagn Images

The last time Williams and Sanders met was the 2023 season, when the USC Trojans defeated the Colorado Buffaloes 48-41 on the road in a September classic. In the game, both quarterbacks put on remarkable performances, with Williams finishing the win for USC with 403 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception on 30-of-40 passing.

In the loss for Colorado, Sanders threw for 371 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception on 30-of-45 passing. Between the two quarterbacks, Sanders and Williams combined for 774 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in the game. 

Caleb Williams Remarkable Second Season With the Chicago Bears Caleb Williams Chicago Bears NFL USC Trojans Heisman Trophy Lincoln Riley NFL season Ben Johnson College Football Big Ten

Nov 28, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) reacts to a score against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The former USC Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback has put together a remarkable season under first-year coach Ben Johnson, as the Bears are in contention to win their first NFC North title since 2018.

Williams’ performance under Johnson this season is similar to one that USC fans were accustomed to seeing during his college career with the Trojans under Lincoln Riley. Through 13 games this season, Williams has thrown for 2,908 yards, 19 touchdowns, and six interceptions. 

MORE: Lincoln Riley Gives USC Roster Updates Ahead of Alamo Bowl vs. TCU

MORE: Should USC Quarterback Jayden Maiava Enter the NFL Draft or Return to School

MORE: What Four-Star Elija Harmon’s Commitment to Oklahoma Means for USC Recruiting

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE!

Before Sunday’s 28-21 road loss to the Green Bay Packers that took the Bears out of first place in the NFC North, Williams and Chicago had won nine out of their last 10 games after starting the season at 0-2. Several of those games included Williams leading the Bears to come-from-behind wins in the fourth quarter. 

Williams Heroics During His Career With USCCaleb Williams USC Trojans UCLA Bruins Crosstown Rivalry College Football Arizona Wildcats California Golden Bears Pac-12

Oct 28, 2023; Berkeley, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams (13) against the California Golden Bears during the third quarter at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

USC fans know firsthand what it’s like to stress through a game-winning drive by Williams, as he did it on multiple occasions during his career with the Trojans. The most notable of those game-winning drives came in USC’s 48-45 Crosstown Rivalry win over UCLA in 2022, where Williams and the Trojans outlasted the Bruins. 

In that game, Williams threw for 470 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception on 32-of-43 passing. Williams also had several other close wins at USC, including a 48-41 three-overtime win at home against the Arizona Wildcats and a come-from-behind 50-49 victory on the road over the California Golden Bears in 2023.

Sunday’s matchup against the Browns could call for another game-winning drive by Williams, as Sanders is coming off an impressive performance in the Browns’ 31-29 loss to the Tennessee Titans, where he threw for a career high 364 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception. Williams’ experience in late-game situations compared to Sanders will be in the Bears’ favor if Sunday’s matchup against the Browns comes down to a game-winning drive.

Recommended Articles