ATLANTA — Next week, Deshaun Watson will walk across the stage and will receive his college degree. It’s a moment he and his mother Deann have been waiting for since the realization of being able to go to college was in the cards for the Clemson quarterback.

“Walking across the stage and getting that degree is probably one of the biggest accomplishments for my family and my mom. That’s probably one of the things she will probably cry about is me walking across that stage,” Watson said.

Deann Watson may not have been crying during Thursday night’s Home Depot College Football Awards Show at the College Football Hall of Fame, but she was very proud when her son’s name was called out as the winner of the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s best quarterback. Deshaun Watson won the O’Brien Award in 2015 as well.

Watson passed for 3,914 yards this year, including 37 touchdowns. He also rushed for 526 yards and six more scores. Watson has been on fire as of late, throwing 10 touchdown passes in the last three games, while running for four more. In the last five games, he has completed 74 percent of his passes for more than 1,600 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Last week, Watson led the second-ranked Tigers to a 42-35 victory over Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship, while contributing 373 total yards and five touchdowns. Watson was named the Game’s Most Valuable Player.

On Thursday, he was winning the Davey O’Brien Award for a second straight year.

“I was sitting there hoping my name was going to be called,” said Watson, who will lead Clemson against Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve. “I had great confidence in myself, and in what I did this season.

“This is a relief off my shoulders. It is good to bring it back home.”

The O’Brien Award is the third award Watson has won this week. He took home the Johnny Unitas Award as the nation’s best graduating quarterback on Tuesday and won the Chic Harley Award by the Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio on Monday. The award has been presented each year since 1955 to the National Player of the Year through the conference championship weekend.

Watson will accept his Unitas Award Friday night in Baltimore before heading up to New York City for the second straight as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy. Watson finished third last year in the Heisman Race.

This year, Watson and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson are the favorites to win the most coveted award in college football. Watson says he feels good about his chances this year.

No quarterback has won the Heisman without winning the Davey O’Brien Award since 2004, when Matt Leinart won the O’Brien Award

“I have a lot of confidence in my play and how I have played over the course of the season. But, like I was saying for (the Davey O’Brien) I have a lot of confidence in that one, but at the end of the day it is up to the voters and it is in God’s hands,” Watson said. “I just focus and appreciate my opportunity, and appreciate the time I have spending it with all the other athletes, and just enjoy my visit.”