[2] In 1944, he was an Associated Press Second Team All-American, the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and ranked tenth in the Heisman Trophy vote.

In 2014, McWilliams became the sixth Bulldog to be inducted into the Mississippi State Ring of Honor.

[5] McWilliams played for the Army Black Knights of the United States Military Academy in 1945.

He was ranked eighth in the Heisman Trophy vote, while the Black Knights finished 9–0 and were named consensus national champions.

[1] McWilliams was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1950 AAFC dispersal draft.