The All-Time Heisman Rankings
The Winners from No. 1 to No. 43
By Pete Fiutak
Ranking the All-Time Winners, Part Two - The Best Heisman Winners
From 44 to 74
What would happen if
you took all of the Heisman winners and tried to figure out which
ones had the best of the best seasons? After all, the Heisman is
supposed to go to the player who had the best year, so throwing out everything else
you know about many
of the greatest college football players ever and only going by
their Heisman winning years (and NOT taking into account how they
did in the pros), here’s how they’d stack up. This isn’t a ranking of the best players of all-time, just
their particular seasons.
One thing to remember is that the information out there now
is night-and-day better than it was even back in the 1970s. With the
Internet, ESPN, on-demand stats, better television coverage, better
direct marketing campaigns, and more sophisticated sports information
departments, the Heisman voting is generally better than it was in the old days when you needed to either play on the east coast or
for Notre Dame to be considered for the award. That’s why many of the older
winners are further down the list. However, that didn’t stop a few
major mistakes in recent seasons.
There are several things to remember about these rankings. First,
the Heisman ends up almost always going to junior or senior offensive skill players, so many
deserving freshman and sophomores since 1936 have missed out, and
many, talented, deserving non-skill players haven’t been included
in the fun.
Second, don’t
forget the race factor before 1961 when Syracuse’s Ernie Davis
won. Several African-Americans were deserving before Davis, but didn’t win.
Third, don’t just go by statistics. Different eras meant different
things to the numbers.
And finally, several players on this list had
better seasons than their Heisman winning years, but they don’t
count. For example, Army’s Glenn Davis would've probably ended
up in the top three
if either of the two seasons before his Heisman winning year were included.
Nebraska’s Johnny Rodgers was better in 1971 than he was in 1972
when he won the Heisman. Only the Heisman winning seasons count.
1. 1988 Barry Sanders, RB Oklahoma State
runner-up: Rodney Peete, QB USC
Sanders' 1988 season ranks among the most dominant in the history of sports alongside Babe Ruth's 60-home run 1927
campaign, Wayne Gretzky's 92-goal season of 1981-1982 (and maybe his 215
point year in 1985-1986) and Jerry Rice's 1987 season when he caught
22 touchdowns passes in 12 games. The backup to
Thurman Thomas and an All-America kickoff returner the year before,
Sanders exploded for 2,628 yards and 39 touchdowns. Throw in the
bowl game stats, like the NCAA does now, and Sanders ran for 2,850
yards and scored 44 times. By himself, Sanders would've finished fifth
in rushing among all 2006 teams.
2. 1976 Tony Dorsett, RB Pittsburgh
runner-up: Ricky Bell, RB USC
Dorsett didn’t just put up big numbers on the way to becoming the
NCAA’s all-time rushing leader, he was clutch leading the Pitt
Panthers to the national championship averaging 215 yards per game
over the final seven and finishing with 1,948 yards and 23
touchdowns. During the streak,he
tore off a 224-yard day against Penn State before closing out with a record
202-yard performance in the Sugar Bowl win over Georgia.
3. 1981 Marcus Allen, RB USC
runner-up: Herschel Walker, RB Georgia
It had to be a really, really good season to be better than
Herschel Walker’s best year. Allen was college football’s first
2,000-yard rusher with 2,427 yards (2,342 before the bowl) and 22
touchdowns in his tremendous senior season. He set 14 NCAA records
and tied two others including most 200-yard games in a row with
five. He also led the Trojans in receptions with 34 for 256 yards
and a score.
4. 1982 Herschel Walker, RB Georgia
runner-up: John Elway, QB Stanford
Walker actually had a better season in 1981, but there was no way he
was getting past USC’s Marcus Allen. In 1982, Walker ran for 1,752
yards and 17 touchdowns carrying Georgia to an SEC title and a shot
at the national title. What’s more amazing is that he amassed
those totals after running for just 20 yards in the season opener
against Clemson hurt by a broken thumb. Even
though he was playing in a cast, he ran for 124 yards against BYU
and 143 against South Carolina. The cast came off and Walker went
nuts averaging 183 yards per game over his final eight.
5. 1968 O.J. Simpson, RB USC
runner-up: Leroy Keyes, RB Purdue
Simpson should’ve been accepting his second Heisman after getting
shafted in 1967, but his 1968 season was still worthy of being among
the best of all-time rushing for 1,880 yards (1,709 before the bowl)
and 23 touchdowns while catching 26 passes for 211 yards. His
Heisman victory is still the most one-sided in college football
history beating Purdue’s Leroy Keyes 2,853 points to 1,103.
6. 2007 Tim Tebow, QB Florida
runner-up: Darren McFadden, RB
Arkansas
With an all-timer of a statistical season, being the first quarterback to run for 20 touchdowns and throw for 20, the first sophomore to ever win the Heisman became the culmination of everything the spread offense could become. He finished with 838 yards and 22 touchdowns and was second in the nation in passing efficiency completing 217-of-317 passes for 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns with six interceptions.
7. 1996 Danny Wuerffel, QB Florida
runner-up: Troy
Davis, RB Iowa State
The 1996 national title team played the nation's toughest schedule
having to face No. 2 Tennessee, No. 12 Arkansas, No. 16 Auburn, No.
2 Florida State twice and No. 11 Alabama. Even so,
Wuerffel had one of the best years in college football history
leading the offense to 46.6 points per game and 76 touchdowns. He was deadly accurate throwing for 39 scores and finishing
with a pass efficiency rating of 170.6.
8. 1983 Mike Rozier, RB Nebraska
runner-up: Steve Young, QB BYU
Rozier was the unstoppable force on the Big Red Machine of 1983
rushing for 2,148 yards and 29 touchdowns averaging a whopping 7.8
yards per carry and breaking the 100-yard mark in all 11 regular
season games. He set the NCAA rushing record for yards in a season
and broke or tied several other marks.
9. 1991 Desmond Howard, WR Michigan
runner-up: Casey Weldon, QB Florida State
Howard was the first receiver in Big Ten history to lead the
conference in scoring and set or tied five NCAA records with 23
total touchdowns. He actually caught more passes for more yards in
1990, but his acrobatic touchdown making ability and punt return
prowess made his 1991 season legendary. His margin over Florida
State’s Casey Weldon was the second largest in Heisman history.
10. 1955 Howard Cassady, RB Ohio State
runner-up: Jim Swink, HB TCU
Remember, players back in the day didn’t put up the astronomical
statistics they do now. Hopalong’s 1955 season was something truly
special rushing for 958 yards and 15 touchdowns closing out the
season with 439 yards and six touchdowns during the crucial
Big Ten stretch run with 146 yards and a touchdown over No. 6
Michigan to win the title. Cassady was also an All-America
caliber defensive back.
11. 1998 Ricky Williams, RB Texas
runner-up: Michael Bishop, QB Kansas State
Williams had a flair for the dramatic to go along with his
consistent 1998 season. He was held to 43 yards by Kansas State
(which is the only reason his Heisman season isn’t in the top five), but
he finished the year, counting the bowl performance against
Mississippi State, with 30 touchdowns and 2,427 yards along with the NCAA
all-time rushing record (broken the year after by Wisconsin’s Ron
Dayne).
12. 1978 Billy Sims, RB Oklahoma
runner-up: Chuck Fusina, QB Penn State
Other Heisman-winning running backs amassed more yards and
scored more touchdowns, but few hit the home-run like Sims did
during his 1978 season. As a junior, Sims averaged a ridiculous 7.6
yards per carry rushing for 17,62 yards and 20 touchdowns carrying
the Sooners to the Big Eight title and the Orange Bowl.
13. 1984 Doug Flutie, QB Boston College
runner-up: Keith
Byars, RB Ohio State
Flutie had it won even before the pass against Miami. He completed 233-of-386 passes for 3,454 yards and 27 touchdowns. But
it was one magical, rainy day in Miami that made him a college
football legend.
14. 1977 Earl Campbell, RB Texas
runner-up: Terry
Miller, RB Oklahoma State
Campbell led the Longhorns to a spot in the national title game
ripping off 1,744 yards (a 6.5 yard per carry average) and 18
rushing touchdowns. He also caught five passes for 111 yards and a
score.
15. 2008 Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma
runner-up: Colt McCoy, QB Texas
The Sooner star became the second sophomore to win the award after leading the offense to the most points ever scored by a D-I/FBS team. He led the way to five straight 60+ points per game to close out the regular season and finished with 4,464 yards and 48 touchdowns with six interceptions and five touchdown runs. However, he didn't get the most first place votes, finishing second to
Florida's Tim Tebow.
16. 1974 Archie Griffin, RB Ohio State
runner-up: Anthony
Davis, RB USC
Griffin ran for 1,695 yards and 12 touchdowns averaging 6.6 yards
per carry rushing for more than 111 yards in every game before the
Rose Bowl.
17. 1960 Joe Bellino, RB Navy
runner-up: Tom Brown, G
Minnesota
Bellino was a touchdown machine scoring 18 times leading Navy to the
Orange Bowl.
18. 1952 Billy Vessels, RB Oklahoma
runner-up: Jack
Scarbath, QB Maryland
Vessels did it all scoring 18 touchdowns and rushing for 1,078
yards. He was the first of the big-time OU star offensive players.
19. 1999 Ron Dayne, RB Wisconsin
runner-up: Joe
Hamilton, QB Georgia Tech
With a bull's-eye on his back all season long, Dayne still became
the NCAA's all-time leading rusher rushing for 1,834 yards leading
the Badgers to the Rose Bowl.
20. 1986 Vinny Testaverde, QB Miami
runner-up: Paul
Palmer, RB Temple
Testaverde led the Canes to the Fiesta Bowl where they lost to Penn
State. He lit up number one Oklahoma for four touchdown passes and
threw for 2,557 yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions with a
165.8 passer rating. Remember, Heismans are decided before bowl
games.
21. 1979 Charles White, RB USC
runner-up: Billy Sims,
RB Oklahoma
The ultimate workhorse, White averaged 194 yards per game leading
USC to the Rose Bowl and a 10-0-1 record.
22. 1995 Eddie George, RB Ohio State
runner-up: Tommie
Frazier, QB Nebraska
George averaged 152 yards per game and score 23 touchdowns
highlighted by a 314-yard day against Illinois.
23. 1963 Roger Staubach, QB Navy
runner-up:
Billy Lothridge, QB Georgia Tech
Always making clutch plays as the leader of one of the nation's best
teams, Staubach led the nation in passing accuracy.
24. 1946 Glenn Davis, RB Army
runner-up: Charlie Trippi,
HB Georgia
"Mr. Outside" was better in his sophomore and junior
seasons, but he was still great with the workload all to himself
playing 58 minutes per game.
25. 1941 Bruce Smith, HB Minnesota
runner-up: Angelo
Bertelli, QB Notre Dame
The superstar of the unbeaten Gophers, Smith wasn't going to play
against Iowa due to a knee injury. In what would be the national
title game, Smith forced his way into the game and set up three TDs
on the way to a 34-13 win and the championship.
26. 1951 Dick Kazmaier, RB Princeton
runner-up: Hank
Lauricella, RB Tennessee
Kazmaier led the nation in total offense out of the single wing
instead of the more fashionable T. He was a deadly accurate passer
highlighted by a 15 of 17, 236-yard, three touchdown performance
against Cornell. He also ran for 124 yards and two scores.
27. 1939 Nile Kinnick, RB Iowa
runner-up: Tom Harmon,
RB Michigan
The Iron Man of the Iron Man team played
402 consecutive minutes before getting knocked out of the
Northwestern game with a separated shoulder. Kinnick was the star of
the show all year throwing for 638 yards and 11 touchdowns on only
31 passes and ran for 374 yards.
28. 1938 Davey O'Brien, QB TCU
runner-up:
Marshall
Goldberg, RB Pittsburgh
O'Brien led the Horned Frogs to an unbeaten season throwing a
touchdown pass in every game. He was also a top runner and punter.
29. 1940 Tom Harmon, RB Michigan
runner-up: John
Kimbrough, RB Texas A&M
He combined for 3,438 yards in his senior season. In the 40-0 win
over Ohio State, Harmon completed 11 of 12 passes for 151 yards and
two touchdowns. He also ran for 139 yards and two TDs, kicked four
extra points and intercepted three passes.
30. 1997 Charles Woodson, CB Michigan
runner-up: Peyton
Manning, QB Tennessee
Woodson was the difference maker in Michigan's national championship
season doing it all from returning punts and playing receiver along
with his duties as the nation's best defensive player.
31.
2006 Troy Smith, QB Ohio State
runner-up: Darren
McFadden, RB Arkansas
Smith won in one of the biggest Heisman blowouts of all-time throwing
30 touchdown passes, five interceptions, and 2,507 yards while
running for five scores. Most importantly, he was at his best in the
biggest games in road wins over Texas and Iowa and the epic showdown
over No. 2 Michigan.
32.
2004 Matt Leinart, QB USC
runner-up: Adrian
Peterson, RB Oklahoma
In one of the best Heisman fields ever, Leinart stood out throwing
for 2,990 yards and 28 touchdowns (3,322 yards and 33 touchdowns
after the Orange Bowl win over Oklahoma) with only six interceptions
leading the Trojans to the national title.
33.
1965 Mike Garrett, RB USC
runner-up: Howard Twilley,
WR Tulsa
The first of the superstar Trojan running backs, Garrett ran for
1,440 yards and 13 touchdowns in his Heisman winning season.
34. 1935 Jay Berwanger, RB Chicago
runner-up: Monk
Meyer, HB Army
The first Heisman winner racked up 1,839 total yards and was the
nation's best defensive back. In his last game he single-handedly
beat Illinois with less than a minute to play as he returned a punt
49-yards going in, over and around the defenders down to the one. On
the next play, he popped in for the touchdown, then hit the extra
point for a 7-6 win.
35. 1942 Frank Sinkwich, HB Georgia
runner-up: Paul
Governali, QB Columbia
Sinkwich ran for an incredible-for-the-time 17 touchdowns and threw for ten
scores leading Georgia to an 11-1 record.
36. 1944 Les Horvath, QB Ohio State
runner-up: Glenn
Davis, RB Army
This is a tough one because Glenn Davis probably deserved the award
more averaging 11.1 yards per carry with 120 points, but the Army
star was only a sophomore. But this is a list about the great
seasons the Heisman winners had, and Horvath was tremendous rushing
for 924 yards carrying the Buckeyes to an unbeaten record. He was
also a superior defensive player as one of the team's top tacklers.
37. 1993 Charlie Ward, QB Florida State
runner-up: Heath
Shuler, QB Tennessee
Ward led the high-octane Seminoles to the national championship
completing more than 70% of his passes. However, the title was
controversial thanks to a loss to Notre Dame.
38. 2000 Chris Weinke, QB Florida State
runner-up: Josh
Heupel, QB Oklahoma
Had Weinke been 22 instead of 28-years-old, he probably would've
been a runaway winner instead of squeaking past Oklahoma's Josh
Heupel. Weinke obliterated every Florida State passing record
finishing his career by throwing for 4,441 yards and 34
touchdowns.
39. 1945 Doc Blanchard, RB Army
runner-up: Glenn Davis,
RB Army
The first junior to win the Heisman, "Mr. Inside" was a
bruising, but lightning fast fullback. He led the Cadets with 115
total points scoring 19 touchdowns with one extra point.
40. 2006 Reggie Bush, RB USC
runner-up: Vince Young, QB
Texas
Unfortunately, Vince Young's Rose Bowl performance beating USC for
the national championship forced a collective "oops" from the
Heisman voters. From the "Bush Push" to help beat Notre Dame to his
23-carry, 294-yard day against Fresno State, the electrifying Bush
was the signature player of the season before the trip to Pasadena.
It's not like he was shut down by the Longhorns
41. 1970 Jim Plunkett, QB Stanford
runner-up: Joe
Theismann, QB Notre Dame
Plunkett set several NCAA passing records while at Stanford leading
the Indians to the Rose Bowl and one of the stunning upsets in the
game's history beating 9-0 Ohio State 27-17.
42. 1961 Ernie Davis, RB Syracuse
runner-up: Bob
Ferguson, FB Ohio State
Davis was a big back with tremendous hands, he broke all of Jim
Brown's rushing records. He ran for more yards per carry in his
two previous seasons, but he had his best scoring year in 1961
rushing for 823 yards and 12 touchdowns.
43. 1990 Ty Detmer, QB BYU
runner-up: Rocket Ismail, WR
Notre Dame
Detmer started off the season beating the number one, defending
national champion Miami Hurricanes and finished with 5,188 yards and
41 touchdowns.