Top 20 All-Time Heisman Winners
20. 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 – and remains – the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher with a 1,834-yard season on the way to the Rose Bowl. Extremely consistent, he ran for over 200 yards four times including in three of the final four games when the team needed him the most. Throw in the 200-yard Rose Bowl day and he finished with 2,034 yards.
19. 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.
18. 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 as the main man for the nation’s top team.
17. 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 touchdown – and scrambled for 379 yards and three scores – but it was one magical, rainy day in Miami that made him a college football legend.
16. 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 7.6 yards per carry, rushing for 17,62 yards and 20 touchdowns as he carried the Sooners to the Big Eight title and the Orange Bowl.
15. 1998 Ricky Williams, RB Texas
runner-up: Michael Bishop, QB Kansas State
Williams had a flair for the dramatic to go along with his consistency in the 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).
14. 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. He closed 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.
13. 1991 Desmond Howard, WR Michigan
runner-up: Casey Weldon, QB Florida State
#5
November 23rd, 1991 Desmond Howard famous Heisman pose punt return against Ohio Stae.— Sports Junkie (@_Sports00) September 13, 2017
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 – at the time – the second largest in Heisman history.
12. 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.
11. 1996 Danny Wuerffel, QB Florida
runner-up: Troy Davis, RB Iowa State
The 1996 national title team played the nation’s toughest schedule, facing 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 – at the time – 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 – again, amazing for the time.
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