College Football: Power Ranking All 76 Winners of the Heisman Trophy

Since 1935, college football has been awarding the Heisman Trophy to the most outstanding player in the nation.

Since beginning this award, there have been 75 winners and only one two-time winner, Archie Griffin.

While some seasons have had a clear-cut winner, other years have seen down to the wire votes, and in some years fans have been left scratching their heads.

Here is a look at every Heisman Trophy winner and how they compare to each other.

No. 76: John David, 1957

One of the strangest and weakest Heismans went to John David.

David rushed for 562 yards and six touchdowns and only played seven games.

While he did play both sides of the ball, this winner left you scratching your head.

No. 75: Gino Torretta, 1992

In his final season at Miami, Gino Torretta had a good year but did not have mind-blowing numbers.

He threw for 3,060 yards, 19 touchdowns and had seven interceptions—not quite the ratio you see from a quarterback winning the award.

No. 74: Johnny Lujack, 1947

One Notre Dame quarterback to win the nation's top honor was Johnny Lujack.

While the Irish were a dominant team, Lujack's numbers left something to be desired, as he only threw for 777 yards and nine scores.

No. 73: Eric Crouch, 2001

Eric Crouch had to sweat it out for his Heisman Trophy.

The 70 points that Crouch had on sophomore Rex Grossman was one of the closest votes to that point.

To go along with the close vote, many argued that Grossman had a much better season but was, unfortunately, only in his sophomore season.

No. 72: Gary Beban, 1967

Gary Beban was the starting quarterback for UCLA and was a good passer, but he was good on the ground as well.

In terms of quarterback numbers, Beban's were average in the 1967 season, as his touchdown to interception ratio was 1:1.

Beban winning the Heisman Trophy was also questioned because many believed O.J. Simpson deserved it.

No. 71: Johnny Lattner, 1953

Johnny Lattner was a running back at Notre Dame and was a jack of all trades.

Lattner was solid in the running game as well as the passing game, but he did not actually lead Notre Dame in either of those categories.

Lattner was also involved in a close vote, beating out Paul Giel by only 56 points.

No. 70: Jason White, 2003

Jason White would have ended up higher on this list if the 2003 season did not come crashing down on his head in the last and two most important games.

To finish the year, Oklahoma lost in the Big 12 Championship Game and then followed that up by losing in the national championship game.

Despite the poor ending, White threw for 3,846 yards and 40 touchdowns.

No. 69: Archie Griffin, 1975

While Archie Griffin is the only player to have won the Heisman Trophy twice, he did not deserve the honor in 1975.

The second of his two Heismans came on the heels of a subpar season that saw him rush for 1,450 yards and only four scores.

No. 68: Paul Hornung, 1956

One might think it would be a good thing to hold a record for the Heisman Trophy. Unfortunately for Paul Hornung, the record he holds is the only Heisman winner to be part of a losing team.

In 1956, his Irish went 2-8, and Hornung ended up playing both sides of the ball.

No. 67: Pete Dawkins, 1958

Pete Dawkins was the running back for Army in 1958.

Hawkins not only was a talented back, but he also played on special teams returning kicks.

No. 66: Chris Weinke, 2000

Chris Weinke had a great 2000 season, but it came to a bad end. Weinke led the Seminoles up against Oklahoma but failed to complete a great year as Florida State lost.

Weinke threw for 4,167 yards and 33 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

No. 65: Billy Cannon, 1959

A year after LSU won the national title, Billy Cannon would win the Heisman Trophy.

Despite the team not having the same success it had in 1958, Cannon was its biggest offensive threat at running back and tight end.

No. 64: John Huarte, 1964

Part of a dominant Notre Dame team, John Huarte led the Irish to a 9-1 record in 1964. During the year, Huarte threw for 2,062 yards and 16 touchdowns.

No. 63: Angelo Bertelli, 1943

Angelo Bertelli only was the quarterback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish for six games. After playing six games, Bertelli was drafted and went into the military.

The amazing stat about Bertelli is that in six games, he attempted only 36 passes, completing 25 of them with 10 touchdowns.

No. 62: Clint Frank, 1937

Clint Frank was Yale's Mr. Everything.

During the 1937 season, Frank played both sides of the ball and was Yale's leading passer and rusher. You will never see players in today's game take up the ironman role of playing both sides of the ball.

No. 61: Rashaan Salaam, 1994

Despite winning the Heisman in 1994, some do not even believe Rashaan Salaam was the best player on his own team or at his position, let alone the country.

Salaam did eclipse the 2,000-yard mark, but most people will remember Ki-Jana Carter from that season.

No. 60: Larry Kelley, 1936

For new fans to college football, it may be hard to believe, but in 1936 Larry Kelley won the Heisman as an offensive lineman.

Kelley also contributed for Yale at the wide receiver position but was an outstanding blocker.

No. 59: Vic Janowicz, 1950

Vic Janowicz played running back at Ohio State, but that was certainly not it.

On top of running the ball, Janowicz also played as a defensive back and handled the kicking duties.

No. 58: Danny Wuerffel, 1996

Danny Wuerffel saved his best for last as part of a loaded 1996 Florida Gator team. Wuerffel passed for 3,625 yards and 39 touchdowns and only had 13 picks.

Despite the talent level around him, Wuerffel had an outstanding senior season at Florida.

No. 57: Carson Palmer, 2002

Carson Palmer had a terrific year in 2002 and led USC to an Orange Bowl victory.

During the season, Palmer threw for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

No. 56: Terry Baker, 1962

In 1962, the West Coast was heard from, as Terry Baker had a great season at Oregon State and was named the Heisman Trophy winner.

Baker's season was so good that he actually led the nation in total offense.

No. 55: Steve Owens, 1969

Despite an average 6-4 season for Oklahoma, Steve Owens won over the voters and captured the Heisman Trophy.

Owens was a strong back who was able to hold up with increased carries. He rushed for 1,523 yards and 23 touchdowns during the 1969 season.

No. 54: Mark Ingram, 2009

In 2009, Mark Ingram was part of the closest Heisman voting of all time, edging out Stanford running back Toby Gerhart. Ingram wasn't done there. After winning the Heisman, he helped lead the Crimson Tide to a national championship victory over Texas.

Ingram ended the year with 1,992 total yards and 20 touchdowns.

No. 53: Ty Detmer, 1990

Despite playing a relatively weak schedule compared to other Heisman winners, Ty Detmer did enough during the 1990 season to turn a lot of heads.

During his Heisman season, Detmer threw for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns.

No. 52: Johnny Rodgers, 1972

Johnny Rodgers saw his touchdowns take a jump in his final season at Nebraska, and it earned him a Heisman Trophy.

A weapon in both the passing and running game, Rodgers had 1,361 total yards and 19 touchdowns.

No. 51: Alan Ameche, 1954

Alan Ameche was another one of those players that never left the field. During his time with Wisconsin, Ameche played both fullback and linebacker and was not a liability on either side of the ball.

No. 50: Mike Garrett, 1965

USC running back Mike Garrett represented the program well and was dangerous wherever you put him on the field. During the 1965 season, Garrett rushed for 1,440 yards and 13 touchdowns.

No. 49: Les Horvath, 1944

Another player to play both sides of the ball was Les Horvath. In today's game it would be unheard of for a quarterback to play defense as well, but that is exactly what he did.

Horvath won the 1944 Heisman Trophy and helped Ohio State finish the season without a loss.

No. 48: Pat Sullivan, 1971

The interesting part about Pat Sullivan is the fact that he actually threw for fewer yards in 1971 than he did in 1970. Sullivan passed for 2,012 yards, 20 touchdowns and threw 11 picks.

Sullivan will be remembered as a winner in the SEC, but his Heisman season had a major flaw, which was a poor performance against rival Alabama.

No. 47: Jim Plunkett, 1970

Not many players can claim to have beaten out legendary players like Joe Theismann and Archie Manning, but that is exactly what Jim Plunkett did in 1970.

As quarterback for Stanford, Plunkett had 2,715 total yards and threw 18 touchdowns. Not only did defenses have to respect his arm, but they also had to be ready for him to run. 

No. 46: Frank Sinkwich, 1942

Frank Sinkwich had an outstanding year in 1942 for Georgia.

Playing at both running back and quarterback, Sinkwich had 27 touchdowns and over 2,000 total yards, leading to him being awarded the Heisman Trophy.

No. 45: Tim Brown, 1987

A dual-threat weapon, Tim Brown made his presence known both on the offensive side of the ball as well as on special teams.

During the 1987 season, Brown totaled 846 yards receiving and 857 return yards. He also scored eight touchdowns overall during the year.

No. 44: Doug Flutie, 1984

Doug Flutie's Heisman moment is something that every college football fan has seen. Flutie unloaded the most memorable Hail Mary in football history to give Boston College a win over Miami.

To go along with that memorable play, Flutie had a great year, throwing for 3,454 yards and 27 touchdowns.

No. 43: Troy Smith, 2006

Troy Smith was a terrific athlete and was able to utilize both his arm and legs while at Ohio State. During his final year at Ohio State, Smith led the Buckeyes to some huge wins, including beating both Texas and Michigan.

Smith also saved his best year for 2006, as he threw for 2,507 yards and 30 touchdowns and was only picked off six times. Smith won the Heisman Trophy by a huge margin and is currently continuing his NFL career.

No. 42: Leon Hart, 1949

During the 1949 season, there was not much that Leon Hart did not do.

He is one of only two offensive linemen to win the award, but Hart also contributed at wide receiver and defensive end.

No. 41: George Rogers, 1980

Despite being overshadowed by Herschel Walker for much of the year, George Rogers put together a good season of his own.

Rogers lead the nation in rushing, going for 1,781 yards and 14 touchdowns for South Carolina.

No. 40: Doak Walker, 1948

In 1948, Doak Walker won the Heisman Trophy while playing at SMU. During his college career, people wondered if there was a position Walker could not play.

Walker rushed for 532 yards and eight touchdowns in his Heisman season, and to this day the award for the top running back in the nation is named in his honor.

No. 39: Bruce Smith, 1941

Bruce Smith spent his collegiate time with Minnesota and was one of the best running backs the school has ever seen.

Not only was Smith named to the All-American and All-Big Ten teams, he was also named the Heisman Trophy winner.

Smith was also a huge piece of the back-to-back national championships Minnesota won in 1940 and 1941.

No. 38: Steve Spurrier, 1966

Most people know Steve Spurrier for being an excellent coach who had a great run at Florida and is now at South Carolina. What many do not know is that Spurrier was a great quarterback who spent his time at Florida and won the 1966 Heisman Trophy.

No. 37: Andre Ware, 1989

Andre Ware helped break another boundary for African-American quarterbacks by being the first to win the Heisman Trophy.

Ware won the Heisman in his junior year, when he threw for 4,699 yards and 44 touchdowns. His stats were so impressive during the 1989 season that Ware ended up breaking 26 NCAA records.

No. 36: Jay Berwanger, 1935

Not only was Jay Berwanger a top-notch two-way player, he was also the first winner of the Heisman Trophy.

In 1935, Berwanger accumulated 1,839 total yards, and he will forever have his place in college football history.

No. 35: Matt Leinart, 2004

Regardless of what happened in 2005 with Reggie Bush, 2004 was a special year for Matt Leinart.

Leinart threw for 3,322 yards and 33 touchdowns and won the Heisman Trophy. More impressive was the fact that Leinart only threw six interceptions during the 2004 season.

No. 34: John Cappelletti, 1973

John Cappelletti may have made a bigger impact after winning the Heisman Trophy than before it.

After winning the award, Cappelletti honored his younger brother in his speech. His brother was suffering a battle with leukemia and eventually lost that battle three years later.

No. 33: Charles White, 1979

Charles White is another USC running back to win the Heisman Trophy, and for good reason. In 1979, White rushed for 2,050 yards and also scored 19 touchdowns.

On top of his individual success, White helped the Trojans make it through the season without a loss.

No. 32: Nile Kinnick, 1939

A name that is at the heart of Iowa history is Nile Kinnick.

Kinnick played quarterback for the Iowa Hawkeyes and won the Heisman Trophy in 1939. During that season, Kinnick threw for 638 yards and 11 touchdowns.

On top of being a good passer, Kinnick could get the job done on the ground. During the 1939 season, he also added 374 yards to his résumé.

No. 31: Dick Kazmaier, 1951

In 1951, Dick Kazmaier led the Princeton offense in both the passing and rushing game. Kazmaier led the nation in total yards and took home the top prize in college football.

No. 30: Vinny Testaverde, 1986

Vinny Testaverde was the quarterback for Miami in 1986 and had a great year. Testaverde threw for 2,557 yards and 26 touchdowns.

He won the Heisman but failed to finish the year on a high note, as the Hurricanes lost to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.

No. 29: Sam Bradford, 2008

If you are a young quarterback growing up with high aspirations, take a look at the season that Sam Bradford had in 2008.

During the year, Bradford threw for 4,720 yards, 50 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.

Not only did Bradford put up impressive passing yards and touchdowns, he also had the highest quarterback rating of 180.84.

No. 28: Tom Harmon, 1940

Not only was Tom Harmon an outstanding football player, he also played two years of college basketball. During his senior season, Harmon put up yards both through the air but also on the ground.

Not only was Harmon named the 1940 Heisman Trophy winner, but he would also be put into the college football Hall of Fame.

No. 27: Charlie Ward, 1993

Charlie Ward put together a great season in 1993.

During his final year at Florida State, Ward threw for 3,032 yards and 27 touchdowns and also rushed for 339 yards and four scores.

While Ward accomplished an individual award, he also helped Florida State earn the program's first national championship.

No. 26: Davey O'Brien, 1938

1938 had a laundry list of accomplishments for TCU quarterback Davey O'Brien. During the season, O'Brien threw for 1,457 passing yards and 19 touchdowns.

Not only was he awarded the Heisman Trophy, but he also won the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards.

Today, the top quarterback in the country is awarded the trophy that is named after him—the Davey O'Brien Award.

No. 25: Eddie George, 1995

In 1995, Eddie George helped lead Ohio State to a 10-2 record and won the Heisman Trophy. Combining both speed and power, George rushed for 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Earlier this year, George's college career came full circle, as he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

No. 24: Desmond Howard 1991

Maybe the only thing more impressive than his season in 1991 is the lasting memory he left the college football world when he struck the Heisman pose in the end zone.

Howard was able to haul in 19 touchdowns and came up just short of 1,000 receiving yards in his Heisman-winning season.

No. 23: Billy Vessels, 1952

The first Oklahoma running back to ever win the Heisman Trophy was Billy Vessels in 1952.

During the season, Vessels broke the 100-yard mark seven times on his way to 1,078 yards and 18 touchdowns.

No. 22: Doc Blanchard, 1945

At Army, Doc Blanchard was part of arguably the best tandem backfield college football has ever seen. While at West Point, Blanchard never lost and added a Heisman Trophy to his résumé in 1945.

The other half of this backfield would win the Heisman Trophy the following year.

No. 21: Glenn Davis, 1946

That other back would be Glenn Davis. While Doc Blanchard was known as "Mr. Inside," Davis was known as "Mr. Outside."

With Blanchard missing time to an injury in 1946, Davis took advantage and earned the spotlight and the Heisman Trophy.

No. 20: Joe Bellino, 1960

Much like other players of his generation, Joe Bellino was a player of many skills. Bellino played for Navy and could be found at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and on special teams at kick returner.

During the 1960 season, Bellino scored 18 total touchdowns en route to the Heisman Trophy.

No. 19: Cam Newton, 2011

In 2011, Cam Newton was a game-changer that carried Auburn to a 14-0 record and a national championship.

Newton had a strong arm and could run for days. With a pass and run option, defenses found it almost impossible to slow him down.

No. 18: Howard Cassady, 1955

When comparing players from different eras, you have to put their numbers into perspective.

During the 1955 season, Howard Cassady played for Ohio State. He rushed for 958 yards and 15 touchdowns. These were numbers that shattered the records of that time.

No. 17: Ron Dayne, 1999

After an amazing freshman season at Wisconsin, Ron Dayne was able to once again break the 2,000-yard mark as a senior. During his final year, Dayne rushed for 2,034 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Once his career was over, Dayne had broken Ricky Williams' career rushing record with 7,125 yards to become the new record holder.

No. 16: Billy Sims, 1978

Another running back in a rich history of rushers at Oklahoma was Billy Sims, and his time with the Heisman came in 1978.

In 1978, Sims was determined to not let injuries define his career. During his first two years, Sims struggled to stay healthy, but it was well worth the wait.

In his junior year, Sims rushed for 1,762 yards and 20 touchdowns.

No. 15: Roger Staubach, 1963

As the leader of Navy, Roger Staubach won the 1963 Heisman Trophy. During that season, Staubach led the nation in accuracy.

After his time with Navy ended, Staubach would go on to have a great career with the Dallas Cowboys.

No. 14: Charles Woodson, 1997

Charles Woodson was in a league of his own defensively in 1997.

During the season Woodson had eight picks and was a weapon all over the field. Not only could he change the complexion of the game on the defensive side of the ball, he was an amazing special teams player as well.

Woodson, so far, is the first and only primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy.

No. 13: Archie Griffin, 1974

Only one player has won the Heisman Trophy more than once, and that player was Ohio State's Archie Griffin.

Griffin won the award in both 1974 and 1975, but 1974 was by far his better season. He rushed for 1,695 yards and 12 touchdowns and had over 100 yards rushing in every regular season game.

No. 12: Bo Jackson, 1985

Bo Jackson was a freak of an athlete, but his story will always have people wondering, "What if?" 

Despite having to leave a few games, Jackson rushed for 1,786 yards and 17 touchdowns in 1985 and won the Heisman Trophy.

Jackson would see his promising pro football career end in 1990 when he suffered a hip injury.

No. 11: Reggie Bush, 2005

Unfortunately for Reggie Bush, off the field issues have led to him being stripped of this honor. Despite what happened off the field, you cannot ignore what Bush did on the field.

During the 2005 season, Bush rushed for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns. Bush also added 478 receiving yards and two more scores.

No. 10: Earl Campbell, 1977

1977 was an outstanding year for Earl Campbell. On top of being named the Heisman Trophy winner, he led the nation in rushing with 1,744 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Campell was also named a consensus All-American and named the most outstanding player in the Southwest Conference.

No. 9: Ernie Davis, 1961

The career that Ernie Davis had at Syracuse was important both on and off the field. After having Jim Brown as their running back, Syracuse welcomed Davis, and he did more than just fill the void.

Davis won the 1961 Heisman Trophy, something that had never been done by an African-American player. The Ernie Davis story was so impressive that there was a movie made about his life and career, The Express.

No. 8: Mike Rozier, 1983

Mike Rozier was the cornerstone of a nearly unstoppable offense at Nebraska in 1983.

He rushed for 2,148 yards and 29 touchdowns. During this season, Rozier averaged over 7.8 yards, which is a record for a back with over 200 carries.

No. 7: Tim Tebow, 2007

Love him or hate him, Tim Tebow was one of the greatest college football players to step on the field, and in 2007 he exploded for a season that dropped jaws.

Defending Tebow was near impossible, considering he had the ability to throw or run the ball. Tebow threw for 3,286 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns. He also added 895 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns, bringing his touchdown total to 55 on the season.

No. 6: O.J. Simpson, 1968

Despite his problems off the field, O.J. Simpson was a stud on the field. Rushing for USC, Simpson had an amazing season in 1968.

Behind 1,880 yards and 23 touchdowns, Simpson was not only named the Heisman Trophy winner but won in a landslide, winning by 1,750 points.

No. 5: Ricky Williams, 1998

Despite having his career rushing record eventually broken, Ricky Williams ended his college career as the NCAA's leading rusher. During the 1998 season, Williams rushed for 2,427 yards and 30 touchdowns.

Williams had incredible strength and vision and was one of the best backs the college game has seen.

No. 4: Tony Dorsett, 1976

No surprise that one of the best college backs to play finds himself in the top five.

Tony Dorsett and Pittsburgh had a tremendous 1976 season, as Dorsett not only won the Heisman, but Pittsburgh won the national championship as well.

During the 1976 season, Dorsett rushed for 1,948 yards and 23 touchdowns.

No. 3: Marcus Allen, 1981

Marcus Allen saved his best for last in his Trojans career. In Allen's final year, he rushed for 2,427 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns.

Allen was the first college back to break the 2,000-yard mark and has had his number retired by USC.

No. 2: Herschel Walker, 1982

Herschel Walker was a dominant athlete throughout his career and truly shined at the University of Georgia.

After a tremendous season in 1981, in which he posted career highs in yards and touchdowns, Walker came into 1982 with high expectations.

He didn't disappoint, as he rushed for 1,752 yards and 17 touchdowns and capped off the year with the Heisman Trophy.

No. 1: Barry Sanders, 1988

The season that Barry Sanders had in 1988 was unbelievable.

Sanders set the single-season record for rushing with 2,628 yards and also had 3,248 yards total, 234 points and 39 touchdowns.

During the season, Sanders also averaged over 200 yards per game and had four games in which he rushed for 300 yards.

It's hard to argue that 1988 wasn't one of the best seasons a college football player has ever had.