The Definitive Player for Every BCS Program

When I was young, one of my favorite things to do was see where NFL players of past and present had attended college. It gave me insight to where they came from and how the programs performed during a certain time span.

Now I'm older and follow athletes from their high school days to pro days. That said, the fascination of association hasn't wavered.

This article is all about ubiquity. Simply put, who is the definitive player for every single program? This could be current or past, but when you mention school X, which player comes to mind?

Read on!

Alabama

Joe Namath

Broadway Joe may not have been the best player in college (he isn't in the College Football Hall of Fame), but his post-collegiate histrionics secure him a place on this list.

After guaranteeing victory in Super Bowl III, Namath backed it up with a huge upset over the Baltimore Colts. With his long sideburns and fur coats, he became a pop culture symbol of the late '60s and early '70s.

We may not have known the name when he was in college, but we would be hard pressed to think about Alabama today and not conjure up images of Broadway Joe.

Arizona

Tedy Bruschi

Bruschi came to the Wildcats right when Dick Tomey's "Desert Swarm" defense was taking hold. Bruschi was a second-team All-American in 1993 when the Wildcats finished 10-2, winning the Fiesta Bowl.

The Wildcats took a step back the next few years, but Bruschi did not. He was selected as an all-American in both 1994 and 1995 before being selected 86th overall by the Patriots. There he would win three Super Bowl rings.

Arizona State

Pat Tillman

Tillman was the last scholarship player taken for the Sun Devils. He struggled early due to his diminutive size, but eventually was named first-team All-Pac-10 his senior season. The same season, Tillman helped lead the Sun Devils to the Rose Bowl and a No. 2 ranking.

Tillman would leave the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the United States Army following the attacks of September 11th. He was killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Any more I could say would be a disservice to Tillman and his family. Instead, I implore all of you to read Jon Krakauer's book, Where Men Win Glory.

Arkansas

Lance Alworth

Alworth turned down contracts with the Yankees and Pirates to play at Arkansas. There he graduated in 3.5 years in pre-law and also starred on the track team. He was named an all-American in 1961 and subsequently selected in the first round of the AFL draft.

He would make seven straight All-AFL teams and eventually win a Super Bowl ring with the Cowboys. He was named to Arkansas' all-century team, the AFL's all-time team and the NFL's 75th anniversary all-time team.

Auburn

Bo Jackson

Considered by many to be one of the greatest athletes of all-time, Jackson won the 1985 Heisman Trophy with the Tigers. He was taken No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft, but not before running a 4.12 40-yard dash at the combine.

He was the first person to be named an All-Star in two professional sports (1989 MLB All-Star game MVP, 1990 Pro Bowl). His career was cut short by a hip injury, but he will live on in our memories for his memorable plays and his "Bo Knows" campaign.

Baylor

Robert Griffin III

Baylor is currently enjoying unprecedented success on the football field and it's due in large part to the exploits of RGIII. Griffin has helped turned the program around and became the first Heisman Trophy winner in school history.

He figures to be the second quarterback taken in the 2012 NFL draft, should he decide to leave school.

Boston College

Doug Flutie

After all, he is the key participant in one of the most memorable plays in all of college football.

Additionally, he would win the 1984 Heisman Trophy, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Maxwell Award and UPI player of the year. In other words: a clean sweep.

He would win three Grey Cups in the CFL along with six CFL MVPs. He won the 1998 Comeback Player of the Year in the NFL.

California

Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers led the Bears to a 10-2 record in 2004 as the team was a victim of a BCS snub. Their No. 9 final ranking was the second-highest finish in over 50 years.

Rodgers would slide in the NFL draft before eventually being selected by the Green Bay Packers. There, a lengthy drama unfolded with he and Brett Favre. Eventually Rodgers took the reigns and has prospered. He led the Packers to a Super Bowl in 2010-11 and has the team on track to repeat this season.

Rodgers would lead Cal to a win over USC in 2003 in triple-overtime. It was USC's only loss in 2003 and the Trojans would not lose again until the 2006 BCS championship game. The game lives on in Cal history.

Cincinnati

Jim O'Brien

The only kicker on the list, O'Brien doubled as a wide receiver while at Cincinnati. He earned honorable mention all-American honors in 1968 and 1969 and led the nation in scoring in 1968.

O'Brien would go on to kick for the Baltimore Colts. There, he kicked the game-winning field goal in Super Bowl V as time expired to win the championship, 16-13 over the Cowboys.

Clemson

William Perry

The Fridge would become a household name upon joining the 1985 Chicago Bears. Before that, however, he excelled in South Carolina.  

As a freshman, he helped lead the Tigers to the national championship. In 1983 he was named a consensus first-team All-American and selected No. 22 overall in the 1985 NFL draft.

He would become a force on both offense and defense. With a gap-tooth smile and bright personality, the Fridge became a huge name, starring in commercials such as this.

Colorado

Kordell Stewart

There may have been more statistically proficient players in Buffs' history (Eric Bieniemy, 1994 Heisman Trophy Winner Rashaan Salaam), but Stewart is the most thought of.

That's due in large part to his "Miracle at Michigan," where Stewart threw the ball 73 yards to Michael Westbrook, causing Keith Jackson to legendarily yell "in-credible!"

Stewart was known as "Slash" due to his ability to play several positions. That said, he would serve as a long-time quarterback in the NFL, mostly with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would make a Pro Bowl in 2001.

Connecticut

Donald Brown

Connecticut has spent a short time in the FBS but have still produced several great players, but none more than Donald Brown.

Brown would be named an All-American in 2008 after leading the nation in rushing. He would be selected in the first round by the Indianapolis Colts, where he still plays.

Duke

Clarkston Hines

Duke hasn't had a great track record of NFL players, but Clarkston Hines had a great college career and a chance to excel in the NFL.

Hines was named the 1990 ACC Male Athlete of the Year. He was named an All-American the same season and was taken in the late rounds of the 1990 NFL Draft.

In 2010, Hines was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Florida

Tim Tebow

There have been a lot of great players to play in the Swamp in Gainesville, but with the way Tim Tebow mania has taken over, none may be more relevant than the Heisman trophy winner.

Tebow played on two national championship teams at Florida, starting at QB in the Gators' second championship. In between, he won a Heisman trophy.

He went down in Florida lore with his "pledge" to work harder than any other team following a home loss to Ole Miss. For the speech and later heroics, a statue of Tebow was erected outside Ben-Hill Griffin Stadium.

Florida State

Deion Sanders

Again, another difficult decision to pare one of the most successful programs down to one player. That said, Primetime became a pop culture icon and his personality, exploits and flash became synonymous with the Seminoles (or rather, the 'Noles took on the personality of Sanders).

Oh, and he was good too. He was a three-time All-American and would win the Jim Thorpe award in 1988 (oddly he was a third-team All-American in 1988 despite winning the award for best cornerback).

He also led the nation in punt return average in the '88 season.

Georgia

Herschel Walker

Walker exploded onto the national scene, leading the Dawgs to a national championship as a freshman. Two years later he would win the Heisman Trophy. As of today, Walker is still considered one of the greatest college football players of all time.

Walker would become an important figure in the history of collegiate athletics as he left after his junior year to play in the USFL. Prior to the 1982 season, the exodus of underclassmen was forbidden by the NFL, but the USFL had allowed it. The NFL would later change this rule to the way it is today.

Walker would be one of the stars of the USFL in its short existence. After the league folded, Walker would join the Dallas Cowboys. He was later involved in a monster trade which saw Walker land in Minnesota, and half of the future Super Bowl teams land in Dallas.

Georgia Tech

Calvin Johnson

Johnson was a three-time All-ACC and two-time All-American selection while playing in Atlanta. Additionally, he would win the Biletnikoff Award in 2006.

His size and speed made him a no-brainer first-round selection.

Illinois

Red Grange

Grange is considered the greatest college football player of all time. He must be pretty good to win out in this list over names such as Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke.

Grange became famous for a 1924 game against Michigan. In the previous two seasons, Michigan had allowed four touchdowns combined. Grange would equal that in the first quarter and add two more throughout to finish with six.

Grange was drafted by George Halas and the Chicago Bears and was signed to go on a tour across the nation playing games. The tour was seen as a major stepping stone in legitimizing football to the general public.

After football, Grange would star in two silent films and would announce football games through the '50s.

Indiana

Anthony Thompson

Thompson would win the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in 1989, finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting the same season. He is also one of three players to win the Chicago Tribune Silver Football award twice (Paul Giel and Archie Griffin).

Thompson broke the record for career touchdowns while at Indiana, a record that stood until Ricky Williams broke it in 1998. Thompson would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.

Iowa

Chuck Long

Long would finish second in the 1985 Heisman Trophy balloting to Bo Jackson in what is the second-closest Heisman finish in the history of the award (at the time it was closest).

That same season, Long led the Hawkeyes to a No. 1 ranking. A late-season loss cost Iowa a national championship but they still went on to win the Big Ten and play in the Rose Bowl. Due to an odd early stipulation involving redshirting, Long played in five bowl games.

Upon his graduation, Long held every passing record at Iowa except one (passes attempted in a game). He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

Iowa State

Troy Davis

He may have been forgotten, but Davis was as good of a running back as anyone in the mid-1990s. Davis was the first person to record 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. For his efforts, he was rewarded with back-to-back All-American honors.

Davis would finish fifth in Heisman voting in 1995 and second in 1996. In the 1996 edition, Davis won three of four regions but lost the South (to winner Danny Wuerffel). Many felt that Davis lost simply because he was on a losing team.

Davis left after his junior year, otherwise he could have threatened for some all-time rushing records. He played three short years with the Saints before moving on to the CFL.

Kansas

Gale Sayers

Kansas was fortunate enough to enlist two of the greatest running backs of all time, Gale Sayers and John Riggins. Sayers gets the edge here. After all, he is the "Kansas Comet."

Sayers had a 99-yard run against Nebraska in 1963 and helped upset Oklahoma in 1965 with a kick return for a touchdown (15-14 final).

Sayers would be taken fourth overall in the draft by the Chicago Bears. There he developed into one of the best running backs ever. He is in both the college and professional Halls of Fame, and was named to the 75th anniversary All-NFL team.

Kansas State

Michael Bishop

Bishop led the Wildcats to the No. 1 ranking in 1998. They were one quarter away from playing in the inaugural BCS championship game, but a fourth-quarter collapse saw them lose to Texas A&M and miss out on the BCS entirely.

Bishop was recruited as a defensive back, but eventually decided on KSU because head coach Bill Snyder would let him play QB. Bishop transferred from JUCO and thus had only two full seasons at KSU. In that time span, the Wildcats lost only three games and won a Fiesta Bowl.

Bishop finished second in the Heisman voting that season, behind Ricky Williams.

Kentucky

George Blanda

With apologies to the more modern Tim Couch and Pillsbury Throwboy, Blanda takes the honors here.

Blanda played 26 seasons in the NFL and AFL. He played in four different decades and was the all-time leading scorer in NFL history upon his retirement.

Blanda also played quarterback at Kentucky under head coach Bear Bryant.

Louisville

Johnny Unitas

Considered by many to be the greatest quarterback of all time, Unitas narrowly edges ESPN's Tom Jackson for most notable Louisville player (the latter not so much for his talent, but rather his announcement of every Cardinals player during the good old days of NFL Primetime).

Unitas didn't necessarily have a glorious career at Louisville. He was only 145 pounds as a freshman. As a sophomore, the university reduced attention paid to sports, which severely hurt the performance of the football team. As a senior, Unitas was injured.

All of this combined to him being selected 102nd overall in the NFL draft.

Still, he's the best QB of all time. And he went to Louisville. That's good enough.

LSU

Billy Cannon

Cannon is still the only LSU player to ever win the Heisman Trophy, an accomplishment he earned in 1959. The year prior, Cannon led the Tigers to a national championship.

He is most famous for a punt return against No. 3 Ole Miss. Trailing the entire Halloween night, Cannon took a punt return 88 yards for a touchdown, giving the Tigers a 7-3 win.

Maryland

E.J. Henderson

Henderson was a two time All-American while at Maryland. In 2001, he led a defense to a surprise ACC championship and berth in the Orange Bowl.

In 2002, Henderson would win the Bednarik and Butkus award. For his efforts, he was selected 40th overall by the Minnesota Vikings, where he still resides.

Miami

Michael Irvin

As was the case with Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin became symbolic of an entire team when he played at the University of Miami.

The entire Miami swag, attitude and personality was well documented in the ESPN Documentary The U, and it's safe to say we can trace back the origins of "The U" to Irvin and the other Hurricanes of the mid-1980s.

Irvin would set school records for receptions, yards and touchdowns. He was selected 11th overall by the Dallas Cowboys, a city in which he won three Super Bowl rings.

Michigan

Desmond Howard

Howard gets the edge in what was probably the hardest team to choose one player for.

At Michigan, you are measured by what you do against Ohio State. While Tom Harmon received a standing ovation at the Horseshoe, Howard secured the Heisman trophy with his punt return and now famous Heisman Pose in the end zone.

The image is legendary and set off hordes of copycatters across the nation for years to come. Whenever we think of the image, however, we will think of Howard in the maize and blue.

Michigan State

Bubba Smith

Smith was one of the greatest football players of all time, earning back-to-back All-American honors in 1965 and 1966. He gained notoriety due to his play in the "Game of the Century," a 10-10 tie against Notre Dame. Early in the game, Smith separated the shoulder of Irish QB Terry Hanratty.

Smith was taken No. 1 overall in the NFL draft and would win one Super Bowl and make two Pro Bowls.

After his NFL career was over, Smith starred in several comedic films. Most notably he appeared as Moses Hightower in the Police Academy series (and infamously, Blue Thunder, a TV series with co-star Dick Butkus).

Minnesota

Bronko Nagurski

Nagurski would play both defensive tackle and fullback at Minnesota. He led the Gophers to a Big Ten title in 1928 and was named to All-American teams as both a fullback and defensive tackle.

Nagurski would go on to star with the Chicago Bears. He is a member of both the professional and collegiate football Halls of Fame.

Mississippi

Archie Manning

Before Eli attended Ole Miss, his father broke several Ole Miss passing records. In three years as quarterback in Oxford, Manning threw for 4,753 yards and 56 touchdowns.

He finished fourth in Heisman voting in both 1969 and 1970. He was selected No. 2 overall in the NFL Draft (behind Jim Plunkett). He would later be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Mississippi State

Floyd Womack

When all else fails, go to the guy with best nickname. Floyd "Porkchop" Womack became a national name while at MSU. He was first-team All-SEC in 2000 and a second-team All-American.

He has been a staple at guard for the past decade in the NFL.

Missouri

Kellen Winslow

Winslow starred at Missouri despite not playing football until his senior season of high school. For his exploits at Mizzou, he was named an All-American and later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Winslow would go on to an illustrious NFL career. He is generally considered one of the greatest tight ends of all time.

Nebraska

Johnny Rodgers

A plethora of great players to choose from here, but Rodgers gets the nod for leading the Huskers to consecutive national championships in 1970 and 1971.

Despite winning two titles in '70 and '71, Rodgers would have to wait until 1972 to win his Heisman Trophy winner.

It was seemingly at least one year too late. The attached clip is one of the most famous plays in all of college football. It came in the 1971 "Game of the Century" against Oklahoma.

Upon his graduation, Rodgers had set an NCAA record for all-purpose yards with 5,586.

North Carolina

Lawrence Taylor

LT was originally recruited as a lineman but switched to linebacker in the 1979 season. The move paid off as he eventually tallied 16 sacks in the 1980 season and changed defensive strategy forever.

Taylor was one of the first "blitzing linebackers." John Madden would later say: "He changed the way defense is played, the way pass-rushing is played, the way linebackers play and the way offenses block linebackers."

LT was named ACC Player of the Year in 1980. He was selected No. 2 overall in the 1981 draft (behind Heisman Trophy winner George Rogers).

North Carolina State

Torry Holt

Torry "Big Game" Holt earned his moniker while playing for the Wolfpack. Holt would break several N.C. State receiving records and be named ACC Offensive player of the year in 1998. The same year he would be named a first-team All-American and finalist for the Biletnikoff Award.

Holt would go on to make seven Pro Bowls in eight years. He figures to be an eventual Hall of Fame inductee.

Northwestern

Pat Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald is becoming the ultimate face of the program. First, he won back-to-back Bronko Nagurski, Bednarik and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1995 and 1996. In the same time, he led the Wildcats to the Rose Bowl and a Citrus Bowl victory. He has been enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

In 2006, Fitzgerald would take over head coaching duties for the Wildcats. He has been brought up in rumors for several high-profile coaching positions, but so far has stayed with his alma mater.

Notre Dame

Daniel Ruettiger

Not the most accomplished player in Notre Dame history or the most successful at the next level, but thanks to the 1993 film, everyone under the sun knows the story of Rudy.

Rudy has become one of the most famous college football players and a pop culture icon. His name has become synonymous with Notre Dame.

Ohio State

Archie Griffin

He is the only player to win two Heisman trophies. That's pretty much enough said.

Griffin was a staple of Woody Hayes' tough Ohio State teams. Despite never winning the national championship, Griffin would start in four Rose Bowls.

Griffin has been enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Oklahoma

Billy Sims

Sims nearly matched Griffin's two-Heisman feat just a few short years later. He would win the Heisman in 1978 and then finish as the runner-up to Charles White in 1979.

Sims was a two-time consensus All-American and would be selected No. 1 in the NFL draft.

Oklahoma State

Barry Sanders

An obvious choice, as Sanders is widely considered one of the greatest college football players of all time.

The Cowboys enjoyed their greatest success as a program while Sanders was there (at least prior to this season). In the magical 1988 season, Sanders finished with 2,648 yards, 3,200 total yards and 39 total touchdowns. Those stats don't include his 222-yard, five-touchdown performance in the Holiday Bowl. Those Holiday Bowl stats are skewed since Sanders only played three quarters.

In short, if they kept stats like they did today, Sanders could have easily eclipsed 3,000 rushing yards.

Oregon

Dan Fouts

Before the uptempo rushing game in Eugene, there was the Hall of Famer Fouts.

Fouts arrived in Eugene as somewhat of an unknown. He then proceeded to break 19 school records, including passing yards and total yardage.

Fouts was selected 64th overall by the Chargers, where he built a Hall of Fame NFL career.

Oregon State

Chad Ochocinco

Before he was Ochocinco, he was Johnson. And before lighting the NFL on fire, he was a major component in a dominating 2001 Beavers team.

Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh lit up the record books for an 11-1 Beavers team. The team finished tied for first in the Pac-10 and would trounce Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, 41-9.

Penn State

Lavar Arrington

Linebacker-U needs to have a linebacker representative on this list, right? While Arrington did not become the Hall of Famer in the NFL many expected him to be, he was one of the most feared linebackers of all time while playing for the Nittany Lions.

Arrington was a two-time All-American and won the Butkus, Lambert and Bednarik Award in 1999. He was selected No. 2 overall in the NFL draft.

Pitt

Tony Dorsett

All apologies to Dan Marino, but Dorsett wins this honor for winning the Heisman Trophy and leading Pitt to the national championship in 1976.

Dorsett would be a first-team All-American in all seasons except his sophomore year. That year, he was a paltry second-team All-American. His rushing record would stand for 22 seasons until Ricky Williams eclipsed it in 1998.

He is a college and professional Hall of Fame inductee, and was named the seventh-best college player of all time by ESPN.

Purdue

Drew Brees

Brees led the Boilers back to prominence under Joe Tiller's pass-happy offense in the late 1990s. The Boilers would attend the 2001 Rose Bowl, the first in 34 years.

Brees left Purdue as the career leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns and total yards.

Since, Brees has led the Saints to Super Bowl victory in 2010. He has most recently broken the single-season passing record for yards, previously held by Dan Marino.

Rutgers

Ray Rice

Rutgers has enjoyed great success in the past few years under coach Greg Schiano. No player embodies the scrappiness and blue-collar mentality more than Ray Rice.

In his freshman season, Rice led the Knights to just their second bowl game in 136 years. In his sophomore year, Rutgers had their best season ever, winning 11 games.

Rice would eventually be a two-time finalist for the Maxwell Award and a finalist for the Doak Walker award.

South Carolina

George Rogers

Unfortunately, Rogers is a forgotten Heisman trophy winner. He would rush for 1,781 yards in his senior season, winning the award.

Rogers was taken No. 1 overall in the NFL draft and would win Rookie of the Year (rushing for 1,647 yards). In the long run, Rogers would suffer from several knee injuries and eventually have to retire early.

If not for the injuries, he could have been a more memorable Heisman trophy winner and one of the greatest rushers of all time.

South Florida

Jason Pierre-Paul

There isn't much history to draw from in Tampa Bay. The Bulls have only been in the FBS for about a decade, but have had some strong players in the short stint.

There have been a few good defensive players for the Bulls, but none better than Jason Pierre-Paul. JPP tallied 16.5 tackles for loss his junior year and then decided to go pro. He was taken 15th overall by the Giants and has since become a dominant player.

Stanford

John Elway

Andrew Luck has been called the next John Elway. Until he fulfills that, then John Elway will be the face of the Stanford program.

Elway would play football and baseball at Stanford. He never led the Cardinal to a bowl game but finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1982. Despite throwing for over 9,000 yards and 77 touchdowns, the Cardinal had a losing record under Elway. Even still, Elway was taken with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1983 NFL draft.

Elway would win two Super Bowls and is a member of both the professional and college Halls of Fame.

Syracuse

Jim Brown

Brown is considered one of the greatest football players of all time. While at Syracuse, he excelled in football, basketball, track and lacrosse. He was considered one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time.

Brown finished fifth in Heisman voting his senior season. Despite playing only eight games, Brown rushed for over 900 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Brown is currently a member of the professional and collegiate Halls of Fame, in addition to the Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

TCU

Davey O'Brien

TCU isn't technically a BCS team quite yet, but close enough as they will join the Big 12 next season. With a name like Davey O'Brien, I don't think anyone will complain.

O'Brien would lead the Frogs to an undefeated record and national championship in 1939. The same season, he won the Heisman, Maxwell and Walter Camp award, the first player to win all three in the same season.

O'Brien would later quit professional football to focus on a career in the FBI.

His legacy lives on with the Davey O'Brien award, given annually to the nation's top quarterback.

Tennessee

Peyton Manning

Manning wins this award despite not being able to beat Florida and for finishing as a runner-up in the 1997 Heisman trophy vote. Despite those small shortcomings, Manning would win the Maxwell and Davey O'Brien award his senior season.

A street outside of Neyland Stadium has been named "Peyton Manning Pass." That's usually good enough to get on this list.

Texas

Vince Young

Young is one of just three two-time Rose Bowl MVPs, a feat made even more impressive by the fact that Texas is not a traditional participant in the Rose Bowl game.

Young also led Texas to a national championship in 2005. Texas was 30-2 with Young as a starter. His .938 winning percentage is the best in the history of college football.

Texas A&M

Von Miller

Miller is a recent entry for this list, but he deserves it.

After winning the Butkus award in 2010 and being a two-time All-American, Miller was selected No. 2 overall in the NFL draft. He now is a staple on the Denver Broncos' stout defense.

Texas Tech

Michael Crabtree

Texas Tech has earned a reputation of a pass-heavy offense. No player typifies that more than Michael Crabtree.

Crabtree would be a two-time All-American and a two-time winner of the Biletnikoff Award. He would tally 231 catches in just two seasons as a Red Raider.

UCLA

Cade McNown

UCLA was a strong team in the late 1990s under Bob Toledo. The Bruins were headed for a berth in the inaugural BCS championship game, but a late-season loss to Miami (which was pushed back due to a hurricane) found the Bruins in the Rose Bowl.

McNown was 4-0 against USC and won the Johnny Unitas award in 1998. Despite the disappointing end to the 1998 season and McNown's subsequent struggles in the NFL, he has become ubiquitous with the Bruins.

USC

Reggie Bush

An unfortunate entry, as Bush has become as infamous for his association with the Trojans as he was famous.

Bush was one of the best players of the past decade, winning the Heisman Trophy in 2005. Since, his Heisman has been taken away and the Trojans placed on probation for allegations involving Bush.

Since the Trojans sanctions are still consistently a topic of discussion, Bush is still as relevant as ever for the Trojans.

Utah

Brian Johnson

Johnson led the Utes through their glory years. Playing as a backup in the Utes' 2004 Fiesta Bowl run, Johnson finished with two touchdowns.

In 2008, Johnson led the Utes to an undefeated season which was capped off with a win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. As a result, Utah finished No. 2 in the final rankings.

He was named the 2008 MWC Player of the Year and the 2009 Sugar Bowl MVP.

Vanderbilt

Jay Cutler

Vanderbilt is slowly but surely building a program in Nashville, but they have struggled historically.

Cutler is one of the lone bright spots. He started 45 games, and despite going 11-34, he set school records for total yards, touchdowns and passing yards. His final game was a win over Tennessee, the first win against the in-state rival in 24 years.

Virginia

Tiki Barber

Barber would go on to rush for 10,000 yards in the NFL. Prior to that, he was a featured back on the Virginia Cavaliers of the mid 1990s.

He led the team to a major upset in 1995. In what is regarded as one of the best ACC games of all time, Virginia upset Florida State, handing the Noles their first ACC loss of all time.

Barber would be selected in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft.

Virginia Tech

Michael Vick

This award would have once belonged to the Hall of Famer Bruce Smith, but given the notoriety of Michael Vick, both good and bad, he takes the honors.

Vick led the Hokies to the national championship game in 2000 but came up short against the Noles. He would later be taken No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft.

Vick finished third in Heisman voting as a freshman, tying a then-record of Herschel Walker.

Wake Forest

Brian Piccolo

Piccolo was the nation's leading rusher in 1964 and was named the ACC Player of the Year.

He wasn't drafted in the 1965 draft, but would try out for the Chicago Bears. He made the team but played mostly as a special teams player.

Piccolo would fall ill and be diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma. He would pass away at the age of 26.

His life and friendship with Gale Sayers was documented in Brian's Song, one of the most successful TV films of all time.

Washington

Steve Emtman

Washington was a force in the early 1990s, playing in three straight Rose Bowls and winning the National Championship in 1991.

No one was more dominant than Emtman. He would win the Outland and Lombardi trophies in 1991 en route to being named an All-American.

Emtman would be selected No. 1 in the NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts. His career would be cut short by nagging injuries.

Washington State

Ryan Leaf

For everything he did good and bad, Leaf is the player most ubiquitous with the Cougars.

Leaf led the Cougars to a Rose Bowl in 1997 but fell short to eventual national champions Michigan. His 33 touchdowns that season were a then-Pac 10 record.

Leaf would be selected No. 2 overall in the draft, behind Peyton Manning (even though many speculated Leaf would be better). Leaf would then turn into one of the bigger busts in NFL history.

Leaf feuded frequently with the media and suffered through injuries. He finished with only 3,666 career passing yards.

West Virginia

Amos Zereoue

Zereoue immediately broke onto the scene, winning Big East Freshman of the Year honors in 1996. He followed his successful freshman campaign up by finishing as a Doak Walker semifinalist in 1997 and a 1,400 yard rusher in 1998.

In total, Zereoue finished with over 4,000 yards in three seasons with the Mountaineers.

Wisconsin

Ron Dayne

Dayne is the all-time leading rusher in NCAA history, beating out Ricky Williams just one year following Williams' finish. Dayne would finish with 6,397 yards, which does not include bowl games.

Dayne would win two Rose Bowl MVPs and lead the Badgers to consecutive Big Ten Championships. He won nearly every award under the sun in 1999: Maxwell, Doak Walker, Walter Camp, AP Player of the Year and the aforementioned Heisman.