The Biggest Surprise Heisman Trophy Winners Since 2000
Although the Heisman Trophy tends to have a strong favorite in the final days before the announcement, the path for that eventual winner is occasionally a dramatic story.
Since 2000, genuinely shocking results have been at a minimum. However, a few recent Heisman winners weren't expected until the final week or two of the season.
The selections are subjective but lean on two main factors: overall performance—as in stats and possibly team success, relative to other top contenders—and the timing of when perception about the favorites changed.
One additional note is that in-season context was considered. For example, as much as hindsight tells us Pitt receiver Larry Fitzgerald may have deserved the Heisman over Jason White in 2003, the Oklahoma quarterback wasn't viewed as a surprising choice at the time.
2001: Eric Crouch, QB, Nebraska
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During his senior year at Nebraska, Eric Crouch had both a productive and extremely constroversial season.
From the team perspective, the Cornhuskers somehow made the national title game despite a 62-36 drubbing at the hands of Colorado in the finale. They ranked ahead of CU and Pac-12 champion Oregon in the final BCS rankings. Miami ultimately destroyed Nebraska for the championship.
The wildest part is Crouch didn't have a great finish to the campaign yet won the Heisman anyway. During the last four regular-season games, he averaged 131 passing yards (zero touchdowns with five interceptions), 84.5 rushing yards (four TDs) and made a 63-yard reception.
Overall, he rushed for 1,115 yards and 18 scores in the triple-option offense. Crouch also threw for 1,510 yards with seven touchdowns to 10 picks.
Crouch (770 voting points) edged Florida quarterback Rex Grossman (708) and Miami signal-caller Ken Dorsey (638) for the honor.
2009: Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama
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Heading into conference championships, Texas quarterback Colt McCoy looked like the player to beat. One of the preseason favorites, he'd carried the Longhorns to the brink of a Big 12 title and just had a massive day in a victory at rival Texas A&M.
Mark Ingram flipped the story at the last moment.
Alabama's star running back amassed 189 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns in the SEC Championship Game against Florida. McCoy, meanwhile, tossed three interceptions in a tight win over Nebraska—which received an iconic performance from defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, who finished fourth in Heisman voting.
Ingram (1,304 voting points) rocketed past Stanford running back Toby Gerhart (1,276) and McCoy (1,145) for the award.
Alabama and Texas met in the BCS title, but Alabama took advantage of McCoy's early injury and won 37-21.
2011: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
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Two years later, Robert Griffin III made his move in November.
Throughout the 2011 season, Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Alabama back Trent Richardson were the favorites. The narrative slowly began to change after LSU clipped Bama and Oregon smashed Stanford, creating an opportunity for Griffin despite Baylor's 4-3 start.
And, whew, did he take advantage.
During the last five outings, RG3 racked up 1,623 yards and 13 touchdowns with two picks and rushed for 322 yards and six scores. Most notably, Baylor defeated fifth-ranked Oklahoma for the first time in 21 all-time matchups. Griffin had 551 total yards in the win.
Considering the Bears' early struggles, Griffin's surge was stunning. He garnered 1,687 voting points to Luck's 1,407 and Richardson's 978.
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2018: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
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For most of the 2018 season, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa stood as a continual but slight Heisman favorite. But as the SEC Championship Game propelled Ingram in 2009, that final matchup cost Tagovailoa.
The left-hander had a forgettable game, completing just 10 of his 25 passes for 164 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Then, as Alabama trailed 28-21 in the fourth quarter, one of Tagovailoa's linemen stepped on his foot. He exited the game, leading to Jalen Hurts' memorable heroics in the 35-28 triumph over Georgia.
Kyler Murray, on the other hand, put together a brilliant day to separate himself from Tagovailoa.
During a redemptive win over Texas, Murray threw for 379 yards, ran for 39 and tossed three touchdown passes. It marked his sixth consecutive game with 390-plus total yards or five-plus scores.
Murray collected 2,167 voting points to Tagovailoa's 1,871. Alabama would find a little bit of revenge, knocking off Murray and OU in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
2020: DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
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In 2020, DeVonta Smith shattered long-held beliefs about who could actually take home the Heisman.
For 22 straight years, a quarterback or running back had hoisted the trophy. Though three receivers previously won the award, the most recent was Michigan's Desmond Howard in 1991. From 1992 through 2019, only two wideouts even finished in the top three of the voting.
Smith, however, became an outlier.
He soared into contention thanks to a sensational final six games, reeling in 53 passes for 955 yards and 13 touchdowns with a punt-return score. Smith punctuated that stretch with 15 receptions for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Crimson Tide's high-scoring victory over Florida in the SEC Championship Game.
Perhaps if Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence hadn't missed two games, the eventual runner-up would've won. But with 1,187 voting points, he finished well behind Smith (1,856), giving the receiver a well-deserved, though surprising, Heisman win.
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