Top 10 College Football Programs Without a Heisman Trophy Winner
Monday evening, the stage was set for another exciting Heisman Trophy ceremony. The Heisman Trust announced three finalists for the 2015 Heisman Trophy in Alabama running back Derrick Henry, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson. Saturday night, one of those three players will take home the stiff-arm trophy and give his program some impressive publicity.
The Heisman is awarded to college football’s most outstanding player, and while it has been awarded since 1935, the trophy remains an exclusive club. Only 39 programs can boast Heisman Trophy winners, with Ohio State and Notre Dame winning seven Heismans apiece.
There are still a number of prominent programs that have never taken home a Heisman. Here’s a look at the top 10 programs that can’t boast a Heisman winner. At least not yet. Programs were judged on their overall and current success, with national championships and conference championships, as well as high-profile Heisman finishes, judged.
10. Missouri
1 of 10
Although Missouri slipped back to a 5-7 record this season, the Tigers’ program has a proud tradition of success. Mizzou has won or shared 15 conference titles in a gridiron history that dates back to 1890. However, the Tigers have never brought a Heisman Trophy to Columbia and Faurot Field.
Missouri has had only three players finish in the top 10 in Heisman voting, with quarterback Paul Christman the program’s standard-bearer with a third-place finish in 1939. In 2007, Missouri put together an impressive 12-2 record, and quarterback Chase Daniel was rewarded. Daniel was invited to New York as a Heisman finalist. He garnered 25 first-place votes but finished fourth overall.
Can new coach Barry Odom build on Gary Pinkel’s success and bring a Heisman to the Show-Me State? Only time will tell.
9. Cal
2 of 10
Under coach Sonny Dykes, Cal is finding its way back to college football prominence. Three years ago, the Golden Bears went 1-11 in Dykes’ first season. With the help of star quarterback Jared Goff, the Bears are 7-5 and will face off against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 29.
Cal has won 14 league titles and claims five national titles, the last coming in 1937. But the Bears have never boasted a Heisman Trophy winner. The closest Cal has come is a pair of fourth-place finishes. In 1948, tailback Jackie Jensen became the Bears’ first 1,000-yard rusher, finishing fourth.
Six years later, Paul Larson stood out as one of the most versatile players in program history. Larson was an All-American quarterback but also punted, returned punts and kicks, served as a place-kicker and had 12 career interceptions as a defensive back. That was only good enough for fourth in the Heisman voting.
Goff attracted some early attention, but the Bears’ 7-5 record was a deterrent. The Heisman drought will continue for another year in Berkeley.
8. Washington
3 of 10
While Washington’s program has faded from the national spotlight in recent years, the Huskies are one of the best programs in the Pacific Northwest and have a solid tradition of regional and national success.
Washington has a pair of recognized national championships in 1960 and 1991 and has 15 Pac-10 championships. However, Heisman glory has been fleeting for the Huskies. The only Husky to finish in the top four nationally was defensive tackle Steve Emtman, who finished fourth in the voting in 1991. Husky fans hope Chris Petersen is the man to return the program to glory and perhaps bring a Heisman to Seattle.
7. Virginia Tech
4 of 10
When Virginia Tech plays in the Independence Bowl against Tulsa on Dec. 26, it’ll cap Frank Beamer’s long, storied career as the Hokies’ head coach. Under Beamer, the longest-tenured coach at any FBS program, Virginia Tech has the longest current postseason streak in the game, dating back to 1993.
Beamer has had a tremendous run in Blacksburg. Seven of the program’s 10 league titles are credited to him between the Big East and ACC. But for all of his accomplishments, Beamer has never had a Heisman Trophy winner.
The closest he came was in 1999, when redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Vick led VT to an 11-0 regular-season record and a spot in the Sugar Bowl to play for the national title. The Seminoles defeated the Hokies 46-29. Vick also finished second in the Heisman voting to Wisconsin senior tailback Ron Dayne, who set the NCAA’s all-time career rushing record that season.
Tech fans are proud of Beamer but hope new coach Justin Fuente can return the program to its habit of winning ACC titles, which would be the easiest way to bring a Heisman winner to southwest Virginia.
6. Georgia Tech
5 of 10
Georgia Tech has enjoyed an excellent football history. 2015’s down 3-9 record shouldn’t take away from a storied tradition. The Yellow Jackets own four national titles, the last in 1990, and 15 conference titles.
But the Jackets have never won a Heisman Trophy. Tech has had three players finish in the top three in Heisman voting. In 1942, tailback Clint Castleberry finished third. In 1963, quarterback Billy Lothridge finished second to Navy quarterback Roger Staubach. In 1999, dynamic quarterback Joe Hamilton impressed voters across the nation, but it wasn’t enough to top Wisconsin senior tailback Ron Dayne, who set the NCAA career rushing record and took the trophy back to Madison.
5. Ole Miss
6 of 10
Ole Miss has a storied football tradition. Under Hugh Freeze, the Rebels will make their second consecutive New Year’s Six bowl appearance, facing Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl. It’s a return to glory for Ole Miss.
The Rebels have three national titles (in 1959, 1960 and 1962) and own six overall SEC titles, although none since 1963. Under legendary coach John Vaught, Ole Miss had plenty of individual success. Charlie Conerly finished fourth in the Heisman voting in 1947, Charlie Flowers was fifth in 1959 and Jake Gibbs was third in 1960. Legendary quarterback Archie Manning finished in the top five of the Heisman voting twice, landing fourth in 1969 and third in 1970.
Archie’s son, Eli, was also a prolific Rebel quarterback. He finished third in the Heisman voting in 2003 behind Jason White of Oklahoma and Pitt receiver Larry Fitzgerald. While Fitzgerald has had an excellent NFL career, Manning, who has won a pair of Super Bowls with the New York Giants, clearly got the last laugh over White at the pro level.
4. Arkansas
7 of 10
Under Bret Bielema’s watch, Arkansas is headed in the right direction. The Razorbacks finished 2015 7-6 and will play in the Liberty Bowl, their second consecutive bowl appearance. They’re also guaranteed their second consecutive winning season. Razorback fans expect more, but it’s a good start for a proud program.
Arkansas has 13 conference titles, all in the former Southwest Conference, and its 11-0 1964 team also claimed a national title. But the Razorbacks have had only one player finish in the top four in Heisman Trophy voting.
Tailback Darren McFadden enjoyed an incredible two-year run, but it wasn’t good enough to win a Heisman. In 2006, McFadden rushed for 1,647 yards and 14 touchdowns but finished second to Ohio State’s Troy Smith. A year later, he was even better, putting up 1,829 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, winning the Doak Walker Award (given to the nation’s top tailback) for the second consecutive season. This time, he finished second in Heisman voting to Florida quarterback Tim Tebow. Close, but not quite.
3. Michigan State
8 of 10
Michigan State has a strong gridiron tradition, and the best appears to be ahead for the Spartans. Under Mark Dantonio’s watch, MSU has emerged as a national power. A 22-play, 9:04 fourth-quarter touchdown drive clinched a 16-13 Big Ten title victory over Iowa and pushed the Spartans into their first College Football Playoff.
Over the last three seasons, Michigan State is 36-4, with the only losses coming to Ohio State, Oregon, Nebraska and Notre Dame. The Spartans claim six national titles, all coming between 1951 and 1966, and nine Big Ten championships.
But Heisman Trophies are foreign objects in East Lansing.
Michigan State has had five players finish in the top four in Heisman voting. In 1957, tailback Walt Kowalczyk, known as “The Sprinting Blacksmith,” had 545 yards and nine rushing touchdowns. That was good enough for third in the Heisman voting. Six years later, halfback Sherman Lewis also finished third in the Heisman voting, with Navy’s Roger Staubach taking the trophy.
In 1955, quarterback Earl Morrall finished fourth in the voting. Tailback Lorenzo White had an outstanding career at Michigan State. He actually finished fourth twice in three seasons, accomplishing the feat in 1985 and 1987. If Dantonio keeps the Spartans on their current trajectory, it might not be long before a Spartan finally brings home a Heisman.
2. Clemson
9 of 10
Clemson is enjoying a special season. Under Dabo Swinney’s watch, the Tigers have gone from good to great this fall. Following an ACC title game win over North Carolina, Clemson is 13-0 for the first time in program history, claiming the top seed in the College Football Playoff and an Orange Bowl matchup against No. 4 seed Oklahoma.
The Tigers have 21 conference championships in their history and own a national title in 1981, but have never had a player finish higher than sixth in Heisman Trophy voting. Quarterback Steve Fuller was sixth in 1978 and do-everything tailback C.J. Spiller was sixth in 2009.
That will change this week. Sophomore quarterback Deshaun Watson is one of three Heisman finalists. He has 3,512 yards passing with 30 touchdowns against 11 interceptions, as well as 887 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told Dan Hope of the Anderson Independent-Mail that Watson has played a huge role in his team's success:
"This isn’t to take anything away from the other players out there, because there are some incredibly deserving other players that other people can make a case for, but what Deshaun has done, he’s on the only undefeated team in the country, and a big reason why we’re the only undefeated team is because we’ve got Deshaun Watson. I think that right there, in itself, says all you need to know.
"
If Watson doesn’t finish the drill this year, he’ll have an excellent shot next fall as a junior.
1. Tennessee
10 of 10
Tennessee has an incredible football tradition. The Volunteers have the eighth-most all-time victories in college football history. They have 16 conference championships. And they claim six national championships, the last coming in 1998.
But when it comes to the Heisman Trophy, the Vols have always been a bridesmaid, never the bride.
Tennessee has never had a Heisman winner, and has had four runner-ups in its history. The first came in 1951, when single-wing running back Frank Lauricella, known as “Mr. Everything” for his running and passing prowess, finished behind Princeton’s Dick Kazmaier. Five years later, tailback Johnny Majors finished second to Notre Dame’s Paul Hornung, who is still the only player ever to win the Heisman for a team with a losing record.
In 1993, quarterback Heath Shuler finished second to Florida State’s Charlie Ward for the Heisman. Then came the one that probably stings the most for Vol fans. Peyton Manning is one of the most popular and beloved players in UT history. But he couldn’t overcome the national appeal of Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson. Woodson scored 1,815 points to Manning’s 1,543, becoming the only defensive player ever to win the Heisman.
Both players have had exceptional NFL careers, but the Heisman will always be a significant hole on Manning’s career resume.
