What are the ten greatest Heisman seasons of all time?

Obviously it takes a particular season to win the Heisman. It takes an much more unimaginable yr, nonetheless, to be thought of among the many greatest within the nearly hundred-year historical past of the award.

Many Heisman winners achieved uncommon feats and set data within the yr they took dwelling the respect. For instance, in 2024, a two-way participant who performed nearly all of his workforce’s snaps from scrimmage gained the award in one of the vital memorable contests in Heisman historical past.

Was Travis Hunter’s win among the many greatest in Heisman historical past? Here are the ten greatest Heisman seasons of all time, courtesy of FOX Sports Research.

Louisville has been removed from a Heisman manufacturing unit in its 100-plus seasons of soccer. Not solely was Jackson’s win the primary in program historical past, however it marked the primary time since not less than 1982 that Louisville had a Heisman finalist. Jackson’s play was adequate to place the Cardinals on the faculty soccer map that season. He threw for 3,390 yards, 30 touchdowns and 9 interceptions to associate with 1,538 dashing yards and 21 dashing touchdowns in 12 common season video games. He had an eight-touchdown efficiency towards Charlotte that yr, in addition to two seven-touchdown video games.

But his most spectacular efficiency got here when he scored three whole touchdowns towards Clemson, practically defeating that season’s nationwide champion on the street. When you add all of these items collectively, it is no shock that Jackson had -4000 odds of successful the Heisman days earlier than the ceremony.

9. Florida QB Tim Tebow (2007)

Tebow’s first season as a Heisman starter was a memorable season. After enjoying a small function as a reserve for the Gators of their title-winning season a yr earlier, Tebow instantly grew to become among the best quarterbacks within the sport. He threw for 3,132 yards, 29 touchdowns and 6 interceptions along with 838 dashing yards and 22 dashing touchdowns throughout the common season. The dashing landing score was the very best ever recorded in a single season in SEC historical past, whereas Tebow’s 9.4 yards per try led the FBS that yr. After a four-touchdown efficiency within the Florida bowl sport, Tebow completed the yr with 55 whole touchdowns, which additionally set an SEC report.

Tebow’s efficiency wasn’t sufficient to get Florida again to the title sport: the Gators went 9–3 throughout the common season. But it was sufficient for him to change into the primary sophomore to win the Heisman.

Long earlier than he grew to become among the best working backs in NFL historical past, Allen dominated school video games. His 1981 season stays among the best ever for a working again. He rushed for two,342 yards and 22 touchdowns that season, not together with the USC bowl sport. If you add Allen’s dashing whole from USC’s bowl win, his 2,427 dashing yards in 12 video games can be his fifth-most in a season. He ran for over 200 yards in USC’s victories over No. 2 Oklahoma and UCLA that season, marking two of the eight occasions he ran for over 200 yards in a sport that season.

7. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M quarterback (2012)

A yr after Texas A&M completed 7-6, the Aggies went 11-2 of their first season within the SEC and have been title contenders. The addition of Manziel was a serious cause for this, as he recorded one of the vital electrifying seasons ever for a quarterback. He threw for 3,419 yards, 24 touchdowns and 9 interceptions to associate with 1,181 dashing yards and 19 dashing touchdowns in 12 common season video games.

Manziel’s Heisman second got here late within the yr, when he led Texas A&M to an upset 29-24 victory over No. 1 Alabama. 1 in Tuscaloosa. He threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns to complete with 93 yards dashing towards the workforce that gained its second straight title. After Manziel’s bowl efficiency, he led the SEC in dashing yards (1,410) and dashing touchdowns (21). This helped solidify “Johnny Football’s” legendary season, as he grew to become the primary (redshirt) freshman to win the Heisman.

6. Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh goalie (1976)

After ending fourth in Heisman voting in 1975, Dorsett made positive to take dwelling school soccer’s highest particular person honor in 1976. He rushed for a nationwide report 1,948 yards and 21 touchdowns in 11 common season video games, which additionally helped him to set the report. -time for many profession dashing yards in NCAA historical past at the moment. But his greatest efficiency that yr is just not included within the official statistics: dashing for 202 yards and a landing in Pittsburgh’s Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia. That victory helped Pittsburgh win the nationwide title, ending among the best school soccer careers.

5. Charles Woodson, Michigan DB/WR (1997)

Woodson had one of the vital spectacular all-around seasons in school soccer historical past in 1997, which helped Michigan win the title that yr. The star defender recorded seven interceptions, typically blocking the opposing workforce’s greatest receiver. On offense, he had 231 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

However, Woodson’s most memorable play that season got here as a returner. Six years after Desmond Howard had a punt return landing towards Ohio State to cap his Heisman season, Woodson scored a 77-yard punt return landing towards archrival Michigan. He was unable to strike the Heisman pose as his teammates rapidly tackled him. But Woodson took dwelling the Heisman weeks later, defeating Peyton Manning in one of many closest votes within the award’s historical past.

4. Auburn QB Cam Newton (2010)

An argument may be made that nobody has ever achieved extra to assist their workforce win a nationwide title than Newton did within the 2010 season. After transferring from Florida, Newton rapidly reworked Auburn from a mid-major SEC workforce to a championship contender. championship. As Auburn gained 11 video games to open the season, it appeared like it will lose to Alabama within the common season finale. Newton, nonetheless, scored 4 whole touchdowns to assist Auburn get better from a 24-0 deficit. Newton’s 408 whole yards and 6 whole touchdowns within the SEC championship sport towards South Carolina led to a extra decisive victory. He gained the Heisman after that sport and threw for 2 touchdowns in Alabama’s victory over Oregon within the title sport, ending the yr with 2,854 passing yards, 30 passing touchdowns, seven interceptions, 1,473 dashing yards and 20 dashing landing.

3. Colorado WR/DB Travis Hunter (2024)

In an period the place quarterbacks on CFP groups usually win the award, it has to take a non-quarterback to do one thing historic. Then think about beating somebody who rushed for the second-most yards in a season in school soccer historical past.

Hunter was capable of do one thing extremely distinctive to safe the Heisman final December. The two-way star performed the overwhelming majority of Colorado’s snaps from scrimmage in 2024, recording 1,360 snaps earlier than Colorado’s bowl sport. Not solely was Hunter sturdy, however he additionally supplied elite manufacturing on either side of the ball. He recorded 94 receptions for 1,258 yards and 15 dashing touchdowns over the course of the season, together with in Colorado’s bowl sport. Defensively, Hunter had 35 whole tackles, 11 passes defensed, 4 interceptions and one compelled fumble. While these stats is probably not eye-popping, quarterbacks did not throw a lot to Hunter. He allowed 22 receptions on 40 targets for simply 212 yards and one landing, in response to Pro Football Focus.

Similar to Manziel, Burrow seemingly got here out of nowhere to win the Heisman in 2019. But Burrow’s season was statistically among the best ever for a quarterback. Burrow punished LSU opponents via the air all season, totaling 4,715 yards, 48 ​​touchdowns and 6 interceptions to go together with 289 dashing yards and three dashing touchdowns within the 13 video games earlier than the Heisman vote.

After successful the Heisman by essentially the most decisive vote within the historical past of the award, Burrow had arguably his two greatest performances of the season. He threw for 12 touchdowns and rushed for 2 extra in LSU’s semifinals and championship victories. Those performances gave Burrow 5,671 passing yards, 60 landing passes and 65 whole touchdowns, setting NCAA data within the latter two statistics.

Before changing into arguably the perfect working again in NFL historical past, Sanders put collectively the perfect season ever for a Heisman winner. He rushed for two,628 yards and 37 touchdowns in his remaining season at Stillwater, which stay NCAA data. He additionally did so whereas averaging 7.6 yards per carry.

Even extra spectacular than Sanders’ 1988 season is that he put up these numbers in simply 11 video games. At the time, the NCAA didn’t depend bowl sport statistics in its official data. Sanders ran for 222 yards and 5 touchdowns in Oklahoma State’s bowl win that yr, giving him 2,850 yards and 42 touchdowns on the season.

HONORABLE MENTION

USC RB OJ Simpson (1968)
Georgia RB Herschel Walker (1982)
Nebraska RB Mike Rozier (1983)
Boston College QB Doug Flutie (1984)
Desmond Howard, Michigan director (1991)
Florida QB Danny Wuerffel (1996)
Texas Ricky Williams Baseball (1998)
USC RB Reggie Bush (2005)
Baylor QB Robert Griffin III (2011)
Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray (2018)

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