This article lists and describes the 10 best Heisman Trophy seasons in college football history.
It obviously takes a special season to win the Heisman. It takes an even more incredible year, though, to be considered among the best of the best in the award's near-100-year history. Many Heisman winners have accomplished rare feats and set records in the year they took home the honor. For instance, in 2024, a two-way player who virtually played all of his team's snaps from scrimmage won the award in one of the most memorable races in the history of the Heisman.
Was Travis Hunter's victory among the best in Heisman history? Here are the 10 best Heisman seasons of all time, courtesy of FOX Sports Research. Louisville has been far from a Heisman factory over its 100-plus seasons of football. Not only was Jackson's win the first in program history, but it marked the first time since at least 1982 that Louisville had a Heisman finalist. Jackson's play was good enough to put the Cardinals on the college football map that season. He threw for 3,390 yards, 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go with 1,538 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns in 12 regular-season games. He had an eight-touchdown performance against Charlotte that year to go along with two seven-TD games. But his most impressive performance came when he scored three total touchdowns against Clemson, nearly taking down that season's national champion on the road. When you add all those things together, it's no surprise that Jackson had -4000 odds to win the Heisman days before the ceremony. Tebow's first season as a Heisman starter was one for the ages. After playing a bit role as a backup for the Gators in their title-winning season a year prior, Tebow instantly became one of the sport's best quarterbacks. He threw for 3,132 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions to go along with 838 rushing yards and 22 rushing touchdowns during the regular season. The rushing TD mark was the most ever in a single season in SEC history, while Tebow's 9.4 yards per attempt was led the FBS that year. After a four-touchdown performance in Florida's bowl game, Tebow finished the year with 55 total touchdowns, which also set an SEC record. Tebow's performance wasn't enough to get Florida back to the title game — the Gators went 9-3 during the regular season. But it was enough for him to become the first sophomore to ever win the Heisman. Long before he became one of the best running backs in NFL history, Allen dominated in the college game. His 1981 season remains one of the best ever for a running back. He rushed for 2,342 yards and 22 touchdowns that season, not including USC's bowl game. If you add Allen's rushing total from USC's bowl win, his 2,427 rushing yards in 12 games would be the fifth-most in a season. He rushed for over 200 yards in USC's wins over No. 2 Oklahoma and UCLA that season, marking two of the eight times that he rushed for over 200 yards in a game that season. A year after Texas A&M went 7-6, the Aggies went 11-2 in their first season in the SEC and were a title contender. Manziel's insertion was a major reason for that, as he recorded one of the most electrifying seasons for a quarterback ever. He threw for 3,419 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go with 1,181 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns in 12 regular-season games. Manziel's Heisman moment came late in the year, when he led Texas A&M to a 29-24 upset victory over No. 1 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. He threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns to go with 93 rushing yards against the team that went on to win its second straight title. After Manziel's bowl performance, he led the SEC in rushing yards (1,410) and rushing touchdowns (21). That helped cement 'Johnny Football's' legendary season, as he became the first (redshirt) freshman to ever win the Heisman. After finishing fourth in the Heisman vote in 1975, Dorsett made sure he took home college football's top individual honor in 1976. He rushed for a national-best 1,948 yards and 21 touchdowns in 11 regular-season games, which also helped him set the all-time mark for most career rushing yards in NCAA history at the time. But his best performance that year isn't included in that official stat line — rushing for 202 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh's Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia. That win helped Pittsburgh win the national title, putting a cap on one of the best college football careers. Woodson had one of the most impressive all-around seasons in college football history in 1997, which helped Michigan win the title that year. The primary defensive back recorded seven interceptions, often shutting down the opposing team's top receiver. Offensively, he had 231 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Woodson's most memorable play that season came as a returner, though. Six years after Desmond Howard had a punt return touchdown against Ohio State to cap his Heisman season, Woodson scored a 77-yard punt return touchdown against Michigan's archriva
HEISMAN TROPHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL QUARTERBACK RUNNINGBACK SEASON
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