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Heisman Trophy

Given every year since 1935 to the season’s outstanding player. USC has won it most, eight times. Archie Griffin won it twice.

2026 Heisman watch: the numbers so far

The 2026 season

Passing touchdowns

  1. Braden Atkinson QB, Oregon State24 TD
  2. Conner Weigman QB, Houston20 TD
  3. Julian Sayin QB, Ohio State19 TD

Passing yards

  1. Braden Atkinson QB, Oregon State2,583 yds
  2. Jayden Maiava QB, USC2,045 yds
  3. Julian Sayin QB, Ohio State2,007 yds

Rushing yards

  1. Jamal Roberts RB, Missouri867 yds
  2. Torrance Burgess Jr. RB, Texas State838 yds
  3. DeSean Bishop RB, Tennessee837 yds

Receiving yards

  1. Jesse Legree WR, Oregon State1,040 yds
  2. Jeremiah Smith WR, Ohio State984 yds
  3. Umari Hatcher WR, Syracuse784 yds

National leaders among FBS players this season. Voters weigh more than numbers (wins, big games, the eye test), so this is where the race stands on paper, not a prediction.

The closest votes and the biggest margins

Closest

2009Mark Ingram II over Toby Gerhart28 ptsover Toby Gerhart
1985Bo Jackson over Chuck Long45 ptsover Chuck Long
1961Ernie Davis over Bob Ferguson53 ptsover Bob Ferguson
1935Jay Berwanger over Monk Meyer55 ptsover Monk Meyer
1953Johnny Lattner over Paul Giel56 ptsover Paul Giel
2001Eric Crouch over Rex Grossman62 ptsover Rex Grossman
1989Andre Ware over Anthony Thompson70 ptsover Anthony Thompson
1956Paul Hornung over Johnny Majors72 ptsover Johnny Majors

Biggest margins

2019Joe Burrow over Jalen Hurts1,846 ptsover Jalen Hurts
1968O.J. Simpson over Leroy Keyes1,750 ptsover Leroy Keyes
2006Troy Smith over Darren McFadden1,662 ptsover Darren McFadden
1993Charlie Ward over Heath Shuler1,622 ptsover Heath Shuler
1991Desmond Howard over Casey Weldon1,574 ptsover Casey Weldon
1998Ricky Williams over Michael Bishop1,563 ptsover Michael Bishop
1986Vinny Testaverde over Paul Palmer1,541 ptsover Paul Palmer
2013Jameis Winston over A.J. McCarron1,501 ptsover A.J. McCarron

Points over the runner-up (three for a first-place vote, two for second, one for third), in the 91 votes whose tallies are on file, from each season’s Wikipedia article.

Every winner

SeasonPlayerPositionSchool
2025Fernando MendozaQBIndiana
2024Travis HunterWR/CBColorado
2023Jayden DanielsQBLSU
2022Caleb WilliamsQBUSC
2021Bryce YoungQBAlabama
2020DeVonta SmithWRAlabama
2019Joe BurrowQBLSU
2018Kyler MurrayQBOklahoma
2017Baker MayfieldQBOklahoma
2016Lamar JacksonQBLouisville
2015Derrick HenryRBAlabama
2014Marcus MariotaQBOregon
2013Jameis WinstonQBFlorida State
2012Johnny ManzielQBTexas A&M
2011Robert Griffin IIIQBBaylor
2010Cam NewtonQBAuburn
2009Mark Ingram IIRBAlabama
2008Sam BradfordQBOklahoma
2007Tim TebowQBFlorida
2006Troy SmithQBOhio State
2005Reggie BushRBUSC
2004Matt LeinartQBUSC
2003Jason WhiteQBOklahoma
2002Carson PalmerQBUSC
2001Eric CrouchQBNebraska
2000Chris WeinkeQBFlorida State
1999Ron DayneRBWisconsin
1998Ricky WilliamsRBTexas
1997Charles WoodsonCBMichigan
1996Danny WuerffelQBFlorida
1995Eddie GeorgeRBOhio State
1994Rashaan SalaamRBColorado
1993Charlie WardQBFlorida State
1992Gino TorrettaQBMiami (FL)
1991Desmond HowardWR/PRMichigan
1990Ty DetmerQBBYU
1989Andre WareQBHouston
1988Barry SandersRBOklahoma State
1987Tim BrownWRNotre Dame
1986Vinny TestaverdeQBMiami (FL)
1985Bo JacksonRBAuburn
1984Doug FlutieQBBoston College
1983Mike RozierRBNebraska
1982Herschel WalkerRBGeorgia
1981Marcus AllenRBUSC
1980George RogersRBSouth Carolina
1979Charles WhiteRBUSC
1978Billy SimsRBOklahoma
1977Earl CampbellRBTexas
1976Tony DorsettRBPittsburgh
1975Archie GriffinRBOhio State
1974Archie GriffinRBOhio State
1973John CappellettiRBPenn State
1972Johnny RodgersWR/RBNebraska
1971Pat SullivanQBAuburn
1970Jim PlunkettQBStanford
1969Steve OwensFBOklahoma
1968O.J. SimpsonRBUSC
1967Gary BebanQBUCLA
1966Steve SpurrierQBFlorida
1965Mike GarrettRBUSC
1964John HuarteQBNotre Dame
1963Roger StaubachQBNavy
1962Terry BakerQBOregon State
1961Ernie DavisRB/FB/LBSyracuse
1960Joe BellinoRBNavy
1959Billy CannonRBLSU
1958Pete DawkinsRBArmy
1957John David CrowRBTexas A&M
1956Paul HornungQBNotre Dame
1955Hopalong CassadyRBOhio State
1954Alan AmecheFBWisconsin
1953Johnny LattnerRBNotre Dame
1952Bill VesselsRBOklahoma
1951Dick KazmaierRBPrinceton
1950Vic JanowiczRB/POhio State
1949Leon HartENotre Dame
1948Doak WalkerRBSMU
1947Johnny LujackQB/DBNotre Dame
1946Glenn DavisRBArmy
1945Doc BlanchardFB/LBArmy
1944Les HorvathRB/QBOhio State
1943Angelo BertelliQBNotre Dame
1942Frank SinkwichRBGeorgia
1941Bruce SmithRBMinnesota
1940Tom HarmonRBMichigan
1939Nile KinnickRB/QBIowa
1938Davey O’BrienQB/DBTCU
1937Clint FrankRBYale
1936Larry KelleyEYale
1935Jay BerwangerRB/LBChicago

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.