Fox Sports composes top 10 Heisman seasons of all-time ranking

College football’s most prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy, is handed out every year in early December. The sport’s biggest stars gather in New York City to celebrate their season, with one ultimately being declared the winner.

Debates rage on throughout the year about who is leading the race. But now, it’s time to put the Heisman winners up against one another.

FOX recently put together a top 10 list of the best all-time Heisman Trophy seasons. Surprisingly, only half of them are quarterbacks.

You can check out the full list below.

1. Oklahoma State RB Barry Sanders, 1988

FOX’s No.1 spot goes to none other than the legendary Sanders. The key number for the Oklahoma State product was his 37 rushing touchdowns, the most in college football history. To this day, the record still stands.

Sanders’ explosion came in his junior season after putting up decent numbers his first two years in Stillwater. Now, he is known as one of the greatest to ever do it.

2. LSU QB Joe Burrow, 2019

Burrow’s 2019 LSU team is widely considered the greatest team of all time. He was certainly the leader as the Tigers won a national championship in undefeated fashion, taking down Clemson in New Orleans.

Even five years later, the numbers from Burrow are incredible to look at. He threw for 5,671 yards, 60 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while completing 76.3% of his throws. Beating out Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts by 1,846 points, it’s the largest margin of victory in Heisman Trophy history

3. Colorado CB/WR Travis Hunter, 2024

Hunter was one of the more tight Heisman races in history, narrowly beating Boise State‘s Ashton Jeanty this past December. But the do-it-all player was just too good to not win, making a huge impact at cornerback and wide receiver.

The Biletnikoff was awarded to Hunter too, being the nation’s top pass catcher. Many believe he is a better cornerback though, potentially focusing on the position once being drafted into the NFL.

4. Auburn QB Cam Newton, 2010

It’s tough to accomplish what Newton did at Auburn, almost single-handedly winning a national championship in 2010. Just three other players from the team were selected in the NFL Draft, two of which were in the seventh round.

Newton threw for 2,857 yards and 30 touchdowns while leading the country in rushing yards and touchdowns, going for 1,473 yards and 20 scores.

5. Michigan CB Charles Woodson, 1997

Before Hunter, there was Woodson. There was some impact made at wide receiver, catching 11 balls for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Punt return played into the equation too with 283 yards and a touchdown on the special teams unit.

Woodson won a hotly contested Heisman Trophy race that season, beating out Ryan Leaf, Peyton Manning, and Randy Moss. Of the four people sitting in New York that night, three are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

6. Pitt RB Tony Dorsett, 1976

A year after finishing fourth in voting, Dorsett took home the Heisman Trophy in 1976. He had 701 first-place votes, the 10th most in the award’s history.

Dorsett did not break the 2,000-yard mark but led the country with 1,948 yards. Pitt winning the national championship certainly helped too, going a perfect 13-0 with a Sugar Bowl win over Georgia.

7. Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel, 2012

Until Manziel, no freshman had ever won the Heisman Trophy. He found a way to change history throughout the 2012 season, becoming college football’s biggest star in Texas A&M’s first-ever SEC campaign.

Manziel had his Heisman moment against Alabama, taking down Nick Saban‘s squad in Tuscaloosa. Throwing for just over 3,700 yards and adding 1,410 on the ground with 47 total touchdowns certainly helps too.

8. USC RB Marcus Allen, 1981

The 1981 Heisman Trophy race was between two great running backs, with Georgia’s Herschel Walker finishing second. Allen won by nearly 700 points though, being USC’s fourth winner.

Allen led the country in carries (403), rushing yards (2,342), and touchdowns (22) during the 1981 season. A legend in Los Angeles lands at No. 8 in FOX’s list.

9. Florida QB Tim Tebow, 2007

Somehow, Tebow has just one Heisman Trophy to his name. The 2007 season was his first of three years as the Florida starting quarterback, being a finalist in 2008 and finishing fifth in 2009.

Florida finished 2007 with a 9-4 record but Tebow was remarkable throughout. His 3,286 passing yards and 32 touchdowns paired well with 895 rushing yards and a nation-leading 23 rushing touchdowns.

10. Louisville QB Lamar Jackson, 2016

In an era where quarterbacks have dominated the Heisman Trophy, Jackson finds his way on FOX’s list at No. 10. Jackson was Louisville’s first and still only winner, also being the ACC’s last recipient.

As he has continued with the Baltimore Ravens, Jackson dominated with both his arm and legs. He led the country in both passing yards and rushing yards, combining for 5,261 yards. Add in 45 total touchdowns and you have an all-time great season.