Ranking Heisman Trophy winners from 1-81
Ricky Williams 1998 Season Statistics
- Games: 11
- Rushing Attempts: 361
- Rushing Yards: 2,124
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 193.1
- Yards Per Carry: 5.9
- Rushing Touchdowns: 27
- Receptions: 24
- Receiving Yards: 262
- Receiving Yards Per Game: 23.8
- Receiving Touchdowns: 1
- Passing: 0-for-2 with 1 INT
Like O.J. Simpson, Ricky Williams left college as the all-time leading rusher at college football’s highest level. Unfortunately for him, also like Simpson, Williams’ record was short-lived as Ron Dayne broke it the following season.
Nevertheless, after rushing for 4,155 yards combined over his first three seasons with the Texas Longhorns, which included a nation-leading 1,893 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns during his junior season when Williams finished fifth in Heisman voting, the California native saved his best for last.
Williams led the nation in rushing and rushing TDs again as a senior, and finished with 2,124 rushing yards and 27 scores. The performance helped him win the Heisman Trophy in dominant fashion, and Williams set a record by capturing 714 of 920 possible first-place votes, which was a higher percentage (77.6) of first-place votes than any previous Heisman winner. It was also the third-highest number of No. 1 votes in Heisman history to that point.
The second Longhorn to win the Heisman, Williams also earned the Doak Walker Award, the Maxwell Award, the AP Player of the Year Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, and was named a Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and a consensus All-American for the second time.
Overall, Williams’ Heisman-winning season helped him set 21 NCAA records during his four-year career. Among them were the 73 career touchdowns and 452 career points Williams scored, which, like his career rushing title, lasted just one season.
Cam Newton 2010 Season Statistics
- Games: 14
- Pass Completions: 185
- Pass Attempts: 280
- Completion Percentage: 66.1
- Passing Yards: 2,854
- Passing Yards Per Game: 203.9
- Passing Touchdowns: 30
- Interceptions: 7
- Rushing Attempts: 264
- Rushing Yards: 1,473
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 105.2
- Yards Per Carry: 5.6
- Rushing Touchdowns: 20
- Receptions: 2
- Receiving Yards: 42
- Receiving Touchdowns: 1
Cam Newton started his college football career with the Florida Gators. However, after he ran into legal trouble as a sophomore, Newton was suspended from the team and eventually transferred. He landed at Blinn College in Texas where he earned JUCO All-American honors and was became of the most highly recruited players in the nation.
After signing with Auburn, Newton won the starting QB job and immediately won the SEC Player of the Week Award with five touchdowns in his debut against Arkansas State. As a dangerous dual-threat signal caller who was often used as a 6-foot-5, 240-pound battering ram in offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn’s power rushing attack, Newton amassed 1,473 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns and led the Tigers to a 14-0 record and the BCS National Championship.
Newton threw for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns with seven interceptions while completing 66.1 percent of his passes in his only season at Auburn. He even caught a touchdown pass on a trick play. Newton became just the third quarterback in history to account for 20 or more touchdowns both rushing and passing in a single season and was the first QB in SEC history to surpass 2,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season.
For his statistical success, as well as his impact on the Auburn (who had been just 8-5 the previous season), Newton won the Heisman in impressive fashion with 2,263 total points and 729 first-place votes.
Simply put, Cam Newton had the biggest impact in one season than any other quarterback in college football history – and his Heisman Trophy-winning 2010 season was the best of any QB Heisman winner.
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