Ranking Heisman Trophy winners from 1-81
Tony Dorsett 1976 Season Statistics
- Games: 12
- Rushing Attempts: 370
- Rushing Yards: 2,150
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 179.2
- Yards Per Carry: 5.8
- Rushing Touchdowns: 22
- Receptions: 8
- Receiving Yards: 67
- Receiving Yards Per Game: 5.6
- Receiving Touchdowns: 1
Tony Dorsett was one of the greatest running backs in college football history, having exploded onto the national scene in 1973 to become the first freshman to earn All-American honors in more than three decades (freshman eligibility was restored in 1972). Dorsett became the school’s all-time leading rusher as a sophomore and surpassed 1,000 rushing yards and scored at least 11 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons at Pitt, then exploded for 2,150 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns (including bowl game stats) as a senior in 1976 to earn the Heisman Trophy.
A workhorse for the Panthers, who won the national championship after securing a 12-0 record with a 27-3 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, Dorsett led the nation with 370 carries, 378 offensive touches, 2,217 yards from scrimmage and 23 total touchdowns. Dorsett dominated the Heisman voting and was awarded 701 first place votes. Runner-up Ricky Bell earned just 73.
Dorsett’s Heisman winning campaign (in which he also won the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards) capped an incredible career that made him the NCAA’s career leader in rushing yards with 6,526 yards (including bowl games). That record stood until it was broken by Ron Dayne in 1999. Not including bowls, Dorsett ran for 6,082 yards, which was the career record for 22 years until Ricky Williams surpassed it in 1998.
Marcus Allen 1981 Season Statistics
- Games: 12
- Rushing Attempts: 433
- Rushing Yards: 2,427
- Rushing Yards Per Game: 202.3
- Yards Per Carry: 5.6
- Rushing Touchdowns: 22
- Receptions: 34
- Receiving Yards: 256
- Receiving Yards Per Game: 21.3
- Receiving Touchdowns: 1
It took more than a century for a college football player to post more than 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. USC running back Marcus Allen became the first in 1981, and went on to destroy the NCAA single-season rushing record with 2,427 yards on his way to the Heisman Trophy.
Allen spent his first two seasons at USC as the backup to Charles White, then emerged as a star as a junior with 1,563 rushing yards (which ranked third in the nation) and 14 touchdowns. However, as a senior, Allen would establish himself as one of the greatest running backs of all-time. Allen led the nation with 433 carries, an average of 202.3 rushing yards per game and 22 rushing touchdowns.
Not only was Allen USC’s primary ball carrier, he also led the Trojans with 34 receptions out of the backfield. Allen was named a consensus All-American, won the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Pac-10 Player of the Year Awards, and led USC to a 9-3 record. Although, despite his records and his overall production, Allen faced stiff competition in Heisman voting from Georgia sophomore running back Herschel Walker and BYU quarterback Jim McMahon, and won by just 598 points.
At the time, Allen posted the most incredible season in college football history. His 2,427 rushing yards still rank as the fourth most in a single-season. However, seven years later, an Oklahoma State running back would surpass Allen to become the greatest Heisman Trophy winner of all-time.
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