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Ranking Heisman Trophy winners from 1-81

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Dec 14, 2013; New York, NY, USA; The Heisman Trophy is seen during a press conference before the announcement of the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 14, 2013; New York, NY, USA; The Heisman Trophy is seen during a press conference before the announcement of the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner at the Marriott Marquis in New York City. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /
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Barry Sanders 1988 Season Statistics

  • Games: 11
  • Rushing Attempts: 344
  • Rushing Yards: 2,628
  • Rushing Yards Per Game: 238.9
  • Yards Per Carry: 7.6
  • Rushing Touchdowns: 37
  • Receptions: 19
  • Receiving Yards: 106
  • Receiving Yards Per Game: 9.6
  • Receiving Touchdowns: 0
  • Kick Returns: 20.0 average on 21 returns, 1 TD
  • Punt Returns: 9.4 average on 10 returns, 1 TD

Simply put, Barry Sanders had the most incredible season in college football history in 1988. After spending the majority of his first two seasons at Oklahoma State playing behind Thurman Thomas and running for 603 yards as a sophomore backup in 1987 while excelling as a return man on special teams, Sanders exploded as a junior.

Sanders set NCAA records with 2,628 rushing yards, 3,249 total yards, 37 rushing touchdowns and 39 total touchdowns in just 11 regular season games, which included four games in which he surpassed 300 yards on the ground and a string of five straight 200-yard performances. While leading Oklahoma State to a 10-2 record with a nation-leading 344 carries, Sanders also set records by scoring 234 points, by reaching the end zone two or more times in 11 consecutive games, and by scoring three or more TDs nine times.

The Kansas native averaged an eye-popping 238.9 rushing yards per game and 7.6 yards per carry. Sanders also ran for 222 yards and five TDs in the Holiday Bowl (in just three quarters), though those stats aren’t included in his official results because bowl game results were not recognized by the NCAA at the time.

In addition to winning the Heisman Trophy in dominant fashion (Sanders was awarded 559 first place votes while runner-up Rodney Peete earned 70 first place votes), Sanders was named a consensus All-American and won the Maxwell and Walter Camp Player of the Year Awards. He left the Cowboys for the 1989 NFL Draft and was the third overall pick by the Detroit Lions.

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