Has your favorite team ever produced a Heisman Trophy winner? If so, your school belongs to one of college football’s most exclusive clubs.
Only 41 schools have produced a Heisman winner since the award debuted in 1935. USC leads the way with eight winners, while Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oklahoma have seven. Alabama is next with four.
The Heisman has produced no shortage of memorable moments and unlikely stories over the past nine decades. You probably know Ohio State’s Archie Griffin (1974-75) is the award’s only two-time winner, but did you know …
- Jay Berwanger (Chicago, 1935) never played professional football, instead taking a job as a foam-rubber salesman.
- Frank Sinkwich (Georgia, 1942) was serving in the U.S. Marine Corps when he won the Heisman, but was honorably discharged the following year because of flat feet.
- Paul Hornung (Notre Dame, 1956) remains the only Heisman winner from a team that finished with a losing record (2-8).
- Terry Baker (Oregon State, 1962) is the only Heisman winner to also play in the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four.
- Chris Weinke (Florida State, 2000) was 28 when he won the award after spending six seasons in the Toronto Blue Jays organization.
Whether your school has produced multiple winners or one unforgettable legend, a Heisman remains one of the greatest sources of pride college football programs – and fans – can claim.
Here’s every school that has produced a Heisman winner, from USC’s record eight recipients to Indiana, the newest program to join the club after Fernando Mendoza’s 2025 victory:
8 winners
USC: RB Mike Garrett (1965), RB O.J. Simpson (1968), RB Charles White (1979), RB Marcus Allen (1981), QB Carson Palmer (2002), QB Matt Leinart (2004), RB Reggie Bush (2005), QB Caleb Williams (2022)
7 winners
Notre Dame: QB Angelo Bertelli (1943), QB John Lujack (1947), TE Leon Hart (1949), RB John Lattner (1953), QB Paul Hornung (1956), QB John Huarte (1964), WR Tim Brown (1987)
Ohio State: HB Les Horvath (1944), RB Vic Janowicz (1950), RB Howard Cassady (1955), RB Archie Griffin (1974, 1975), RB Eddie George (1995), QB Troy Smith (2006)
Oklahoma: RB Billy Vessels (1952), RB Steve Owens (1969), RB Billy Sims (1978), QB Jason White (2003), QB Sam Bradford (2008), QB Baker Mayfield (2017), QB Kyler Murray (2018)
4 winners
Alabama: RB Mark Ingram (2009), RB Derrick Henry (2015), WR Devonta Smith (2020), QB Bryce Young (2021)
3 winners
Army: FB Doc Blanchard (1945), RB Glenn Davis (1946), RB Pete Dawkins (1958)
Auburn: QB Pat Sullivan (1971), RB Bo Jackson (1985), QB Cam Newton (2010)
Florida: QB Steve Spurrier (1966), QB Danny Wuerffel (1996), QB Tim Tebow (2007)
Florida State: QB Charlie Ward (1993), QB Chris Weinke (2000), QB Jameis Winston (2013)
LSU: RB Billy Cannon (1959), QB Joe Burrow (2019), QB Jayden Daniels (2023)
Michigan: RB Tom Harmon (1940), WR Desmond Howard (1991), CB Charles Woodson (1997)
Nebraska: WR Johnny Rodgers (1972), RB Mike Rozier (1983), QB Eric Crouch (2001)
2 winners
Colorado: RB Rashaan Salaam (1994), WR/CB Travis Hunter (2024)
Georgia: RB Frank Sinkwich (1942), RB Herschel Walker (1982)
Miami: QB Vinny Testaverde (1986), QB Gino Torretta (1992)
Navy: RB Joe Bellino (1960), QB Roger Staubach (1963)
Texas: RB Earl Campbell (1977), RB Ricky Williams (1998)
Texas A&M: RB John David Crow (1957), QB Johnny Manziel (2012)
Wisconsin: FB Alan Ameche (1954), RB Ron Dayne (1999)
Yale: TE Larry Kelley (1936), HB Clinton Frank (1937)
1 winner
Baylor: QB Robert Griffin III (2011)
Boston College: QB Doug Flutie (1984)
BYU: QB Ty Detmer (1990)
Chicago: HB Jay Berwanger (1935)
Houston: QB Andre Ware (1989)
Indiana: QB Fernando Mendoza (2025)
Iowa: QB/HB Nile Kinnick (1939)
Louisville: QB Lamar Jackson (2016)
Minnesota: HB Bruce Smith (1941)
Oklahoma State: RB Barry Sanders (1988)
Oregon: QB Marcus Mariota (2014)
Oregon State: QB Terry Baker (1962)
Penn State: RB John Cappeletti (1973)
Pittsburgh: RB Tony Dorsett (1976)
Princeton: HB Dick Kazmaier (1951)
South Carolina: RB George Rogers (1980)
SMU: HB Doak Walker (1948)
Stanford: QB Jim Plunkett (1970)
Syracuse: RB/LB Ernie Davis (1961)
TCU: QB Davey O’Brien (1938)
UCLA: QB Gary Beban (1967)
Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.