A look at what's shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable Heisman Trophy Races of all time

by Kim Goss All photos courtesy S.I. departments of the respective schools A look at what’s shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable Heisman Trophy races of all time If you had predicted that Napoleon Dynamite would be one of the most profitable movies of 2004, most people would have thought you were nuts. They would have been wrong, as the movie is on its way to grossing nearly 80 times what it cost to produce (although if you think the movie is going to win any Oscars, then you are definitely nuts). The Heisman Trophy race this year is bit like the movie industry, in that it’s difficult –even in the middle of the season –to predict who will be the winner. This year is no exception.

Despite the fact that among this year’s contenders for college football’s most prestigious award is last year’s winner, Oklahoma’s Jason White, the field is wide open. USC and Purdue have quarterbacks who are lighting up the scoreboard, and Texas and Kansas State have running backs who are scrambling for big yardage. The following pictorial essay contains our selections for the leading candidates to win the Heisman this year. Who is your choice?

What our BFS Online Site Survey Says.... 18% It’s a tight race and our web site poll for the first week of October showed just that.

One of the most coveted awards in college sports is the Heisman Memorial Trophy Award. The Heisman, which was first awarded in 1936, is given at the end of the regular season to the young man considered the best player in college football. Predicting who will win is the subject of countless editorials by sportswriters and armchair quarterbacks. Everyone has an opinion, but no one can collect their bets until the trophy is presented at the end of the year by the Downtown Athletic Club of New York City. The Heisman is named for John W. Heisman, the first athletic director of the Downtown Athletic Club of New York City.

The trophy sculpture was designed by Coach Jim Crowley and modeled by Warren Mulrey, a starter on the 1934 Fordham Rams football team. Although quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers from major football powerhouses are most likely to win the Heisman, any player from any college, playing offense or defense, is eligible to win the award. The Heisman voting procedure is actually rather simple. The nation is split into six sections (Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest, Southwest, Far West), each consisting of 175 media voters culled from the print, radio and television ranks. Also, every past Heisman winner casts a vote as well.

Each elector casts a ballot listing his top three choices, with the top choice receiving three points, the second receiving two and the third receiving one. This method was adopted with the idea of eliminating regional favoritism, and the player receiving the highest number of points across all six sections is the winner. Here are the past recipients of all Heisman Trophies. Many names you will recognize as athletes who have gone on to successful careers in the NFL. BFS Which position has won the most?

Wide Receivers 4 Quarterback 18 Running Back 22 (since 1960)

Heisman Winners Since 1960 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 Jason White, Oklahoma Carson Palmer, Southern Cal Eric Crouch, Nebraska Chris Weinke, Florida State Ron Dayne, Wisconsin Ricky Williams, Texas Charles Woodson, Michigan Danny Wuerffel, Florida Eddie George, Ohio State Rashaan Salaam, Colorado Charlie Ward, Florida State Gino Torretta, Miami Desmond Howard, Michigan Ty Detmer, Brigham Young Andre Ware, Houston Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State Tim Brown, Notre Dame Vinny Testaverde, Miami Bo Jackson, Auburn Doug Flutie, Boston College Mike Rozier, Nebraska Herschel Walker, Georgia Marcus Allen, Southern Cal.

George Rogers, South Carolina Charles White, Southern Cal. Billy Sims, Oklahoma Earl Campbell, Texas Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh Archie Griffin, Ohio State Archie Griffin, Ohio State John Cappelletti, Penn State Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska Pat Sullivan, Auburn Jim Plunkett, Stanford Steve Owens, Oklahoma O.J. Simpson, Southern Cal. Gary Beban, UCLA Steve Spurrier, Florida Mike Garrett, Southern Cal. John Huarte, Notre Dame Roger Staubach, Navy Terry Baker, Oregon State Ernie Davis, Syracuse Joe Bellino, Navy QB QB QB QB RB RB DB/WR QB RB RB QB QB WR QB QB RB WR QB RB QB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB RB WR QB QB HB HB QB QB HB QB QB QB HB HB

From BFS Magazine — November/December 2004. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).