Memorable Heisman Moments

SI Staff | Aug 28, 2009

Memorable Heisman Moments /

Memorable Heisman Moments

Doug Flutie

With six seconds left in the game, the ball on Miami's 48-yard line and Boston College down 45-41, the 5-foot-9 Flutie uncorked a desperation Hail Mary toward the end zone. Waiting for the pass was an uncovered Gerard Phelan, who caught the ball for a miraculous 47-45 victory against the defending national champs. Flutie's Hail Mary is arguably the greatest play by a Heisman winner.

Reggie Bush

He was simply electrifying in a late-season game against Fresno State, setting a Pac-10 record with 513 all-purpose yards, including a 50-yard, stop-and-go, sideline-to-sideline third quarter touchdown run. Said USC coach Pete Carroll about Bush after the game: "He was pure magic."

Desmond Howard

After splitting several Ohio State defenders on the way to a 93-yard punt return touchdown, Howard struck the Heisman pose in the end zone, sealing one of the most memorable images by a winner. As Howard celebrated in the end zone, announcer Keith Jackson told the television audience, "Helloooooo Heisman."

Charles Woodson

Six years after Desmond Howard's punt return against Ohio State locked up his Heisman win, Woodson had his own, slipping past two Buckeyes on the way to a 78-yard punt return touchdown. He also added an interception in the end zone to lead the eventual national champions to the Big Ten title.

Barry Sanders

During a late-season rampage for the Heisman, the soft-spoken Sanders reeled off consecutive rushing games of 320 yards (Kansas State), 215 (Oklahoma) and 312 (Kansas) before a 293-yard, four-TD effort against Iowa State. One of the scores against the Cyclones was an 80-yard romp that changed the momentum in favor of the Cowboys.

Steve Spurrier

With 2:12 remaining and the score tied at 27, Spurrier nailed a game-winning, 40-yard field goal against Auburn, which clinched the Heisman Trophy. Spurrier also completed 27-of-40 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score as Florida improved to 7-0.

Archie Griffin

He had bigger statistical games in his first Heisman-winning season of 1974, but none more important than his 111-yard effort against Michigan. Playing with a hip pointer and a severe thigh bruise, Griffin set up the final field goal that gave the Buckeyes a 12-10 victory, the Big Ten co-championship and their third straight trip to the Rose Bowl.

Johnny Rodgers

One year after his zig-zagging punt return touchdown against Oklahoma in the "Game of the Century" in 1971, but before his five-touchdown (three rushing, one receiving, one passing) performance against Notre Dame in the 1973 Orange Bowl, Rodgers had 266 all-purpose yards in a 33-10 victory against Colorado.

Pete Dawkins

With just 58 seconds remaining and Army and Rice tied at seven, Dawkins grabbed Joe Caldwell's pass on the dead run and churned through Owls defenders to complete a 64-yard touchdown for a 14-7 victory.

Herschel Walker

After rushing for 215 yards and converting 14 first downs himself against Mississippi State, Walker racked up 219 yards in a little less than three quarters in a 44-0 rout of Florida. The highlight was a 30-yard touchdown run during which he juked the free safety off his feet and carried the strong safety on his back the final five yards for the score.

Published Aug 28, 2009

SI STAFF