What is your Top 3 Heisman Trophy races since 2000?

[iowajerms]

*The year represents the season. 2000 season = 2001 National Championship

Spoiler: 2000 Heisman Race

Winner: Chris Weinke (Florida State)
#2: Josh Heupel (Oklahoma)
#3: Drew Brees (Purdue)
#4: LaDanian Tomlinson (TCU)
#5: Damien Anderson (Northwestern)
#6: Michael Vick (Virginia Tech)
#7: Santana Moss (Miami FL)
#8: Marque Tuiasosopo (Washington)
#9: Ken Simonton (Oregon State)
#10: Rudi Johnson (Auburn)

Spoiler: 2001 Heisman Race

Winner: Eric Crouch (Nebraska)
#2: Rex Grossman (Florida)
#3: Ken Dorsey (Miami FL)
#4: Joey Harrington (Oregon State)
#5: David Carr (Fresno State)
#6: Antwaan Randle El (Indiana)
#7: Roy Williams (Oklahoma)
#8: Bryant McKinney (Miami FL)
#9: Dwight Freeney (Syracuse)
#10: Julius Peppers (North Carolina)

Spoiler: 2002 Heisman Race

Winner: Carson Palmer (USC)
#2: Brad Banks (Iowa)
#3: Larry Johnson (Penn State)
#4: Willis McGahee (Miami FL)
#5: Ken Dorsey (Miami FL)
#6: Byron Leftwich (Marshall)
#7: Jason Gesser (Washington State)
#8: Chris Brown (Colorado)
#9: Kliff Kingsbury (Texas Tech)
#10: Quentin Griffin (Oklahoma)

Spoiler: 2003 Heisman Race

Winner: Jason White (Oklahoma)
#2: Larry Fitzgerald (Pittsburgh)
#3: Eli Manning (Ole Miss)
#4: Chris Perry (Michigan)
#5: Darren Sproles (Kansas State)
#6: Matt Leinart (USC)
#7: Phillip Rivers (NC State)
#8: Mike Williams (USC)
#9: Ben Roethlisberger (Miami OH)
#10: BJ Symons (Texas Tech)

Spoiler: 2004 Heisman Race

Winner: Matt Leinart (USC)
#2: Adrian Peterson (Oklahoma)
#3: Jason White (Oklahoma)
#4: Alex Smith (Utah)
#5: Reggie Bush (USC)
#6: Cedric Benson (Texas)
#7: Jason Campbell (Auburn)
#8: JJ Arington (California)
#9: Aaron Rodgers (California)
#10: Braylon Edwards (Michigan)

Spoiler: 2005 Heisman Race

Winner: Reggie Bush (USC)
#2: Vince Young (Texas)
#3: Matt Leinart (USC)
#4: Brady Quinn (Notre Dame)
#5: Michael Robinson (Penn State)
#6: AJ Hawk (Ohio State)
#7: DeAngelo Williams (Memphis)
#8: Drew Olson (UCLA)
#9: Jerome Harrison (Washington State)
#10: Elvis Dumervil (Louisville)

Spoiler: 2006 Heisman Race

Winner: Troy Smith (Ohio State)
#2: Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
#3: Brady Quinn (Notre Dame)
#4: Steve Slaton (West Virginia)
#5: Mike Hart (Michigan)
#6: Colt Brennan (Hawaii)
#7: Ray Rice (Rutgers)
#8: Ian Johnson (Boise State)
#9: Dwayne Jarrett (USC)
#10: Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech)

Spoiler: 2007 Heisman Race

Winner: Tim Tebow (Florida)
#2: Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
#3: Colt Brennan (Hawaii)
#4: Chase Daniels (Missouri)
#5: Dennis Dixon (Oregon)
#6: Pat White (West Virginia)
#7: Matt Ryan (Boston College)
#8: Kevin Smith (UCF)
#9: Glen Dorsey (LSU)
#10: Chris Long (Virginia)

Spoiler: 2008 Heisman Race

Winner: Sam Bradford (Oklahoma)
#2: Colt McCoy (Texas)
#3: Tim Tebow (Florida)
#4: Graham Harrell (Texas Tech)
#5: Michael Crabtree (Texas Tech)
#6: Shonn Greene (Iowa)
#7: Pat White (West Virginia)
#8: Nate Davis (Ball State)
#9: Ray Maualaga (USC)
#10: Javon Ringer (Michigan State)

Spoiler: 2009 Heisman Race

Winner: Mark Ingram (Alabama)
#2: Toby Gerhart (Stanford)
#3: Colt McCoy (Texas)
#4: Ndamukong Suh (Nebraska)
#5: Tim Tebow (Florida)
#6: C.J. Spiller (Clemson)
#7: Kellen Moore (Boise State)
#8: Case Keenum (Houston))
#9: Mardy Gilyard (Cincinnati)
#10: Golden Tate (Notre Dame)

Spoiler: 2010 Heisman Race

Winner: Cam Newton (Auburn QB 729 24 28 2,263
#2: Andrew Luck (Stanford)
#3: LaMichael James (Oregon)
#4: Kellen Moore (Boise State)
#5: Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State)
#6: Denard Robinson (Michigan)
#7: Ryan Mallet (Arkansas)
#8: Colin Kaepernick (Nevada)
#9: Andy Dalton (TCU)
#10: Owen Marecic (Stanford)

Spoiler: 2011 Heisman Race

Winner: Robert Griffin, III (Baylor)
#2: Andrew Luck (Stanford)
#3: Trent Richardson (Alabama)
#4: Montee Ball (Wisconsin)
#5: Tyrann Mathieu (LSU)
#6: Matt Barkley (USC)
#7: Case Keenum (Houston)
#8: Kellen Moore (Boise State)
#9: Russell Wilson (Wisconsin)
#10: LaMichael James (Oregon)

Spoiler: 2012 Heisman Race

Winner: Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M)
#2: Manti Te'o (Notre Dame)
#3: Collin Klein (Kansas State)
#4: Marqise Lee (USC)
#5: Braxton Miller (Ohio State)
#6: Jadeveon Clowney (South Carolina)
#7: Jordan Lynch (Northern Illinois)
#8: Tavon Austin (West Virginia)
#9: Kenjon Barner (Oregon)
#10: Jarvis Jones (Georgia)

Spoiler: 2013 Heisman Race

Winner: Jameis Winston (Florida State)
#2: A.J. McCarron (Alabama)
#3: Jordan Lynch (Northern Illinois)
#4: Andre Williams (Boston College)
#5: Tre Mason (Auburn)
#6: Bryce Petty (Baylor)
#7: Derek Carr (Fresno State)
#8: Braxton Miller (Ohio State)
#9: Ka'Deem Carey (Arizona)
#10: Jarvis Jones (Georgia)

Spoiler: 2014 Heisman Race

Winner: Marcus Mariota (Oregon)
#2: Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin)
#3: Amari Cooper (Alabama)
#4: Trevor Boykin (TCU)
#5: JT Barrett (Ohio State)
#6: Jameis Winston (Florida State)
#7: Tevin Coleman (Indiana)
#8: Dak Prescott (Mississippi State)
#9: Scooby Wright (Arizona)
#10: Bryce Petty Sr. (Baylor)

 

[iowajerms]

For me

1. 2004
2. 2005
3. 2011

 

[iowajerms]

What about the 2014 winner?

I forgot the / in the end of 2013 spoiler, so I think it was in there. I did have it though and fixed it.

 

[Wamu]

2006, 2014, 2001

 

[Wamu]

I forgot the / in the end of 2013 spoiler, so I think it was in there. I did have it tough and fixed it.

Good deal.

 

[tducey]

A little off topic but winning the Heisman doesn't translate to much at the pro level does it?

 

[Wamu]

A little off topic but winning the Heisman doesn't translate to much at the pro level does it?

More often than it can be the kiss of death for the winning player @ the NFL level. The last Heisman winner that will be going to the HOF is Charles Woodson ('97). Before that you have to go back to '88 & Barry Sanders.

 

[iowajerms]

More often than it can be the kiss of death for the winning player @ the NFL level. The last Heisman winner that will be going to the HOF is Charles Woodson ('97). Before that you have to go back to '88 & Barry Sanders.

I think Eddie George (1995) deserves to be in the NFL HOF

 

[Wamu]

I think Eddie George (1995) deserves to be in the NFL HOF

Of course I'm a bit biased although I'd like to see him in there someday as well. His 3.6 ypc average likely keeps him out though.

 

[Smart]

Do you mean best players or most interesting races? 2011 had a depth of talent that hasn't been seen since and likely won't be seen again. Case Keenum, Kellen Moore, Russell Wilson, and LaMichael James were 7-10 that year, and all four of them would have WON in several years. 2008, 2005, and 2014 all had great sets of finalists as well.

In terms of close races: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2014 could all have decent arguments for multiple candidates.

 

[iowajerms]

Do you mean best players or most interesting races? 2011 had a depth of talent that hasn't been seen since and likely won't be seen again. Case Keenum, Kellen Moore, Russell Wilson, and LaMichael James were 7-10 that year, and all four of them would have WON in several years. 2008, 2005, and 2014 all had great sets of finalists as well.

In terms of close races: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2014 could all have decent arguments for multiple candidates.

What is YOUR top 3? You decided what makes your top 3 the top 3.

For me...

2004 was the best because it was right in the middle of USC's run, and they were very exciting. Reggie Bush was one of the most exciting players I have ever seen. There was this freshman RB at Oklahoma that was amazing, and IMO should have been Heisman. And you had Alex Smith lead Utah to an undefeated season under HC Urban Meyer.

2005 was next because it came down to Reggie Bush and Vince Young. Matt Leinart and Brady Quinn were great QBs.

2011 was because RGIII and Andrew Luck was exciting. They played on completely different offensive schemes. You had Trent Richardson doing great, along with Montee Ball. Kellen Moore and Case Keenum dominated the mid-majors with record-breaking performances. Then there was Russell Wilson and LMJ doing great.

2008 was close with the 3-way tie in the Big 12 South, and Tim Tebow being in the mix. Also that was the year Shonn Greene won the Doak Walker Award.

 

[theSabanator20]

2009. Closest race between top 5. All had a legit say for the trophy.

 

[Texas Jefe]

I think Eddie George (1995) deserves to be in the NFL HOF

how many yards did he have in his career?

 

[Texas Jefe]

For me, the 2005 and 2008.

2005, with Reggie Bush and Vince Young, two of the more dynamic players to play CFB

 

[TBBishop]

I would have to go with 2005 when Vince Young should have won it over Reggie Bush. 2008 when it was really a complete toss up between Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow. And 2009 when Ndamukong Suh was far and away the best player in college football and finished fucking 4th.

 

[TBBishop]

A little off topic but winning the Heisman doesn't translate to much at the pro level does it?

It doesn't have to. The NFL is a completely different world. There's also plenty of guys you never hear of in college that end up studs in the NFL.

 

[TBBishop]

Of course I'm a bit biased although I'd like to see him in there someday as well. His 3.6 ypc average likely keeps him out though.

It's really a shame because for about 5 years George was as good as anyone in the league at any position. People get too caught up in career numbers instead of looking at how good a player someone actually was.

 

[SteelersPride]

2004, 2005, 2008 for me

 

[SteelersPride]

the top 5 in 2008 were all monsters, on good teams

 

[iowajerms]

how many yards did he have in his career?

Compared to a Hall of Famer

Eddie George

141 games (9 seasons)
10,441 rushing yards (74.0 Y/G; 1,160 Y/season)
68 rushing TDs

268 receptions
2,227 receiving yard (15.8 Y/G; 247 Y/season)
10 receiving TDs


Thurman Thomas

182 games (13 seasons)
12,074 rushing yards (66.3 Y/G, 929 Y/season)
65 rushing TDs

472 receptions
4,458 receiving yards (24.5 Y/G; 343 Y/season)
28 receiving TDs