By Chris Huston 9.12.17

What states produce the most Heisman winners?

When Lamar Jackson won the Heisman in 2017, it marked the second-consecutive year that a player born in the state of Florida took home the trophy.

It was the first time the same state has produced Heisman winners in back-to-back seasons since 1989-90.

But what states have produced the most Heisman winners over the years?

Here’s a handy chart of Heisman winners sorted by place of birth (updated after 2019):

StateNumberWinners/Yr
California13  Glenn Davis ’46
John Huarte ’64
Mike Garrett ’65
Gary Beban ’67
O.J. Simpson ’68
Jim Plunkett ’70
Charles White ’79
Marcus Allen ’81
Gino Torretta ’92
Rashaan Salaam ’94
Ricky Williams ’98
Carson Palmer ’02
Matt Leinart ’04
Ohio 9Larry Kelley ’36
Vic Janowicz ’50
Dick Kazmaier ’51
Howard Cassady ’55
Roger Staubach ’64
Archie Griffin ’74, ’75
Desmond Howard ’91
Charles Woodson ’97
Troy Smith ’06
Texas9Davey O’Brien ’38
Doak Walker ’48
Earl Campbell ’77
Tim Brown ’87
Andre Ware ’89
Ty Detmer ’90
Johnny Manziel ’12
Baker Mayfield ’17
Kyler Murray ’18
Pennsylvania6John Lujack ’47
Leon Hart ’49
Ernie Davis ’61
John Cappelletti ’73
Tony Dorsett ’76
Eddie George ’95
Florida4Steve Spurrier ’66
Danny Wuerffel ’96
Derrick Henry ’15
Lamar Jackson ’16
Georgia4George Rogers ’80
Herschel Walker ’82
Charlie Ward ’93
Cam Newton ’10
Oklahoma4Billy Vessels ’52
Steve Owens ’69
Jason White ’03
Sam Bradford ’08
Alabama3Pat Sullivan ’71
Bo Jackson ’85
Jameis Winston ’13
Minnesota3Bruce Smith ’41
Terry Baker ’62
Chris Weinke ’00
New Jersey3Mike Rozier ’83
Ron Dayne ’99
Mark Ingram ’09
Iowa3Jay Berwanger ’35
Nile Kinnick ’39
Joe Burrow ’19
Indiana2Tom Harmon ’40
Les Horvath ’44
Massachussetts2Angelo Bertelli ’43
Joe Bellino ’60
Missouri2Clinton Frank ’37
Billy Sims ’78
Nebraska2Johnny Rodgers ’72
Eric Crouch ’01
Hawaii1Marcus Mariota ’14
Illinois1John Lattner ’53
Kansas1Barry Sanders ’88
Kentucky1Paul Hornung ’56
Louisiana1John David Crow ’57
Maryland1Doug Flutie ’84
Michigan1Pete Dawkins ’58
Mississippi1Billy Cannon ’59
New York1Vinny Testaverde ’86
South Carolina1Doc Blanchard ’45
Wisconsin1Alan Ameche

Heisman winners born outside the United States
Frank Sinkwich ’42 – Starjak, Croatia
Tim Tebow ’07 – Makati City, The Phillipines
Robert Griffin III – Okinawa, Japan

Highest ratio of Heisman winners to population
Nebraska – 1 winner for roughly every 953,000 people.

Related Posts