College Football Heisman Watch - Week 1 (click tab to search weeks)

What is the Heisman Trophy?

The Heisman Memorial Trophy is awarded annually since 1935 to the most outstanding player in college football.

Previous Winners

Year Winner Runner-up
2023 Jayden Daniels Michael Penix Jr.
2022 Caleb Williams Max Duggan
2021 Bryce Young Aidan Hutchinson
2020 DeVonta Smith Trevor Lawrence
2019 Joe Burrow Jalen Hurts
2018 Kyler Murray Tua Tagovailoa
2017 Baker Mayfield Bryce Love
2016 Lamar Jackson Deshaun Watson
2015 Derrick Henry Christian McCaffrey
2014 Marcus Mariota Melvin Gordon
2013 Jameis Winston A.J. McCarron
2012 Johnny Manziel Manti Te'o
2011 Robert Griffin III Andrew Luck
2010 Cam Newton Andrew Luck
2009 Mark Ingram Toby Gerhart
2008 Sam Bradford Colt McCoy
2007 Tim Tebow Darren McFadden
2006 Troy Smith Darren McFadden
2005 Reggie Bush Vince Young
2004 Matt Leinart Adrian Peterson
2003 Jason White Larry Fitzgerald
2002 Carson Palmer Brad Banks
2001 Eric Crouch Rex Grossman
2000 Chris Weinke John Heupel
1999 Ron Dayne Joe Hamilton
1998 Ricky Williams Michael Bishop
1997 Charles Woodson Peyton Manning
1996 Danny Wuerffel Troy Davis
1995 Eddie George Tommie Frazier
1994 Rashaan Salaam Ki-Jana Carter
1993 Charlie Ward Heath Shuler
1992 Gino Torretta Marshall Faulk
1991 Desmond Howard Casey Weldon
1990 Ty Detmer Raghib Ismail
1989 Andre Ware Anthony Thompson
1988 Barry Sanders Rodney Peete
1987 Tim Brown Don McPherson
1986 Vinny Testaverde Paul Palmer
1985 Bo Jackson Chuck Long
1984 Doug Flutie keith Byars
1983 Mike Rozier Steve Young
1982 Herschel Walker John Elway
1981 Marcus Allen Herschel Walker
1980 George Rogers Hugh Green
1979 Charles White Billy Sims
1978 Billy Sims Chuch Fusina
1977 Earl Campbell Terry Miller
1976 Tony Dorsett Ricky Bell
1975 Archie Griffin Chuck Muncie
1974 Archie Griffin Anthony Davis
1973 John Cappelletti John Hicks
1972 Johnny Rodgers Greg Pruitt
1971 Pat Sullivan Ed Marinaro
1970 Jim Plunkett Joe Theismann
1969 Steve Owens Mike Phipps
1968 O.J. Simpson Leroy Keyes
1967 Gary Beban O.J. Simpson
1966 Steve Spurrier Bob Griese
1965 Mike Garrett Howard Twilley
1964 John Huarte Jerry Rhome
1963 Roger Staubach Billy Lothridge
1962 Terry Baker Jerry Stovall
1961 Ernie Davis Bob Ferguson
1960 Joe Bellino Tom Brown
1959 Billy Cannon Richie Lucas
1958 Pete Dawkins Randy Duncan
1957 John David Crow Alex Karras
1956 Paul Hornung Johnny Majors
1955 Howard Cassady Jim Swink
1954 Alan Ameche Kurt Burris
1953 John Lattner Paul Giel
1952 Billy Vessels Jack Scarbath
1951 Dick Kazmaier Hank Lauricella
1950 Vic Janowicz Kyle Rote
1949 Leon Hart Charlie Justice
1948 Doak Walker Charlie Justice
1947 John Lujack Bob Chappuis
1946 Glenn Davis Charley Trippi
1945 Doc Blanchard Glenn Davis
1944 Les Horvath Glenn Davis
1943 Angelo Bertelli Bob Odell
1942 Frank Sinkwich Paul Governali
1941 Bruce Smith Angelo Bertelli
1940 Bruce Smith John Kimbrough
1939 Nile Kinnick Tom Harmon
1938 Davey O'Brien Marshall Goldberg
1937 Clinton Frank Byron White
1936 Larry Kelley Sam Francis
1935 Jay Berwanger Monk Meyer
  1. 1. New Mexico Devon Dampier, QB

    2 GP | 432 Yards | 6.4 Avg | 4 TD | 2 INT | 164 Rushing Yards

    Devon appears at the top of the list this week primarily due to the fact that he has 2 games played under his belt. He has had another game to get extra yardage and some extra touchdowns in his belt. I do not see him as someone that might stay up here, so enjoy it while it lasts Devon! Oh, did I mention he also has 164 rushing yards?

  2. 2. boise st Ashton Jeanty, RB

    1 GP | 267 Yards | 13.4 Avg | 6 TD

    Ashton had by far the best week 1 out of any player in college football. If he can keep up with this current pace even remotely then I think that he could make things very interesting.

  3. 3. wazzu John Mateer, QB

    1 GP | 352 Yards | 20.7 Avg | 5 TD | 0 INT

    John made very little mistakes in his 2024 season debut. He is starting off the year extremjely well compared to last year, and with the Pac12 becoming the Pac2, who knows what else is in store for Wazzu. Possibly a Heisman tropy winner!

  4. 4. arizona Tetairoa McMillan, WR

    1GP | 304 Yards | 30.4 Avg | 4TD

    One of the best performances from a wide receiver someone could ask for. If this production keeps up then the Heisman trophy is as good as his.

  5. 5. NIU Ethan Hampton, QB

    1GP | 328 Yards | 16.4 Avg | 5TD | 0 INT

    On heismanwatch.org, every team and player gets then chance to prove themselves. NIU and Ethan Hampton show that off here with an impressive week 1 performance. It would be really cool to see the Heisman trophy go to a smaller school.

  6. 6. ole miss Jaxson Dart, QB

    1GP | 418 Yards | 15.5 Avg | 5TD | 0 INT

    Moving away from the top 5, we can see that the list of Heisman contenders runs deep. Jaxson Dart proves this with his impressive stats against Furman. The fact that Ole Miss scored 76 points against Furman is probably inflating his stats here a little bit. But who cares, we are here to see the individual performances.

  7. 7. utah Cameron Rising, QB

    1GP | 254 Yards | 16.9 Avg | 5TD | 0 INT

    Even after only attempting 15 passes, Utah QB Cameron Rising finds himself on this list. Being a star player for the best team in the Big12 gives you plenty of advantages in taking home the glorified Heisman Trophy, lets see if this pace continues.

  8. 8. bama Ryan Williams, WR

    1GP | 139 Yards | 69.5 Avg | 2TD

    Another impressive receiver on this list is Ryan Williams. In week 1 he caught 2 passes, for 139 yards, and 2 touchdowns. If he keeps up this efficiency then he can go down as the greatest receiver of all time. That is the thing however, this is a very small sample size and I doubt he will end up as a Heisman contender.

  9. 9. auburn Payton Thorne, QB

    1GP | 322 Yards | 15.3 Avg | 4TD | 0 INT

    When you put up 70+ points in one game, the players stats are bound to look good. And 73 points is how many Auburn scored in week 1. The catch is, they were playing Alabama A&M...

  10. 10. arizona Noah Fifita, QB

    1GP | 422 Yards | 13.6 Avg | 4TD | 1 INT

    Two Arizona players on the same list. The stud receiver with 4 touchdowns, and the QB that threw 4 touchdown passes. If Noah keeps targeting Tetairoa, then both of these players may stay on this list.