SI's Heisman Cover Collection

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Dec 12, 2008

SI's Heisman Cover Collection

Tony Dorsett

Tony Dorsett was indeed heading for the 1976 Heisman Trophy, which he won on the strength of an impressive 1,948 yards rushing yards, tops in the nation. Even more impressive was the performance of Dorsett's Panthers, who beat Georgia to win the national championship.

Charles White and Billy Sims

As the 1979 season began, the Heisman looked like a two-horse race between USC's Charles White and Oklahoma's Billy Sims. The prediction proved to be true as White, who led the nation with an average of 194.1 rushing yards per game, beat out Sims for the award.

Marcus Dupree

Oklahoma RB Marcus Dupree had all the skills to win the 1983 Heisman, but the bigger question was whether he could co-exist with Coach Barry Switzer. The answer was a resounding NO, as Dupree quit after the Sooners' fourth game and never reached the success he seemed destined to achieve.

Bo Jackson, Chuck Long and Joe Dudek

Late in the 1985 season, SI cast its Heisman ballot for the underrated Joe Dudek of Plymouth State. Unfortunately, the Heisman voters didn't see things the same way as Bo Jackson edged out Chuck Long for the award while Dudek finished a distant ninth.

Major Harris, Tony Rice, Emmitt Smith, Anthony Thompson, Andre Ware

By late November of the 1989 season, the Heisman was a wide open race between West Virginia's Major Harris, Notre Dame's Tony Rice, Florida's Emmitt Smith, Indiana's Anthony Thompson and Houston's Andre Ware. Ware beat out Thompson (1,073 to 1,003) to claim the award. Smith, who would go on to have the best NFL career, finished seventh.

Ty Detmer

Ty Detmer's junior year still stands as one of the greatest seasons in college football history. The BYU quarterback passed for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns in 12 regular season games. Unfortunately for Detmer, the Cougars lost their final regular season game, 59-28, to Hawaii and were beat up by Texas A&M, 65-14, in the Holiday Bowl.

Desmond Howard

The 1991 Heisman race was never close. Michigan's Desmond Howard, who caught 61 passes for 950 yards and 19 touchdowns ran away with the award, beating out Florida State's Casey Weldon, Brigham Young's Ty Detmer and Washington DT Steve Emtman

Joey Harrington and Ken Simonton

In SI's 2001 preview, Oregon QB Joey Harrington and Oregon State RB Ken Simonton were the frontrunners to win the Heisman. Harrington would go on to finish fourth while Simonton fell out of the Top 10 with a disappointing season.

Eric Crouch

By November, however, SI got back on track with the feature on Heisman frontrunner Eric Crouch. This prediction proved to be correct as the Nebraska QB became the third Cornhusker to win the Heisman, joining Johnny Rodgers (1972) and Mike Rozier (1983).<br><br>Send comments to siwriters@simail.com