The Heisman Memorial Trophy, aka the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman, is given annually to the most outstanding college football player. The award was created by the Downtown Athletic Club in 1935 to honor the "most valuable college football player east of the Mississippi." The first recipient of the award was the University of Chicago halfback, Jay Berwanger. John Heisman, the club's athletic director, passed away in October 1936, and the honorary award was established in his memory.
READ MORE: List of Players Who won Heisman Trophy Year by Year
College Football Teams with the Most Heisman Trophy Winners
| Team/School | Trophies Won | Names of Heisman Trophy Winners |
| USC | 8 | Mike Garrett (1965), O.J. Simpson (1968), Charles White (1979), Marcus Allen (1981), Carson Palmer (2002), Matt Leinart (2004), Reggie Bush (2005), Caleb Williams (2022) |
| Ohio State | 7 | Les Horvath (1944), Vic Janowicz (1950), Howard Cassady (1955), Archie Griffin (1974 & 1975), Eddie George (1995), Troy Smith (2006), Caleb Williams (2022) |
| Oklahoma | 7 | Billy Vessels (1952), Steve Owens (1969), Billy Sims (1978), Jason White (2003), Sam Bradford (2008), Baker Mayfield (2017), and Kyler Murray (2018) |
| Notre Dame | 7 | Angelo Bertelli (1943), John Lujack (1947), Leon Hart (1949), John Lattner (1953), Paul Hornung (1956), John Huarte (1964), and Tim Brown (1987) |
| Alabama | 4 | Mark Ingram (2009), Derrick Henry (2015), Devonta Smith (2020), and Bryce Young (2021) |
| Army | 3 | Pat Sullivan (1971), Bo Jackson (1985), and Cam Newton (2010) |
| Auburn | 3 | Felix "Doc" Blanchard (1945), Glenn Davis (1946), and Pete Dawkins (1958) |
| Florida | 3 | Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), and Tim Tebow (2007) |
| Florida State | 3 | Charlie Ward (1993), Chris Weinke (2000), and Jameis Winston (2013) |
| LSU | 3 | Billy Cannon (1959), Joe Burrow (2019), and Jayden Daniels (2023) |
| Michigan | 3 | Tom Harmon (1940), Desmond Howard (1991), and Charles Woodson (1997) |
| Nebraska | 3 | Johnny Rodgers (1972), Mike Rozier (1983), and Eric Crouch (2001) |
The team with the most awards is the University of Southern California (USC). Caleb Williams of USC earned the award in 2022, making it USC's eighth overall win at the time. Archie Griffin, an Ohio State alumnus, holds the distinction of being the only two-time winner. The Heisman Trophy has been won by athletes from 40 different colleges, and 19 of those institutions have taken home multiple honors.
The following are the 40 colleges with the most Heisman Trophy winners:
- USC - 8
Ohio State - 7
Oklahoma - 7
Notre Dame - 7
Alabama - 4
Army - 3
Auburn - 3
Florida - 3
Florida State - 3
- LSU - 3
Michigan - 3
Nebraska -3
Georgia - 2
Miami (FL) - 2
Navy - 2
Texas - 2
Texas A&M - 2
Wisconsin - 2
Yale - 2
Baylor - 1
BYU - 1
Boston College - 1
Colorado - 1
Chicago - 1
Houston - 1
Iowa - 1
Louisville - 1
Minnesota - 1
Oklahoma State - 1
Oregon - 1
Oregon State - 1
Penn State - 1
Pittsburgh - 1
Princeton - 1
South Carolina - 1
SMU - 1
Stanford - 1
Syracuse - 1
TCU - 1
UCLA - 1
How many Heisman Trophy winners have come from USC?
The Heisman Trophy has been won by eight athletes from the University of Southern California (USC).
Who won the 2024 Heisman Trophy?
Travis Hunter was the winner of the 2024 Heisman Trophy.
READ MORE: Heisman Trophy Finalists Year by Year
FAQs on Heisman Trophies
A. The Heisman Trophy is awarded annually to the top college football player who displays exceptional ability, dedication, and hard work.
A. USC has more Heisman winners than any other program. There are eight Heisman winners from USC.
A. Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars won the 2024 Heisman Trophy.
A. Eight Heisman Trophy winners have come from USC.
