Awarded annually to college football’s most outstanding player, the Heisman Trophy is the highest honor bestowed to American amateur athletes. Begun in 1935, the Trophy winner is chosen by a panel of former winners, media representatives and coaches.

Notre Dame, Ohio State and Southern California are tied for the most winners with seven apiece, although technically USC has but six after 2005 winner Reggie Bush was stripped of the honor due to violation of NCAA policies. Notre Dame’s winners are: Angelo Bertelli, Johnny Lujack, Leon Hart, Johnny Lattner, Paul Hornung, John Huarte and Tim Brown. Ohio State winners are: Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, Howard Cassady, Archie Griffin (the only two-time winner), Eddie George and Troy Smith. Southern Cal’s winners (excepting Bush), are Mike Garrett, O.J. Simpson, Charles White, Marcus Allen, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.

The Big Ten has the most winners for a conference with 14, followed by the PAC-10 and SEC tied with 10 apiece. Tim Tebow of Florida was the first sophomore winner (2007), but the next two winners (Sam Bradford, Mark Ingram) were also sophomores. Charles Woodson, the 1997 winner from Michigan, remains the first and (to date) only primarily defensive player to win the Heisman. O.J. Simpson (1968) was the award’s biggest winner in terms of margin, while Ingram’s (2009) margin over Toby Gerhart of Stanford was the narrowest.Related Article : STANFORD FOOTBALL / Trophy-hunting season on Farm / Cardinal QB Luck is the 1st of his kind:a preseason Heisman favorite from Bay Area