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Ohio State football is coming up on 20 seasons since its last Heisman Trophy winner, but the Buckeyes have two Heisman Trophy contenders in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in 2025.

Through Week 12 of the college football season, oddsmakers have Sayin second in the Heisman Trophy odds to Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Buckeyes are running a Heisman campaign for Smith as well, but Smith did not play in the second half of the Nov. 15 game against UCLA due to an unspecified injury.

The Buckeyes boast six previous Heisman Trophy winners, seven individual Heisman Trophy wins with running back Archie Griffin’s back-to-back awards. Only USC has more Heisman winners with eight, including Reggie Bush. Ohio State, Oklahoma and Notre Dame each have seven. Quarterback Troy Smith in 2006 is the most recent Buckeye to earn the honor.

Read more about Ohio State football players who have won the Heisman Trophy below.

What Ohio State football players have won the Heisman Trophy?

Below is a complete list of Ohio State football players who have won the Heisman Trophy.

Troy Smith, quarterback, 2006

Smith won the Heisman Trophy in his final season with the Buckeyes. He led the FBS in completion percentage (65.3%), passing touchdowns (30) and passer rating (161.9) in the 2006 undefeated regular season.

Smith and the Buckeyes made it to the BCS national championship before losing to coach Urban Meyer’s Florida Gators 41-14. Smith won the Heisman vote with 801 first-place votes and by a significant margin over Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, who received only 45.

Eddie George, running back, 1995

Eddie George served as the lead running back for the Buckeyes for two seasons, but his 1995 senior season was on a different level. He racked up 1,826 rushing yards (6 yards per carry) with 24 total touchdowns, both figures leading Division IA (now the Football Bowl Subdivision).

His greatest performance came against Illinois when he ran for 314 yards, the second-most yards in a single game by a Buckeye, two rushing touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass.

Ohio State lost to Tennessee 20-14 in the Citrus Bowl at the end of George’s prolific season. He won a closely contested Heisman vote over quarterbacks Tommie Frazier (Nebraska) and Tommie Frazier (Florida) and was drafted 14th overall by the Houston Oilers a few months later.

Archie Griffin, running back, 1974 & 1975

Archie Griffin needs no introduction to Buckeye fans. He stands alone as the only player to win the Heisman Trophy multiple times. Griffin was college football’s leading rusher each season from his sophomore to senior year. Griffin won his Heisman Trophy votes by considerable margins, both by over 1,000 points. He beat out USC running back Anthony Davis in 1974 and Cal running back Chuck Muncie in 1975.

Howard Cassady, running back and defensive back, 1955

Howard “Hopalong” Cassady was a legendary Ohio State athlete and highly regarded for his character. He helped Woody Hayes win the national championship in 1954 and received 1,477 more votes than Heisman runner-up Jim Swink in 1955.

As if winning the Heisman and a BCS championship while playing two positions weren’t enough, he was taken third overall in the NFL draft by the Detroit Lions, with whom he won an NFL championship in 1957. Beyond football, he was a star shortstop for the Buckeyes. He joined the Yankees organization after his NFL career, where he was a scout, coach and instructor for decades.

Vic Janowicz, running back, 1950

Another dual-sport athlete, Vic Janowicz won the Heisman Trophy in 1950 during his junior season, a year before Hayes arrived to Columbus. Not only was Janowicz good in multiple sports, but on the football field, he was regarded as a good runner, passer, receiver, blocker, punter, kicker and safety.

Playing mostly defense during his sophomore season, he had a key interception in Ohio State’s first Rose Bowl win in 1949. In an 83-21 win over Iowa during his Heisman campaign, he scored two touchdowns, had four passing touchdowns, kicked 10 extra points and played safety.

After short careers in pro football and baseball, he came back to Columbus and worked as a sales executive in the steel industry.

Les Horvath, quarterback, 1944

Born in South Bend, Indiana, Les Horvath went to high school in Cleveland and played for Ohio State from 1940-42, then in 1944. He was ineligible to play in 1943 because he was in dental school and was reluctant to return for the 1944 season. He was convinced by Ohio State coach Caroll Widdoes to do so. That year, he ended up second in the nation in rushing and third in total offense, which resulted in a Heisman Trophy.

The Buckeyes’ first Heisman winner graduated from dental school in 1945 and served as a dental officer in the Navy until 1947. He played pro football for two years on the Rams and one year on the Browns. He practiced dentistry in the offseasons and after his playing career.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: See Ohio State football’s all-time Heisman Trophy winners

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