By Chris Huston 9.1.15

Heisman Opener History

Heisman Opener History

The 2015 college football season gets underway on Thursday and so does the quest for the Heisman Trophy.

When the first weekend of games are over, there will be lots of buzz about the great individual performances that took place. Maybe some talk of this player or that helping or hurting himself in his race for the most prestigious trophy in sports.

But we all know it will be too early for all of that (right?) so let’s break out the history so we can have a little bit of perspective when Monday comes.

Here are all the pertinent facts and figures you need to know about how past Heisman winners have performed in season openers.

Come back after the weekend and ask: How did my favorite Heisman candidate stack up?

Wins, Losses, Ties & Rankings

Heisman winners who did not win the opening game
DatePlayerOpponentScore
9/8/12Johnny ManzielFloridaL 17-20
9/22/56Paul Hornungat SMUL 13-19
9/17/65Mike GarrettMinnesotaT 20-20
9/27/52Billy Vesselsat ColoradoT 21-21
9/30/50Vic JanowiczSMUL 27-32
9/28/35Jay Berwangerat NebraskaL 7-28
Heisman winners vs. ranked teams in openers*
DatePlayerOpponentScore
9/8/12Johnny Manziel#23 FloridaL 17-20
9/2/11Robert Griffin III#14 TCUW 50-48
9/5/09Mark Ingram#9 Virginia Tech+W 34-24
9/13/97Charles Woodson#8 ColoradoW 27-3
9/27/95Eddie George#23 Boston CollegeW 38-6
9/5/92Gino Torrettaat #16 IowaW 24-7
9/12/87Tim Brownat #7 MichiganW 26-7
8/29/83Mike Rozier#4 Penn State+W 44-6
9/6/82Herschel Walker#11 ClemsonW 13-7
9/11/76Tony Dorsettat #11 Notre DameW 31-10
9/13/75Archie Griffinat #12 Michigan St.W 21-0
9/12/70Jim Plunkettat #4 ArkansasW 34-28
9/21/68O.J. Simpsonat #15 MinnesotaW 29-20
9/16/67Gary Beban#9 TennesseeW 20-16
9/26/53John Lattnerat #6 OklahomaW 28-21
9/30/50Vic Janowicz#10 SMUL 27-32

* – AP ranking at time of contest
+ – Neutral site
Note – From 1961-67, preseason AP polls featured just a top 10.
Note – Prior to 1948, the first AP poll came out within the first two weeks of October.

Individual Statistics in Openers

Most Passing Yards
DatePlayerOpponentYards
9/5/92Gino Torrettaat Iowa433
9/2/89Andre Wareat UNLV390
9/1/90Ty Detmerat UTEP387
9/2/11Robert Griffin IIITCU359
9/2/13Jameis Winstonat Pittsburgh356
9/1/84Doug FlutieWest Carolina330
8/26/00Chris WeinkeBYU318
9/2/02Carson PalmerAuburn302
9/1/07Tim TebowW. Kentucky300
9/2/06Troy SmithN. Illinois297
Highest Passer Rating (min. 10 att)
DatePlayerOpponentRating
9/1/07Tim TebowWKU282.94
9/2/13Jameis Winstonat Pittsburgh252.23
9/2/11Robert Griffin IIITCU250.58
9/4/10Cam NewtonArkansas St.246.61
8/30/14Marcus MariotaSouth Dakota231.64
9/2/06Troy SmithW. Kentucky211.39
9/17/66Steve SpurrierNorthwestern197.25
9/18/71Pat SullivanChattanooga191.80
9/1/84Doug FlutieWest Carolina191.37
8/28/04Matt LeinartVirginia Tech178.44
Highest Completion Percentage (min. 10 att)
DatePlayerOpponentRating
9/2/12Jameis Winstonat Pittsburgh92.5% (25 of 27)
9/18/71Pat SullivanChattanooga81.2% (13 of 16)
9/2/11Robert Griffin IIITCU77.8% (21 of 27)
8/30/08Sam BradfordChattanooga77.3% (17 of 22)
9/8/12Johnny ManzielFlorida76.7% (23 of 30)
9/1/07Tim TebowW. Kentucky76.4% (13 of 17)
9/2/06Troy SmithN. Illinois72.0% (18 of 25)
9/2/02Carson PalmerAuburn71.9% (23 of 32)
9/1/90Ty Detmerat UTEP71.7% (33 of 46)
9/1/84Doug FlutieWest Carolina70.9% (22 of 31)
Most Touchdown Passes
DatePlayerOpponentTDs
9/2/11Robert Griffin IIITCU5
9/2/89Andre Wareat UNLV5
9/1/84Doug FlutieWest Carolina4
9/2/12Jameis Winstonat Pittsburgh4
Most Rushing Yards
DatePlayerOpponentYards
9/17/85Bo JacksonULL290
9/21/68O.J. SimpsonMinnesota236
9/5/98Ricky WilliamsNew Mexico St.215
9/12/81Marcus AllenTennessee210
9/20/69Steve Owensat Wisconsin189
9/3/94Rashaan SalaamNE Louisiana184
9/11/76Tony Dorsettat Notre Dame181
9/10/88Barry SandersMiami (OH)178
9/4/10Cam NewtonArkansas St.171
9/24/55Howard CassadyNebraska170
Highest Per Carry Average (min. 10 att)
DatePlayerOpponentAvg.
9/17/85Bo JacksonULL12.60
9/6/80George RogersPacific11.76
9/4/10Cam NewtonArkansas St.11.40
9/30/44Les HorvathMissouri11.00
9/10/88Barry SandersMiami (OH)9.88
9/12/81Marcus AllenTennessee9.55
9/11/76Tony Dorsettat Notre Dame8.22
9/24/55Howard CassadyNebraska8.09
9/3/94Rashaan SalaamNE Louisiana7.66
9/4/99Ron DayneMurray State6.75

Most Touchdowns Rushing

DatePlayerOpponentTDs
9/5/98Ricky WilliamsNew Mexico St.6
9/12/81Marcus AllenTennessee4
9/7/85Bo JacksonULL4
9/20/69Steve Owensat Wisconsin4
9/21/68O.J. SimpsonMinnesota4

Most Touchdowns Running & Passing

DatePlayerOpponentTotal TDs
9/22/62Terry BakerIowa State6 (3 rush, 3 pass)
9/2/89Andre Wareat UNLV6 (5 pass, 1 rush)
9/5/98Ricky WilliamsNew Mexico St.6 (6 rush, 0 pass)
9/1/84Robert Griffin IIITCU5 (5 pass, 0 rush)
9/4/10Cam NewtonArkansas St.5 (3 rush, 2 pass)
9/2/12Jameis Winstonat Pittsburgh5 (4 pass, 1 rush)
Most Receptions
DatePlayerOpponentReceptions
9/7/91Desmond Howardat Boston College7
9/21/68O.J. SimpsonMinnesota6
All-Purpose Yards
DatePlayerOpponentYards
9/10/88Barry SandersMiami (OH)321
9/21/68O.J. SimpsonMinnesota293
9/17/85Bo JacksonULL290
9/12/81Marcus AllenTennessee231
9/3/94Rashaan SalaamNE Louisiana224
Total Offense
DatePlayerOpponentYards
9/5/92Gino Torrettaat Iowa451
9/2/11Robert Griffin IIITCU397
9/2/89Andre Wareat UNLV396
9/1/90Ty Detmerat UTEP384
9/2/12Jameis Winstonat Pittsburgh381

Other Records of Note
Most Completions — 33, Ty Detmer, at UTEP, 9/1/90

Most Attempts — 51, Gino Torretta, at Iowa, 9/5/92

Most Passes Intercepted — 3, Jim Plunkett, at Arkansas, 9/12/70

Threw no touchdown passes — Johnny Manziel vs. Florida, 9/8/12; Eric Crouch vs. TCU, 8/25/01; Charlie Ward, vs. Kansas, 8/28/93; Gary Beban vs. Tennesse, 9/16/67.

Fewest passing yards by a quarterback (min. 10 attempts) — 107, Gary Beban vs. Tennessee, 9/13/67 (9 of 20 passing).

Most rushing attempts — 40, Steve Owens at Wisconsin, 9/20/69.

Fewest Rushing Yards by a running back (min. 10 carries) — 20, Herschel Walker vs. Clemson, 9/6/82 (20 yards on 11 carries).

No rushing touchdowns by a running back — Mike Rozier vs. Penn State, 8/29/83; Herschel Walker vs. Clemson, 9/6/82; Charles White at Texas Tech, 9/8/79; Frank Sinkwich at Kentucky, 9/19/42.

Kickoff returns for touchdowns — Barry Sanders, 100 yards vs. Miami (OH), 9/10/88; Desmond Howard, 93 yards at Boston College, 9/7/91.

Interceptions — Charles Woodson vs. Colorado, 9/13/97;  Davey O’Brien vs. Centenary, 9/24/38

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