Auburn University

A three-time All-Southeastern Conference and two-time All-American selection, Jackson is the only Auburn running back to rush for more than 4,000 yards (4,303) in a career.

Heisman Winner

Bo Jackson

RB | Senior | Auburn University

Jackson, one of the great all-around athletes in college football history, won Auburn’s second Heisman in 1985, joining Pat Sullivan (’71).

Jackson, the eighth of ten children, was born and raised in Bessemer, Ala. The 6-2, 230-pounder attended McAdory High School in McCalla, where he attracted the interest of collegiate scouts from three sports: football, baseball, and track and field. In 1982, the New York Yankees drafted him out of high school, but Jackson rejected their contract offer and instead accepted a football scholarship from Auburn University.

He made an immediate impact for the Tigers, rushing for 829 yards and nine touchdowns as a 1982 true freshman. He followed that up with 1,213 yards and 12 touchdowns — while averaging almost eight yards per carry — as a sophomore in 1983 as the Tigers went 11-1 and finished third in the polls. Injuries limited him to 475 yards and five scores in 1984.

Jackson was slowed by injuries as a senior as well, but he still managed to rush for 1,786 yards and 17 touchdowns as Auburn finished 8-3 on the season. He was awarded the Heisman over Chuck Long of Iowa in what was, at the time, the closest vote in Heisman history.

A three-time All-Southeastern Conference and two-time All-American selection, Jackson is the only running back in Auburn history to rush for more than 4,000 yards (4,303) in a career. He also is Auburn’s second all-time leading scorer with 45 touchdowns. While dominating on the gridiron, Jackson also lettered in baseball and track. Jackson’s baseball prowess was demonstrated by a batting average of .401 during his junior season and a career average of .335.

Jackson was selected with the first overall pick of the 1986 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he opted to play baseball for the Kansas City Royals, the defending World Series champions, who had drafted him in the fourth round in the 1986 amateur draft. He played serveral seasons with the Royals, White Sox and Angels, while also returning to football to play for the Los Angeles Raiders.

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Heisman Voting Results

Number of electors: 1050 - Announced: December 7, 1985.

 PlayerClassPositionSchool1st2nd3rdTotal Points
1Bo JacksonSRRBAuburn3172181221509
2Chuck LongSRQBIowa286254981464
3Robbie Bosco*SRQBBYU3895155459
4Lorenzo WhiteSORBMichigan State5063115391
5Vinny TestaverdeJRQBMiami (Fla.)414144249
6Jim EverettSRQBPurdue12111977
7Napolean McCallumRS SRRBNavy8112672
8Allen PinkettSRRBNotre Dame9131871
9Joe DudekSRRBPlymouth State1241256
10Brian McClureSRQBBowling Green7101354
11Thurman ThomasSORBOklahoma State1132554

Three points are awarded for first place on a ballot, with two points for second place and one point for third place. Finalists in bold.

* - Invited but did not attend Heisman ceremony.

Heisman Voting By Region

Heisman voters are spread out across six regions, with roughly 145 per region.

South

 Player
1Bo Jackson
2Chuck Long
3Robbie Bosco
4Vinny Testaverde
5Lorenzo White

Northeast

 Player
1Chuck Long
2Bo Jackson
3Vinny Testaverde
4Lorenzo White
5Robbie Bosco

Mid-Atlantic

 Player
1Bo Jackson
2Chuck Long
3Robbie Bosco
4Vinny Testaverde
5Lorenzo White

Midwest

 Player
1Chuck Long
2Bo Jackson
3Lorenzo White
4Brian Bosworth
5Robbie Bosco

Southwest

 Player
1Bo Jackson
2Chuck Long
3Robbie Bosco
4Lorenzo White
5Thurman Thomas

Far West

 Player
1Chuck Long
2Bo Jackson
3Robbie Bosco
4Lorenzo White
5Vinny Testaverde

Statistics

Bo Jackson’s Heisman Year Statistics

DateOpponentResultAttYdsYPCTDRecYdsAvgTDPlaysAPYYPPTotal TDs
9/7/85Louisiana-LafayetteW 49-72329012.604000.0002229012.64
9/14/85Southern MississippiW 29-18302056.832000.000302056.82
9/28/85at #4 Tennessee*L 38-2017804.700000.00017804.70
10/5/85MississippiW 41-0382406.312000.000382406.32
10/12/85#15 Florida StateW 59-27301765.862000.000301765.92
10/19/85at #19 Georgia TechW 17-14322427.561000.000322427.61
10/26/85Mississippi StateW 21-9281696.032000.000281696.02
11/2/85#5 Florida**L 14-1016483.000000.00016483.00
11/9/85East CarolinaW 35-1014735.210000.00014735.20
11/16/85at GeorgiaW 24-10191216.36224824.000211698.02
11/30/85at #13 AlabamaL 23-25311424.58222512.500331675.12
Heisman StatsAP #158-327817866.421747318.25028218596.617
01/01/86+ #6 Texas A&ML 36-16311294.1612730.001332026.12
Totals8-4; unranked30919156.1918614624.30131520616.519

+ – Neutral Site
* — injured in 3rdquarter
** — injured in 2nd quarter

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