Discover which FBS schools have produced a player with a top 4 finish in the Heisman
voting, but have yet to had a winner hoist the “Stiff-armed” Trophy.
Across the nation, colleges are building statues honoring their Heisman Winners, however these universities can only
hope for the day that one of their players proudly hoists college football’s top individual award.
The Heisman Trophy has been presented every year since 1935 Listed below are colleges without a Heisman winner that have produced candidates that finished in the top four of the voting. Players are sorted by school and their placement in the voting.
Deshaun Watson’s 2nd place Heisman finish (2016) and 3rd place (2015) finish added Clemson to the list of schools that have come so close to producing their first Heisman Trophy winner.
| College | 2nd Place | 3rd Place | 4th Place |
| Arkansas | 2006: Darren McFadden 2007: Darren McFadden | ||
| Arizona State | 1996: Jake Plummer | ||
| Boise State | 2010: Kellen Moore | ||
| California | 1948: Jackie Jensen 1954: Paul Larson | ||
| Clemson | 2016: Deshaun Watson | 2015: Deshaun Watson | |
| Georgia Tech | 1963: Billy Lothridge 1999: Joe Hamilton | 1942: Clint Castleberry | |
| Hawaii | 2007: Colt Brennan | ||
| Illinois | 1964: Dick Butkus 1965: Jim Grabowski | 1959: Bill Burrell | |
| Indiana | 1989: Anthony Thompson | ||
| Iowa State | 1996: Troy Davis | ||
| Kansas | 1973: David Jaynes | ||
| Kansas State | 1998: Michael Bishop | ||
| Kentucky | 1951: Babe Parelli | 1950: Babe Parelli 1957: Lou Michaels 1998: Tim Couch | |
| Marshall | 1997: Randy Moss | ||
| Maryland | 1952: Jack Scarbath | 1953: Bernie Faloney | |
| Michigan State | 1957: Walt Kowalczyk 1963: Sherman Lewis | 1955: Earl Morrall 1985: Lorenzo White 1987: Lorenzo White | |
| Missouri | 1939: Paul Christman 2007: Chase Daniel | ||
| North Carolina | 1948: Charlie Justice | ||
| Northwestern | 1943: Otto Graham | 1995: Darnell Autry | |
| Ole Miss | 1960: Jake Gibbs 1970: Archie Manning 2003: Eli Manning | 1947: Charley Connerly 1969: Archie Manning | |
| Purdue | 1966: Bob Griese 1968 Leyroy Keys 1969: Mike Phipps | 2000: Drew Brees | 1980: Mark Herrmann 1999: Drew Brees |
| San Diego St. | 1992: Marshall Faulk | 1993: Marshall Faulk | |
| Temple | 1986: Paul Palmer | ||
| Tennessee | 1951: Hank Lauricella 1956: Johnny Majors 1993: Heath Shuler 1997: Peyton Manning | 1939: George Cafego | |
| Texas Tech | 1965: Donnie Anderson 2008: Graham Harrell | ||
| Tulsa | 1964: Jerry Rhome 1965: Howard Twilley | ||
| Utah | 2004: Alex Smith | ||
| Virginia | 1990: Shawn Moore | ||
| Virginia Tech | 1999: Michael Vick | ||
| Washington | 1991: Steve Emtman | ||
| Washington St. | 1997: Ryan Leaf | ||
| West Virginia | 1989: Major Harris | 2006: Steve Slaton |