Heisman Trophy Trivia: test yourself on the history of this award and USC’s place within it
Let’s have some fun. The bowl games are starting in several days (Friday, Dec. 16), and Christmas is coming up. The Cotton Bowl is still three weeks away. We’ll dive deeper into the game against Tulane after Christmas Day. USC-Auburn basketball is on Dec. 18, still a full week away. We’ll have more on that game as the weekend approaches.
Right now, we’re tracking transfers at USC and in the Pac-12. The early signing period for recruiting is coming up, and that’s a big story. In terms of actual football games being played, there isn’t a ton of action at the moment, so you need something to satisfy your football fix. How about the Heisman Trophy, which was won by USC’s Caleb Williams on Saturday night in New York?
Test yourself at Heisman Trophy trivia. We’ll provide the answers to these questions at the bottom of the article:
NAME THE 5 SERVICE-ACADEMY HEISMAN TROPHY WINNERS
From 1945 through 1963, the academies produced these five Heisman winners.
THE ONLY MAN TO WIN THE HEISMAN AS A PLAYER AND THEN COACH A HEISMAN WINNER
Hint: The player’s victory and his coaching feat occurred exactly 30 years apart at the same school.
THE PLAYER COACHED BY THE ANSWER TO QUESTION 2
He battled Arizona State quarterback Jake Plummer for the Heisman Trophy.
WHICH SCHOOL HAS MORE HEISMANS: UCLA OR YALE?
Hint: The 1930s made the difference here.
HOW MANY HEISMAN WINNERS DID BEAR BRYANT COACH?
You might be surprised.
HOW MANY HEISMAN WINNERS DID BEAR BRYANT COACH SPECIFICALLY AT ALABAMA IN TWO DECADES?
You might be very surprised.
BEFORE USC'S FIRST HEISMAN IN 1965, WHICH HEISMAN WINNER CAME FROM A CURRENT PAC-12 MEMBER SCHOOL?
Hint: Not Colorado or Utah.
DOES TENNESSEE HAVE A HEISMAN WINNER?
Surely the Vols have had a Heisman champion, right?
WHO WERE THE TENNESSEE RUNNERS-UP IN THE 1956 AND 1997 HEISMAN VOTES?
You know the second one, but what about the first one?
USC'S FIRST 7 HEISMAN WINNERS CAME IN PAIRS OR GROUPS SEPARATED BY A MAXIMUM OF HOW MANY YEARS?
It’s a fascinating part of USC’s Heisman history from 1965-2005.
HOW MANY HEISMANS DID PAC-12 SCHOOLS WIN IN THE 20 SEASONS FROM 1962 THROUGH 1981?
Some non-USC players are involved here.
HOW MANY HEISMANS DID LOS ANGELES WIN FROM 1965 THROUGH 1968?
Hint: This was more than just USC.
USC IS 1 OF 6 SCHOOLS TO GO BACK TO BACK AS A HEISMAN WINNER -- NAME THE OTHER FIVE SCHOOLS
This ranges from 1936, the Heisman’s second year, through 2021.
USC RUNNING BACKS WERE HEISMAN RUNNERS-UP 3 TIMES FROM 1967 THROUGH 1976 -- NAME THEM
Longtime USC fans should know these answers.
THE CAL RUNNING BACK WHO WAS THE 1975 RUNNER-UP TO OHIO STATE'S ARCHIE GRIFFIN
He had a great NFL career with the San Diego Chargers.
THE TWO SCHOOLS WITH THE MOST HEISMAN RUNNERS-UP
They both wear red.
THE 4 MEN WHO HAVE BEEN HEISMAN RUNNERS-UP TWICE
One is from the service academies. One is from the Pac-12.
USC WON HEISMANS IN 1979 AND 1981 -- WHICH SCHOOL WON IN 1980?
Georgia won the national title in 1980, but another Southern school won the Heisman this year.
THIS SCHOOL PRODUCED 3 HEISMAN RUNNERS-UP FROM 1966 THROUGH 1969
I had to look up this one. This is crazy.
GLENN DAVIS IS THE ONLY HEISMAN WINNER TO DO WHAT?
The answer can be found in a question asked earlier in this quiz.
ANSWERS
Doc Blanchard, Glenn Davis, Pete Dawkins, Joe Bellino, Roger Staubach.
Steve Spurrier
Danny Wuerffel
Yale, 2-1
One
Zero
Terry Baker, Oregon State, 1962
No
Johnny Majors and Peyton Manning
Three years: Mike Garrett 1965 and O.J. Simpson in 1968; Charles White and Marcus Allen were two years apart in 1979 and 1981; Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, and Reggie Bush were three years apart from 2002 to 2005.
Seven — Baker in 1962, Garrett in 1965, Gary Beban of UCLA in 1967, O.J. in 1968, Jim Plunkett of Stanford in 1970, Charles White in 1979, Marcus Allen in 1981
Three — Garrett, Beban, and O.J.
Yale, Army, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Alabama
O.J. Simpson, Anthony Davis, Ricky Bell
Chuck Muncie
Stanford and Oklahoma, 6 each
Glenn Davis of Army, Charlie Justice of North Carolina, Darren McFadden of Arkansas, Andrew Luck of Stanford
South Carolina, with George Rogers
Purdue
Finish as the Heisman runner-up twice and then win the trophy in a subsequent season (1944-1946)
