Dec 13, 2024 - News
Ohio is a Heisman Trophy hub
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The Buckeyes may not be part of this weekend's Heisman festivities, but here's something to celebrate.
💪 Fun fact: Ohio is the birthplace of nine Heisman Trophy winners out of 88 total.
- We're tied with Texas. Just one state, California, can claim more (15).
Zoom in: Three were born in Columbus, including the only player to take home the trophy twice — Ohio State legend Archie Griffin (1974 and 1975).
- The other local natives are Howard Cassady (1955) and Troy Smith (2006), also Buckeyes.
- A fourth OSU winner, Vic Janowicz (1950), grew up in Elyria.
The other Ohioans: Larry Kelley (1936, Conneaut), Dick Kazmaier (1951, Maumee), Roger Staubach (1963, Cincinnati), Desmond Howard (1991, Cleveland), and Charles Woodson (1997, Fremont).
Between the lines: Our total doesn't include Batmobile enthusiast Joe Burrow, who won the Heisman in 2019 while playing for LSU.
- Though he made a name for himself while playing high school ball in Athens County, he was born in Iowa.
- Ohio also can't claim 1942 winner Frank Sinkwich, who grew up in Youngstown, because he was born in Croatia.