Ohio State has won the Heisman Trophy seven times, tied for second most of any program, and one of its winners holds a record nobody has matched in 91 years of the award. Archie Griffin won it twice.
| Year | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Les Horvath | Quarterback, halfback |
| 1950 | Vic Janowicz | Halfback |
| 1955 | Howard Cassady | Halfback |
| 1974 | Archie Griffin | Running back |
| 1975 | Archie Griffin | Running back |
| 1995 | Eddie George | Running back |
| 2006 | Troy Smith | Quarterback |
Archie Griffin, 1974 and 1975
Griffin is the only player to win the Heisman twice, and it has now been more than 50 years since his second. He started four Rose Bowls, still the only player to do so, and ran for 100 yards in 31 consecutive regular season games, a record that stood for decades.
The two time win has been threatened only rarely. A handful of winners have returned for another season and finished in the top five, but none has repeated. Griffin’s record is close to the safest in the sport.
The Early Winners
Les Horvath won in 1944 while attending dental school, having returned to play a final season under a wartime eligibility rule. He led Ohio State to an unbeaten season and a share of the national title that the school does not claim.
Vic Janowicz won in 1950 as a junior, one of the few underclassmen to take the award in its first decades. He was a single wing tailback who also kicked and punted, and his season is remembered for a 21 point performance against Iowa that included a punt return touchdown, two rushing scores and ten extra points.
Howard Cassady, known as Hopalong, won in 1955 the year after Ohio State’s 1954 national championship. He was named Associated Press Athlete of the Year and went on to play for the Detroit Lions.
Eddie George, 1995
George ran for 1,927 yards and 24 touchdowns, including a 314 yard game against Illinois that remains the program’s single game record. He won the award over Tommie Frazier of Nebraska and went on to a Pro Bowl career with the Tennessee Titans.
Troy Smith, 2006
Smith won by one of the largest margins in Heisman history, collecting 801 of 924 first place votes after throwing for 30 touchdowns against six interceptions and leading Ohio State to an unbeaten regular season. The season ended with a 41 to 14 loss to Florida in the BCS championship game, which is the outcome most people remember instead.
He is the most recent Ohio State winner. The drought since is now approaching two decades, the longest in the program’s history since Horvath’s first.
The Ones Who Came Close
Ohio State has produced a long list of Heisman finalists who did not win. Quarterback Justin Fields finished third in 2019, C.J. Stroud was fourth in 2021 and third in 2022, and Julian Sayin was a finalist in 2025. Running back Ezekiel Elliott, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. and defensive end Chase Young all received serious consideration in their final seasons.
The 2025 finalist result was particularly close to home. Fernando Mendoza of Indiana won the award after beating Ohio State 13 to 10 in the Big Ten championship game. Our Heisman winners by year page has every recipient since 1995.
Ohio State Against the Field
USC leads all programs with eight Heisman winners. Ohio State, Notre Dame and Oklahoma follow with seven each. Michigan, by comparison, has three. Our Michigan Heisman winners page covers the rivalry’s other side.
The Bottom Line
Ohio State has won seven Heisman Trophies with six players: Les Horvath, Vic Janowicz, Howard Cassady, Archie Griffin twice, Eddie George and Troy Smith. Griffin remains the only two time winner in the award’s history. Troy Smith in 2006 is the most recent, and the wait since has become the longest in program history.