AP College Football Player of the Year

Last updated
AP College Football Player of the Year
Awarded forThe most outstanding collegiate football player
Country United States
Presented by Associated Press
History
First award 1998
Most recent Travis Hunter, Colorado

The AP College Football Player of the Year award has been awarded annually since 1998 to the most outstanding collegiate football player in the country. The winner is chosen by a vote of Associated Press (AP) sportswriters and editors. Since 2004, the award winner has gone on to win the Heisman Trophy during the same voting cycle in every year except 2009 (Ndamukong Suh) and 2015 (Christian McCaffrey).

Contents

Winners

SeasonPlayerPositionSchoolRef
1998 Ricky Williams RB Texas [1]
1999 Ron Dayne RB Wisconsin [2]
2000 Josh Heupel QB Oklahoma [3]
2001 Rex Grossman QB Florida [4]
2002 Brad Banks QB Iowa [5]
2003 Jason White QB Oklahoma [6]
2004 Matt Leinart QB USC [7]
2005 Reggie Bush RB USC [8]
2006 Troy Smith QB Ohio State [9]
2007 Tim Tebow QB Florida [10]
2008 Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma [11]
2009 Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska [12]
2010 Cam Newton QB Auburn [13]
2011 Robert Griffin III QB Baylor [14]
2012 Johnny Manziel QB Texas A&M [15]
2013 Jameis Winston QB Florida State [16]
2014 Marcus Mariota QB Oregon [17]
2015 Christian McCaffrey RB Stanford [18]
2016 Lamar Jackson QB Louisville [19]
2017 Baker Mayfield QB Oklahoma [20]
2018 Kyler Murray QB Oklahoma [21]
2019 Joe Burrow QB LSU [22]
2020 DeVonta Smith WR Alabama [23]
2021 Bryce Young QB Alabama [24]
2022 Caleb Williams QB USC [25]
2023 Jayden Daniels QB LSU [26]
2024 Travis Hunter WR/CB Colorado [27]

Winners by school

SchoolTrophies won
Oklahoma 5
USC 3
Alabama 2
Florida
LSU
Auburn 1
Baylor
Colorado
Florida State
Iowa
Louisville
Nebraska
Ohio State
Oregon
Stanford
Texas
Texas A&M
Wisconsin

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heisman Trophy</span> Annual award for the outstanding college football player

The Heisman Memorial Trophy is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in college football and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust in early December. The most recent winner is former LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels.

The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best all-around in the United States. The award is named after Robert "Tiny" Maxwell, a Swarthmore College football player, coach, and sportswriter. Johnny Lattner and Tim Tebow are the only players to have won the award twice. Since 2014, the Maxwell Award winner has gone on to win the Heisman Trophy during the same voting cycle in every year except 2018 and 2023. It is the college equivalent of the Bert Bell Award of the National Football League, also given out by the Maxwell Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Leinart</span> American football player (born 1983)

Matthew Stephen Leinart is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for seven seasons. He played college football for the USC Trojans, where he won the Heisman Trophy and led his team to an undefeated season as a junior. Selected tenth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2006 NFL draft, Leinart primarily served as Kurt Warner's backup for four seasons. He spent his final three seasons in a backup role for the Houston Texans and the Oakland Raiders. Leinart was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Heupel</span> American football player

Joshua Kenneth Heupel is an American college football coach and former player who is the head football coach at the University of Tennessee. Previously he was head coach at the University of Central Florida, where he compiled a 28–8 record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma Sooners football</span> Football team of the University of Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners football team represents the University of Oklahoma (OU) in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The program began in 1895 and is one of the most successful in history, having won 949 games and possessing a .725 winning percentage, both sixth all-time. Oklahoma has appeared in the AP poll 905 times, including 101 No. 1 rankings, both third all-time. The program claims seven national championships, 50 conference championships, 167 first-team All-Americans, and seven Heisman Trophy winners. The school has had 29 former players and coaches inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and holds the record for the longest winning streak in Division I history with 47 straight victories. Oklahoma is also the only program with which four coaches have won more than 100 games each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama Crimson Tide football</span> University of Alabama Football Team

The Alabama Crimson Tide football program represents the University of Alabama in the sport of American football. The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The team is currently led by Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide is among the most storied and decorated football programs in NCAA history. Since beginning play in 1892, the program claims 18 national championships, including 13 wire-service national titles in the poll-era, and five other titles before the poll-era. From 1958 to 1982, the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, who won six national titles with the program. Alabama then had a dominant run under head coach Nick Saban between 2007 and 2023, resulting in six further national titles. The team's rallying cry is "Roll Tide!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1959 college football season</span> American college football season

The 1959 college football season was the 91st season of intercollegiate football in the United States. It concluded with two teams having claim to the major college national championship:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1958 college football season</span> American college football season

The 1958 college football season was the 90th season of intercollegiate football in the United States. It concluded with two teams having claim to the major college national championship:

The Sporting News College Football Player of the Year award is given to the player of the year in college football as adjudged by Sporting News.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Tebow</span> American football and baseball player (born 1987)

Timothy Richard Tebow is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons, primarily with the Denver Broncos. Tebow played college football for the Florida Gators, where he became the first underclassman to win the Heisman Trophy and helped lead the team to two BCS National Championship titles in 2006 and 2008. At the conclusion of his collegiate career, he held the Southeastern Conference's records for career passing efficiency and rushing touchdowns. He was selected by the Broncos in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the highest level of college football competition in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ndamukong Suh</span> American football player (born 1987)

Ndamukong Ngwa Suh is a former American professional football defensive tackle. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, where he earned All-American honors, and was selected by the Detroit Lions second overall in the 2010 NFL draft. He also played for the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles. He has played in three Super Bowls: Super Bowl LIII with the Rams, Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers, and Super Bowl LVII with the Eagles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baker Mayfield</span> American football player (born 1995)

Baker Reagan Mayfield is an American professional football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). After beginning his college football career with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, Mayfield played for the Oklahoma Sooners, where he was the first walk-on player to win the Heisman Trophy in 2017. He was selected first overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 149th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The regular season began on August 25, 2018, and ended on December 8, 2018. The postseason began on December 15, and aside from any all-star games that were scheduled, concluded on January 7, 2019, with the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The Clemson Tigers won the title game over the Alabama Crimson Tide, the school's third national title and second in three years, and also becoming the first team since the 1897 Penn Quakers to have a perfect 15-0 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Burrow</span> American football player (born 1996)

Joseph Lee Burrow is an American professional football quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). After beginning his college football career with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Burrow played for the LSU Tigers, winning the Heisman Trophy and the College Football Playoff National Championship as a senior. He was selected by the Bengals first overall in the 2020 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 150th season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The regular season began on August 24, 2019, and ended on December 14, 2019. The postseason concluded on January 13, 2020, with the 2020 College Football Playoff National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. The LSU Tigers defeated the defending champion Clemson Tigers by a score of 42–25 to claim their first national championship in the College Football Playoff (CFP) era, and fourth overall. It was the sixth season of the College Football Playoff (CFP) system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jayden Daniels</span> American football player (born 2000)

Jayden Daniels is an American professional football quarterback for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played three seasons of college football for the Arizona State Sun Devils and two with the LSU Tigers, winning the 2023 Heisman Trophy with the latter after leading the FBS in total yards and setting its single-season passer rating record. Daniels was selected by the Commanders second overall in the 2024 NFL draft, with the season seeing him set the rookie single-game completion percentage record as well as a game-winning Hail Mary pass as time expired in a play known as the Madhouse in Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Penix Jr.</span> American football player (born 2000)

Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. is an American professional football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). After three seasons of college football with the Indiana Hoosiers that were limited by injury, Penix had a breakout year with the Washington Huskies in 2022 when he led the FBS in yards per game and set the school season record for passing yards. The following year, he won the Maxwell Award after leading the NCAA in passing yards en route to an appearance in the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship. Penix was selected by the Falcons eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season</span> American college football season

The 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season was the 152nd season of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at its highest level of competition, the Football Bowl Subdivision. The regular season began on August 28, 2021, and ended on December 11, 2021. The postseason began on December 17, with the main games ending on January 10, 2022, with the College Football Playoff National Championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and the all-star portion of the post-season concluding with the inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl on February 19, 2022. It was the eighth season of the College Football Playoff (CFP) system. It was the first time since 2016 that no major team finished the season undefeated as the Cincinnati Bearcats, the season's last undefeated team, were defeated in the 2021 Cotton Bowl Classic. The season's Heisman Trophy winner was Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Bryce Young.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hendon Hooker</span> American football player (born 1998)

Alan Hendon Hooker is an American professional football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies and Tennessee Volunteers, where he was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. Hooker was drafted by the Lions in the third round of the 2023 NFL draft.

References

  1. "Texas' Williams selected AP's player of year". Deseret News. 1998-12-08. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  2. "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Dayne runs away with AP's top award". products.kitsapsun.com. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  3. "Heupel Named AP College Player-of-the-Year". University of Oklahoma. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  4. "Grossman: AP Player of the Year". Tulsa World . December 6, 2001. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  5. "Iowa's Banks wins AP Player of Year honors". ESPN . December 9, 2002. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  6. "White Takes Ap Player Of The Year". Orlando Sentinel . December 11, 2003. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  7. "Leinart adds AP top honor to Heisman". Deseret News . December 24, 2004. Archived from the original on January 9, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  8. "Thrilling Bush is AP Player of the Year". USA Today . December 19, 2005. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  9. "Buckeyes' Smith named AP Player of the Year". ESPN. December 19, 2006. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  10. "Florida QB Tim Tebow wins AP Player of the year". USA Today . December 18, 2007. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  11. "Oklahoma's Bradford named AP Player of the Year". USA Today . December 23, 2008. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  12. "Nebraska's Suh is first defender selected as AP player of year". USA Today . December 22, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  13. "Newton named AP Player of the Year". NCAA. December 22, 2010. Archived from the original on January 9, 2017. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  14. "Baylor's Griffin is AP player of the year". 21 December 2011.
  15. Wells, Adam. "Johnny Manziel First Freshman to Win AP Player of the Year". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  16. "Seminoles QB Winston named AP player of the year". Associated Press. December 24, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  17. "Oregon's Marcus Mariota is AP player of year". Associated Press. December 23, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  18. "Stanford RB Christian McCaffrey wins AP player of the year". Associated Press. December 22, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  19. "Lamar Jackson voted AP college football Player of the Year". Associated Press. December 14, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2017.
  20. "Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield named AP Player of the Year". ESPN.com . December 7, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
  21. "Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray is named the AP Player of the Year". Associated Press. December 6, 2018. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  22. "AP Player of the Year: QB Joe Burrow, first winner from LSU". Associated Press. December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  23. "Tide's DeVonta Smith the 1st WR to win AP Player of the Year". AP NEWS. 2020-12-29. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  24. "QB Bryce Young of Alabama voted AP Player of the Year". AP NEWS. 2021-12-09. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  25. "USC QB Caleb Williams voted AP Player of the Year". AP NEWS. 2022-12-08. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
  26. Martel, Brett. "Daniels Wins LSU's Second 'AP Player of the Year' Award". LSU Sports. Associated Press . Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  27. "Travis Hunter, the 2-way standout for Colorado, is the AP college football player of the year".