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College Football: 10 greatest players to never win the Heisman Trophy

By Dante Pryor

MADISON, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 09: Jonathan Taylor #23 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs with the football in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 09: Jonathan Taylor #23 of the Wisconsin Badgers runs with the football in the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Camp Randall Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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HIRAM, OH – JULY, 1961: (L to R) Runningbacks Jim Brown #32 and Ernie Davis #45, of the Cleveland Browns, poses together during training camp in July 1961 at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. Both Brown and Davis were runningbacks at Syracuse University and wore uniform number 44. (Photo by Henry Barr Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images)
HIRAM, OH – JULY, 1961: (L to R) Runningbacks Jim Brown #32 and Ernie Davis #45, of the Cleveland Browns, poses together during training camp in July 1961 at Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio. Both Brown and Davis were runningbacks at Syracuse University and wore uniform number 44. (Photo by Henry Barr Collection/Diamond Images/Getty Images) /

The 1956 Heisman Trophy was all about race. Jim Brown was the best player in college football that year. Not only did he not win the Heisman Trophy, but he also finished fifth.

Brown was third in the country in rushing yards in 1956. Paul Hornung — the winner — simply did not have the numbers. He threw three touchdowns to 13 interceptions in 1956. Johnny Majors out-rushed Hornung and threw only three interceptions.

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The Volunteers also finished 10-1 in 1956. Both Tommy McDonald and Jerry Tubbs were two of the best players on the best team in the country. McDonald also out-gained Hornung that season.

The controversy would not have seemed so egregious if one of the other top finishers won instead of Hornung.

McDonald — who almost made this list — is the norm when it comes to the Heisman Trophy. He was the best player on the best team in the country. That will usually get you a Heisman. If Brown finished second to either McDonald or Majors — the best players on the two best teams in college football in 1956 — that would have been logical.

The Orange finished 7-2 in 1956 and both McDonald and Majors had outstanding seasons. No matter what theory you ascribe to, Brown was snubbed by an inferior player. If you did not want to give it to him because he was black, fine; at least try to hide the prejudice and vote for a player that had better numbers and played on a better team.

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