Archie Griffin, 1974-75

Top 10 Heisman Trophy Winners

Mark Ingram became Alabama's first Heisman Trophy winner Saturday night, Dec. 12, snagging one of sport's most coveted pieces of hardware — the first for the school's storied football program. Ingram, who hails from Flint, Mich., claimed the 75th prize in a tightly contested race, edging out Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, Nebraska defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh and quarterbacks Tim Tebow of Florida — the 2007 Heisman winner — and Colt McCoy of Texas. Here's a look at TIME's top 10 Heisman winners.

December 12, 2008 | +

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The only two-time winner in Heisman history, Griffin is still an idol in the Buckeye State. The late Ohio State coach Woody Hayes said of Griffin, “He’s a better young man than he is a football player, and he’s the best football player I’ve ever seen.” Griffin ran for more than 4,000 yards in his Ohio State career, and more important, the Buckeyes finished 3-0-1 against archrival Michigan with Griffin in the backfield. Ohio was euphoric when the Cincinnati Bengals drafted Griffin, but he never quite lived up to expectations during his seven nondescript NFL seasons. — Sean Gregory