# The Sporting News College Football Player of the Year

The Sporting News College Football Player of the Year award is given to the player of the year in college football as adjudged by The Sporting News (formerly known as Sporting News from 2002 to 2022).

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Position | School |
| 1942 | Frank Sinkwich | Halfback | Georgia |
| 1943 | Angelo Bertelli | Quarterback | Notre Dame |
| 1944 | Les Horvath | Halfback | Ohio State |
| 1945 | Doc Blanchard | Fullback | Army |
| 1946 | Glenn Davis | Halfback | Army (2) |
| 1947 | Johnny Lujack | Quarterback | Notre Dame (2) |
| 1948 | Doak Walker | Halfback | SMU |
| 1949 | Leon Hart | End | Notre Dame (3) |
| 1950 | Vic Janowicz | Halfback | Ohio State (2) |
| 1951 | Dick Kazmaier | Halfback | Princeton |
| 1952 | Billy Vessels | Halfback | Oklahoma |
| 1953 | Johnny Lattner | Halfback | Notre Dame (4) |
| 1954 | Howard Cassady | Halfback | Ohio State (3) |
| 1955 | Howard Cassady (2) | Halfback | Ohio State (4) |
| 1956 | Tommy McDonald | Halfback | Oklahoma (2) |
| 1957 | John David Crow | Halfback | Texas A&M |
| 1958 | Billy Cannon | Halfback | LSU |
| 1959 | Billy Cannon (2) | Halfback | LSU (2) |
| 1960 | Joe Bellino | Halfback | Navy |
| 1961 | Bob Ferguson | Fullback | Ohio State (5) |
| 1962 | Terry Baker | Quarterback | Oregon State |
| 1963 | Roger Staubach | Quarterback | Navy (2) |
| 1964 | Dick Butkus | Middle linebacker | Illinois |
| 1965 | Donny Anderson | Running back | Texas Tech |
| 1965 | Jim Grabowski | Halfback | Illinois (2) |
| 1966 | Steve Spurrier | Quarterback | Florida |
| 1967 | Gary Beban | Quarterback | UCLA |
| 1968 | O. J. Simpson | Running back | USC |
| 1969 | Steve Owens | Running back | Oklahoma (3) |
| 1970 | Jim Plunkett | Quarterback | Stanford |
| 1971 | Ed Marinaro | Running back | Cornell |
| 1971 | Pat Sullivan | Quarterback | Auburn |
| 1972 | Bert Jones | Quarterback | LSU (3) |
| 1973 | John Hicks | Guard | Ohio State (6) |
| 1974 | Archie Griffin | Running back | Ohio State (7) |
| 1975 | Archie Griffin (2) | Running back | Ohio State (8) |
| 1976 | Tony Dorsett | Running back | Pittsburgh |
| 1977 | Earl Campbell | Running back | Texas |
| 1978 | Billy Sims | Running back | Oklahoma (4) |
| 1979 | Charles White | Running back | USC (2) |
| 1980 | Hugh Green | Linebacker | Pittsburgh (2) |
| 1981 | Marcus Allen | Running back | USC (3) |
| 1982 | Herschel Walker | Running back | Georgia (2) |
| 1983 | Mike Rozier | Running back | Nebraska |
| 1984 | Doug Flutie | Quarterback | Boston College |
| 1985 | Bo Jackson | Running back | Auburn (2) |
| 1986 | Vinny Testaverde | Quarterback | Miami |
| 1987 | Tim Brown | Wide receiver | Notre Dame (5) |
| 1988 | Barry Sanders | Running back | Oklahoma State |
| 1989 | Darian Hagan | Quarterback | Colorado |
| 1990 | Raghib Ismail | Wide receiver | Notre Dame (6) |
| 1991 | Desmond Howard | Wide receiver | Michigan |
| 1992 | Marvin Jones | Linebacker | Florida State |
| 1993 | Charlie Ward | Quarterback | Florida State (2) |
| 1994 | Rashaan Salaam | Running back | Colorado (2) |
| 1995 | Tommy Frazier | Quarterback | Nebraska (2) |
| 1996 | Danny Wuerffel | Quarterback | Florida (2) |
| 1997 | Charles Woodson | Cornerback | Michigan (2) |
| 1998 | Ricky Williams | Running back | Texas (2) |
| 1999 | Ron Dayne | Running back | Wisconsin |
| 2000 | Chris Weinke | Quarterback | Florida State (3) |
| 2001 | Eric Crouch | Quarterback | Nebraska (3) |
| 2002 | Carson Palmer | Quarterback | USC (4) |
| 2003 | Jason White | Quarterback | Oklahoma (5) |
| 2004 | Alex Smith | Quarterback | Utah |
| 2005 | Reggie Bush | Running back | USC (5) |
| 2006 | Troy Smith | Quarterback | Ohio State (9) |
| 2007 | Tim Tebow | Quarterback | Florida (3) |
| 2008 | Graham Harrell | Quarterback | Texas Tech (2) |
| 2008 | Sam Bradford | Quarterback | Oklahoma (6) |
| 2008 | Colt McCoy | Quarterback | Texas (3) |
| 2009 | Mark Ingram II | Running back | Alabama |
| 2010 | Cam Newton | Quarterback | Auburn (3) |
| 2011 | Robert Griffin III | Quarterback | Baylor |
| 2012 | Johnny Manziel | Quarterback | Texas A&M (2) |
| 2013 | Jameis Winston | Quarterback | Florida State (4) |
| 2014 | Marcus Mariota | Quarterback | Oregon |
| 2015 | Baker Mayfield | Quarterback | Oklahoma (7) |
| 2016 | Lamar Jackson | Quarterback | Louisville |
| 2017 | Baker Mayfield (2) | Quarterback | Oklahoma (8) |
| 2018 | Tua Tagovailoa | Quarterback | Alabama (2) |
| 2019 | Joe Burrow | Quarterback | LSU (4) |
| 2020 | DeVonta Smith | Wide receiver | Alabama (3) |
| 2021 | Bryce Young | Quarterback | Alabama (4) |
| 2022 | Caleb Williams | Quarterback | USC (6) |
| 2023 | Jayden Daniels | Quarterback | LSU (5) |
| 2024 | Travis Hunter | Cornerback / wide receiver | Colorado (3) |