Peyton Manning never won the Heisman Trophy. He finished runner‑up in 1997, losing to Michigan’s Charles Woodson
Tim Tebow did—but in 2007, not 1982.
Archie Griffin remains the only two-time Heisman winner (1974–75), but that also predates 1982.
Thus, Herschel Walker’s 1982 Heisman race did not include those three names.
- Born March 3, 1962, in Wrightsville, Georgia.
- At Johnson County High School, he was a multi-sport star: football, track (100‑yd dash, shot put), always “All‑State.”
- Recruited by Georgia coach Vince Dooley, he debuted in 1980 (
2.2 Freshman Breakout (1980)
- As a true freshman, he rushed for 1,616 yards, averaged 146.9 yds/game, and scored 15 TDs Georgia finished 12–0, winning the national championship with a Sugar Bowl victory over Notre Dame
- He became the first freshman ever to earn first‑team All‑American honors and placed third in Heisman voting
2.3 Sophomore Surge (1981)
- Rushed 1,891 yards, broke SEC single-season records
- Georgia went 10–2; Walker finished second in Heisman voting, losing to Marcus Allen (
- Still unanimous All‑American — setting ~40 Georgia records (
- Rushed 1,752 yards on 335 carries, 5.2 yds/carry, with 16 rushing TDs .
- Added 5 receptions for 89 yards and 1 TD.
- Averaged 159.3 yards/game, including three games over 200 rushing yards
3.2 Overcoming Injury
- Played through a broken thumb in a cast yet maintained brilliance
3.3 Team Success
- Georgia went 11–0 in the regular season, third consecutive SEC titleEarned top spot among major colleges for the only undefeated record
- Their Sugar Bowl loss to Penn State (27–23) concluded the season—but did not diminish the Heisman narrative
3.4 Heisman Triumph
- Voted as winner on December 4, 1982
- Received 525 first‑place ballots, nearly quadrupling the runner‑up total .
- Became one of few juniors to win, following only the likes of Roger Staubach and Archie Griffin
- Also swept the Maxwell Award and was unanimous All‑America
4. Who Did He Beat to Win?
Walker topped an elite final ballot, beating:
- John Elway (QB, Stanford): later NFL legend Eric Dickerson (RB, SMU): future Pro Football Hall-of-Famer
- Anthony Carter (WR, Michigan),
- Dave Rimington (C, Nebraska),
- Todd Blackledge (QB, Penn State),
- Tom Ramsey (QB, UCLA),
- Tony Eason (QB, Illinois),
- Dan Marino (QB, Pittsburgh): future NFL star (
No Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, or Archie Griffin were in this race. It was Walker vs. the best of 1982—and he won decisively.
5.1 Durability & Excellence
- First true freshman All‑American and three-season top‑three Heisman finishes .
- Consistency: 5.3 yds/carry over his three-year career, with 5,259 rushing yards
- Eleven Georgia records, 16 SEC records, 11 NCAA records
- Anchored Georgia’s dominance amid immense spotlight .
- Played through injury. Coach Vince Dooley said his loss would be “the greatest injustice of all time”
5.3 Athletic Versatility
- Participated in track & field; aspired to 1984 Olympic sprint success (
- Later, Walker even competed in NHL bobsled and mixed martial arts
5.4 Legendary Comparisons
- Walker’s five Heisman votes (3rd/2nd/1st across three years) mirror only icons like Griffin, Staubach .
- TIME later named his 1982 season among the top‑10 Heisman seasons ever (
6. Aftermath: Pro Career & Beyond
6.1 College Hall of Fame
- Inducted in 1999 into the College Football Hall of Fame, a unanimous All‑America
6.2 Professional Football
- Delayed NFL entry to join USFL’s New Jersey Generals in 1983–85.
- Set pro single-season rushing record: 2,411 yards, USFL MVP NFL career: Dallas, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Giants (1986–97).
- Two Pro Bowls (‘87, ’88), career all‑purpose yards ranked second at retirementInvolved in the “Herschel Walker trade”—one of the most impactful deals of the era
- Competed in 1992 Winter Olympics as a bobsledder In 2007, at age 47, he fought two MMA heavyweight bouts
- Authored Breaking Free in 2008, detailing his life and struggles with dissociative identity disorde
- Later entered politics—ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022, and as of late 2024, earned his college degree
Arguments For
- Three straight top-3 finishes—unmatched consistency
- Phenomenal stats—1,752 yards and 17 TDs in 1982 alone (400+ career rushes, stained with records
- Broader competition—beat future NFL legends
- Cultural impact—freshman phenom, continued excellence
- Era dominance—three SEC titles, undefeated season
- Athletic versatility—Olympics, MMA—rare breadth
TIME ranked 1982 Walker among the top 10 Heisman seasons No NFL Hall of Fame induction (USFL career weighed against pro longevity).
- Compared to Heisman QBs—collegiate success didn’t fully translate to NFL stardom.
- However, pro-career does not diminish his college legacy.
- Georgia Icon: No. 34 retired; permanent fixture in UGA lore
- Nicknamed “The Ball Ain’t Heavy”—reflecting his attitude and humility
- Sports influence: Inspired future athletes across multiple disciplines.
- Personal honesty: His candid autobiography opened dialogues on mental health.
- Hall of Fame & Awards: College Football HOF, Maxwell, unanimous All‑America, SEC dominance.
Yes. Herschel Walker’s 1982 season—capped by a runaway Heisman, undefeated streak, integrity, resilience, and athleticism—arguably stands as one of the most complete and dominant campaigns ever. He didn’t just beat Peyton Manning, Tim Tebow, or Archie Griffin—they weren’t there. Instead, he triumphed over the best players of 1982 and left a legacy that echoes far beyond the gridiron. Walker wasn’t just “College Football’s Greatest” in 1982—he embodied excellence in a way few ever have.
