The 25 greatest players in Pac-12 football history 

Beban is still the only Bruin to win the Heisman Trophy. That came during a stellar 1967 season, when he threw for 1,359 yards and eight touchdowns while running for 227 and 11 TDs. A disappointing 21-20 loss to rival USC kept the Bruins from an undefeated season, but Beban also earned All-American honors and won the Maxwell Award in '67. For his career, Beban ranks among UCLA's leading career passers with 4,087 yards, and is ninth all-time in school history with 5,358 combined rushing and passing yards. He ran for 35 touchdowns while passing for 23. Beban is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

The only Stanford player ever to win the Heisman Trophy. Plunkett accomplished that feat in 1970, when he broke his own Pac-8 conference record with 2,715 passing yards. He also threw 18 touchdown passes and ran for three during that historic campaign. Plunkett, who also revived a sagging NFL career by winning two Super Bowls with the Raiders, ranks among the top 10 in school history for passing yards (7,809) and passing touchdowns (53). He's a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

It might surprise football fans to know that Elway never guided the Cardinal to a bowl game in his three seasons as a starter, but was twice named Pac-10 Player of the Year (1980, '82). The All-American left college as the league's record holder in several passing categories. Entering the 2025 season, Elway ranked fourth in Stanford history with 9,349 passing yards and second with 77 passing touchdowns. He has long been considered one of the greatest college football players of all time.

Another USC Heisman Trophy winner, Leinart, claimed the prestigious award in 2004, when he also helped the Trojans win their once-vacated national championship. During that '04 campaign, Leinart threw for 3,322 yards with 33 touchdowns and six interceptions. The two-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, Leinart concluded his career with 10,693 passing yards and 99 touchdowns — both totals ranking among the top five in school history. In addition to the Heisman, Leinart won the Manning and Walter Camp Awards in 2004 and the Unitas Award in 2005. A College Football Hall of Famer, Leinart had his No. 11 retired at USC. 

Twice, Luck was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2010 and '11. He's one of the most prolific passers in the history of college football and is Stanford's all-time leader with 82 passing yards. Luck ranks second among all Cardinal quarterbacks with 9,430 passing yards. In addition, his set conference records for career passer rating (162.8) and completion percentage (67.0%). The College Football Hall of Famer's 31 wins as a starting quarterback are also a school record.

The only Duck to win the Heisman Trophy. Mariota was a special college football player, and the school's all-time leader with 10,796 career passing yards, 105 passing touchdowns, 2,237 quarterback rushing yards, and 29 quarterback rushing touchdowns. In 2014, when Mariota won the Heisman, he set then-single-season school records for passing yards (4,454) and passing touchdowns (42), along with 770 quarterback rushing yards and 15 TDs on the ground. Mariota, Oregon's all-time leader with 36 wins, won just about every major quarterback or offensive player of the year-related award in 2014.

Garrett became the first of eight Trojans to win the Heisman Trophy. Doing so to gain a then-single-season school-record 1,440 rushing yards in 1965. For this career at USC, Garrett ran for 3,314 yards — seventh all-time in school history — and 30 touchdowns. Also a solid pass-catcher out of the backfield and one of the nation's top punt returners during his time, Garrett was an All-American with his No. 20 retired by the school.

 Nobody claims that Simpson was a model citizen, nor should he be acknowledged for anything positive post-USC and what he did on the football field for the Trojans. However, Simpson's on-field accomplishments need to be mentioned when it comes to USC football. He's the 1968 Heisman Trophy winner. A year earlier, in his first season with the Trojans, Simpson rushed for 1,543 (ranked ninth for a single season at USC). Those 3,423 yards rank sixth all-time in school history.

White the school's all-time leading rusher with 6,245 career yards, including bowl games, which are also the most of any Pac-10/12 player. He's one of two Trojans to rush for at least 2,000 yards in a season. For White, that came in 1979 when he gained an NCAA-best 2,050 and averaged 6.2 yards per carry while rushing for 19 touchdowns, en route to winning the Heisman Trophy. A year prior, White ran for 1,859 — good enough for fifth-most in school history — while helping USC to a national championship. A two-time unanimous All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year, White is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. 

As a freshman in 1978, Allen backed up the aforementioned Charles White on a team recognized as national champion by the Coaches' Poll. After some modest success in 1979, Allen ran for 1,563 (seventh-most in school history for a single season) with 14 touchdowns in '80, then gained a school-record 2,427 while scoring 22 times in 1981, the year he won the Heisman Trophy. Allen, who also caught 79 career passes for 721 yards, was named Pac-10 Player of the Year and won the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards, and is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

NCAA violations involving his recruitment clouded Bush's accomplishments at USC. The Trojans' program was hit hard with sanctions but has survived. Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy, Doak Walker, and Walter Camp Awards were all vacated, but the Heisman victory has since been reinstated. For his USC career, the two-time All-American and Pac-10 Offensive Player of Year totaled 3,312 career rushing yards and 6,551 all-purpose yards. Despite all the controversy during his time as a Trojan, Bush remains one of the great college football players of all time. He enjoyed a solid NFL career as an All-Pro and Super Bowl champion and remains a popular media figure.

The NCAA's record holder for all-purpose single-season yards (3,864 in 2015). That was the same season he was named College Football Player of the Year by The Associated Press and the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year. For his career, McCaffrey posted 6,333 all-purpose yards, with 3.922 rushing (ranked third in school history) and more than 1,200 receiving. 

Perhaps Moore is better recognizable as Ahmad Rashad, the name he took while converting to Islam in 1973. At Oregon, Bobby Moore began his career at receiver (the position he would succeed at in the NFL), but became a college star as a running back. In 1971, the All-American, three-time Pac-10 first-teamer, and College Football Hall of Famer totaled 1,211 rushing yards and caught 32 passes for 324 yards while scoring 10 touchdowns. When his three-season Ducks career ended, Moore recorded a then-school-record 2,036 rushing yards, 131 receptions (also a program high at the time) for 1,565 yards and 36 overall touchdowns. His 226 career points still rank among the most at Oregon.

Still a larger-than-life personality, Johnson was a two-time, first-team All-Pac-10 performer, the league's offensive player of the year, and a unanimous All-American in 1995, when he caught 102 passes for 1,434 yards — both ranking within the top five on the school's single-season records list. For his two collegiate seasons at USC, the always opinionated and boisterous Keyshawn totaled 168 catches for 2,796 yards, averaging 16.7 yards per reception. 

Before enjoying a 13-year Hall-of-Fame NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals, Munoz laid the foundation at USC. He was also a star on the Trojans' baseball team and part of the 1978 national championship roster. Munoz might not have earned national recognition in terms of All-America teams or received any significant hardware. However, his steady play, excellent leadership, and determination to overcome a serious knee ligament injury that wiped out his senior season were all reasons he was the third overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft.

Boselli is another Trojan who is a member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Boselli was a two-time All-American and three-time All-Pac-10 performer, and was named USC Offensive Player of the Year in 1991. A finalist for the Outland Trophy, Boselli followed up his stellar career with the Trojans by becoming the first-ever draft pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars when they took him at No. 2 in 1995.  

Ogden, also a standout in the shot put for the UCLA track and field team, was a four-year starting tackle in Westwood. During his junior and senior seasons, Ogden allowed just two sacks. In his final collegiate season of 1995, Ogden was named UPI Lineman of the Year and won the Outland Trophy, given to the nation's top interior lineman. Ogden went on to make 11 Pro Bowls with the Baltimore Ravens. He is a member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

For three seasons, Emtman was one of the best defensive linemen in the country, and is arguably the greatest in Washington history. Winner of the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award as a senior (while finishing fourth in the Heisman balloting and helping Washington win the national championship), Emtman was also named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 1990 and '91. When his career with the Huskies ended, Emtman recorded 62 tackles, including a whopping 20 1/2 tackles for loss. 

The Sun Devils' all-time leader in sacks (44) and tackles for loss (65 1/2), Suggs, who set an NCAA record with 24 sacks in his final campaign, was a two-time, first-team All-Pac-10 selection and the league's Freshman of the Year (2000) and Defensive Player of the Year (2002). During his three seasons, Suggs also recorded 163 total tackles, three fumble recoveries, and intercepted two passes. 

Recruited as a pass catcher, Robinson switched to linebacker and became a UCLA legend. His 468 career tackles rank second in program history, while his 161 tackles from 1978 and 159 recorded in 1976 rank Nos. 1 and 2 at UCLA, respectively, for a season. A three-time consensus All-American, Robinson recorded 28 tackles against Air Force in 1976. The College Football Hall of Famer also returned three interceptions for touchdowns during his career. 

The great Hunley is Arizona's career leader with 566 tackles. He was a three-time, first-team All-Pac-10 pick and the conference's co-defensive player of the year in 1983. During his four seasons with the Wildcats, Hunley posted more than 30 games with at least 10 tackles. He's a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. 

The course that Seau's life after his NFL career was tragic, but his time at USC is certainly worth celebrating. Seau was the Pac-10's Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American selection in 1989 when he recorded 71 tackles and 19 sacks. After sitting out his freshman season for failing to qualify academically, Seau totaled 107 tackles, 33 for loss, during his two seasons for the Trojans.

Among the greatest defensive backs in the history of college football, Easley was a three-time consensus All-American. In 1977, Easley set a UCLA true-freshman record with 93 tackles and also picked off nine passes that season. For his stellar collegiate career, Easley is the Bruins' all-time leader with 19 interceptions and ranks fifth in school history with 374 tackles. He's a member of the College Football Hall of Fame, and his No. 5 jersey was retired by the Bruins.

Lott is one of the best defenders to play college football. A fierce hitter who was also a load in coverage, Lott is among the school's all-time leaders with 14 career interceptions. A team-high eight picks came during his 1980 season when Lott was recognized as a consensus All-American. A member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames, Lott recorded 250 total tackles, including 22 for loss and 10 fumble recoveries, while at USC.

Before Nevers enjoyed a Hall-of-Fame career in the NFL, Nevers achieved the same type of success on the college level at Stanford. He was a two-time all-conference, first-team selection, back when the league was known as the Pacific Coast Conference, and an All-American. Known for his "iron horse' mentality, Nevers might best be remembered for rushing 34 times for 114 yards against Notre Dame in the 1925 Rose Bowl, just days after having a cast removed from his ankle.