The 25 greatest football players in Big Eight / Big 12 history 

The Big Eight Freshman of the Year in 1992, Frazier then led the Cornhuskers to back-to-back national titles. Despite dealing with health issues in 1994, he rallied the Cornhuskers to beat Miami, Fla., in the Orange Bowl to claim the title. The next season, Frazier was a Heisman Trophy finalist, throwing for 1,362 yards with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions, while gaining 604 yards on the ground with 14 scores, and earning consensus All-American and Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year honors. Frazier, who threw for more than 3,500 yards — with 43 touchdowns — and ran for nearly 2,000 yards in his career, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

The man who helped lead the Longhorns to their most recent national championship at the end of the 2005 season. Young might be the greatest overall athlete in Texas football history. Besides ranking among the top 10 in Texas with 6,040 passing yards, Young also ranks among the school's all-time leaders in rushing yards (3,127) and rushing touchdowns (37). His 30 career wins are among the top five for any Longhorns quarterback, and his 44 passing touchdowns are in the top 10. Although Young did not win the Heisman in 2005, he secured the Maxwell, Manning, and Davey O'Brien Awards and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year -- two seasons after earning the league's Freshman of the Year honor.

Bradford became the second sophomore in NCAA history to win the Heisman Trophy. During his exceptional 2008 season, Bradford threw for a school-record 4,720 yards and 50 touchdowns. Over his career with the Sooners, Bradford accumulated 8,403 passing yards and 88 touchdowns — each the third most in school history. In addition to his Heisman, Bradford was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, The Associated Press College Football Player of the Year in 2008, and received the Sammy Baugh Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award.

College football fans might forget that Mayfield's career started at Texas Tech, where he threw for 2,315 yards in eight games during the 2013 season to earn Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year. However, his success came at Oklahoma, where he ranks among the school and Big 12 leaders with 12,292 passing yards, 119 passing touchdowns, and a 69.8% completion rate. In 2017, the two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year threw for 4,627 yards with 43 touchdowns and six interceptions, becoming the school's sixth Heisman Trophy winner and the first walk-on to earn the award.

"The Kansas Comet" was a three-time All-Big Eight selection and two-time All-American, establishing himself as the greatest Jayhawks football player ever. During his college career, Sayers ran for 2,675 yards and set a league record with 4,020 all-purpose yards. As a sophomore in 1962, Sayers led the nation with a 7.1-yard average per rush. Sayers, who later joined the Chicago Bears and became an NFL legend, is a member of the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Oklahoma's second Heisman Trophy winner, Owens, remains a key part of the Sooners' football legacy. He holds the school's records with 57 career rushing touchdowns, and his 4,041 rushing yards rank fifth all-time at Oklahoma. Owens won his Heisman as a senior in 1969, rushing for 1,523 yards and 23 touchdowns — the latter still tied for the most in school history. He was also an All-American that season, won the Walter Camp Award, and was named Big Eight Player of the Year twice (1968, '69), along with being a three-time first-team All-Conference selection.

During his three-run varsity tenure for the Sooners, Pruitt totaled more than 3,100 yards on the ground and nearly 500 receiving yards out of the backfield. He was also one of the nation's top return men while at Oklahoma. A two-time consensus All-American, Pruitt finished third in the Heisman Trophy race in 1971 (when he was also named Big Eight Player of the Year) and second in '72. He's a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

The last of Oklahoma's three Heisman Trophy-winning running backs, Sims is one of the great college football players of all time. Although injuries kept him from starting strong with the Sooners, Sims eventually found his footing and ranks second in school history with 4,118 rushing yards. His 53 career rushing touchdowns also rank second in program history, as do the 1,896 yards he gained during his 1978 Heisman-winning season. After college, the two-time Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year (1978, '79), All-American, and College Hall of Famer ran for more than 5,000 yards and earned three Pro Bowl selections with the Detroit Lions.

Rozier, who played his freshman season at a Kansas junior college, is the school's all-time leading rusher with 4,780 yards. He gained 2,148 of those yards during his Heisman Trophy-winning season of 1983, when the consensus All-American also ran for a school-record 29 touchdowns. Rozier's 49 career rushing touchdowns rank second all-time in Nebraska history. A two-time winner of the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year and three-time first-team All-Big 8 pick, Rozier is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Sanders has a claim to being the greatest running back in college football history. However, Sanders' dominance essentially was limited to one season, in 1988, when he rushed for 2,628 yards (238.9 average) with 37 rushing touchdowns and amassed 3,250 all-purpose yards. Sanders, the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year, won the Heisman Trophy that season.

The first player in Colorado history to win the Heisman Trophy, Salaam achieved this as a junior in 1994, when he rushed for 2,055 yards and 24 touchdowns, averaging 7.61 yards per carry. With that performance, Salaam became the fourth player at the time to rush for 2,000 or more yards in a season. Over his career, the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year and two-time first-team league selection, he amassed over 3,000 rushing yards and scored 33 rushing touchdowns.

Eccentric and free-spirited, Williams is one of the standout characters in college football history. He also happened to be one of the top players in the game. He is Texas' all-time leading rusher with 6,279 yards, 72 touchdowns, and a 136.5-yard career average per season. As a senior in 1998, Williams became the second Texas player to win the Heisman Trophy, setting school records with 2,124 rushing yards, 27 touchdowns, and an impressive 193.1 yards per game. Besides his dominance, Williams also holds school records for most 100-yard games (28) and single-game rushing yards with 350 against Iowa State in 1998. He was a two-time Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (1997, 1998).

In just three seasons at Oklahoma, Peterson rushed for 4,045 yards. That ranks fourth in school history, and his 41 touchdowns are seventh in Sooners' program all-time records. Most football fans likely know Peterson best for his outstanding NFL career, but his college achievements were quite impressive. A three-time first-team All-Big 12 pick and an All-American, Peterson's 1,925 rushing yards as a freshman in 2004 remain a single-season record at Oklahoma. 

McDonald may be the greatest athlete to ever play on the Oklahoma gridiron. The two-time consensus All-American, during the era when the conference was known as the Big Seven, helped Oklahoma win consecutive national championships in 1955 and '56 while contributing to the Sooners' 47-game winning streak. McDonald spent nearly all of his college career as a running back. In his last two seasons, he gained over 1,500 yards on the ground and scored 28 touchdowns. He was also one of the team's top receivers and even threw passes when asked. In '56, McDonald received the Maxwell Award, which is awarded to the nation's best all-around player.

The versatile Rodgers was Nebraska's first Heisman Trophy winner. He won it in 1972 by catching 58 passes for 1,013 yards and nine touchdowns and also rushing 73 times for 348 yards with 10 scores. During the Cornhuskers' 40-6 victory over Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl to end that season, Rodgers scored three rushing touchdowns, recorded a 50-yard touchdown reception, and threw a 54-yard touchdown pass. The two-time, first-team All-Big Eight performer ranks second in school history with 5,586 career all-purpose yards, leads Nebraska with 25 career receiving touchdowns (second-most in Big 8 history), and is first with 10 all-time 100-yard receiving games. Rodgers, also one of the nation's top return men—his 72-yard punt-return touchdown in the 1971

The pride of Dallas prep football power Carter High School, Crabtree played only two seasons of college football. However, he was a two-time, first-team All-Big 12 pick and a two-time unanimous All-American for the Red Raiders. In 26 college games, Crabtree amassed an impressive 231 receptions for 3,127 yards and 41 touchdowns. Talk about making the most of one's time.

When the Sooners were perfecting the wishbone offense, they did not completely ignore the passing game. Not with one of the greatest college tight ends of all time on the roster. A two-time All-American (1986 and '87), three-time first-team All-Big Eight player, and a key contributor to Oklahoma's 1985 national championship team, Jackson totaled 62 receptions for 1,407 yards. He is probably best known for his 71-yard touchdown catch from Jamelle Holieway during the Sooners' Orange Bowl victory over Penn State, which secured that national title. Jackson is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

Rimington was the second Cornhusker to win both the Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy. In fact, Rimington won the Outland Trophy in 1981, when he was also named Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year, and again in 1982. He was also named UPI Lineman of the Year in 1982, when he finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy race. Rimington's perfect combination of size, strength, and intelligence has many college football historians and analysts believing he is the greatest center in the sport's history. Currently, the honor given to the nation's top center is the Rimington Trophy. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1997.  

In 1972, Glover became the first Nebraska player to win both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award, which are awarded to the best lineman in the country. He also finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting that season and was the first to win the Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year award. During that year, he recorded 100 tackles, including 52 solo tackles and nine tackles for loss. A teammate of Larry Jacobson, Glover was also an All-American and served as the defensive leader of the Cornhuskers' national championship teams. In 1971, during a 35-31 victory over rival Oklahoma, known as the famous "Game of the Century," Glover was credited with 22 tackles. Over his career, the College Football Hall of Famer totaled 211 tackles, with 25 for loss.

Before Selmon became a Hall of Fame defender in the NFL, he laid the groundwork at Oklahoma. Selmon helped the Sooners win back-to-back national championships in 1974 and 1975. During the latter season, Selmon was named Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year, UPI Lineman of the Year, and won both the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award. Throughout his college career, Selmon recorded 40 sacks and more than 300 tackles, earning a spot in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Wistrom, a College Football Hall of Famer, played a key role on Nebraska's three national championship teams in 1994, '95, and '97. Besides winning the Lombardi Award in 1997, he was a two-time consensus All-American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 1996 and '97. He is Nebraska's all-time leader with 58 1/2 tackles for loss and ranks second with 26 1/2 sacks.

When it comes to memorable individual seasons in college football history, Suh's 2009 performance stands out. Suh led the Cornhuskers in tackles (85), tackles for loss (24), and sacks (12). He also blocked three kicks and broke up 10 passes, making him the most dominant defender in college football at the time. He was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and Defensive Lineman of the Year, College Football Player of the Year by The Associated Press, and won nearly every major national defensive award. Over his career at Nebraska, Suh ranks among the school's top five with 57 tackles for loss and 24 sacks.

"The Boz" is considered one of the biggest stars in the sport's history — for better or worse. But, he could also play some football. He had crazy haircuts and a brash attitude, pushing boundaries on and off the field, but Bosworth was twice named Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year (1985, '86), a unanimous All-American, and won the Butkus Award (1985, '86). Bosworth collected nearly 400 tackles for the Sooners.

Williams' career at Oklahoma should not be judged by a single play. However, his 2021 "Superman" moment—diving over a Texas blocker, knocking the ball from Longhorns quarterback Chris Simms, and into the hands of teammate Teddy Lehman for a touchdown—is one of the greatest individual defensive plays in college football history. That same season, Williams won the Jim Thorpe Award, Nagurski Trophy, and was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. He also helped the Sooners win the national championship to end the 2000 season.

Hunter played just one season in the Big 12 for the Buffaloes but will be remembered as one of the most versatile players in league history. In fact, he's the only college football player to win both the Chuck Bednarik (top defensive player) and Fred Biletnikoff (top wide receiver) awards—both in 2024 during Colorado's return to the Big 12. That season, Hunter caught 96 passes for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver. On defense, he set career highs with four interceptions and 11 passes defended during the '24 season, which he concluded by winning the Heisman Trophy.