It wasn't even close. Sometimes the Heisman race is a "grab your popcorn" photo finish that goes down to the final conference championship Saturday, but 2014 was different. That year, the question of who won 2014 Heisman trophy was answered long before the suits and ties gathered at the Best Buy Theater in Times Square. Marcus Mariota didn't just win; he dominated. He collected 788 first-place votes. To put that in perspective, the runner-up, Melvin Gordon, had 37. It was a landslide of historic proportions that felt like a coronation for a guy who spent three years making the impossible look like a casual Tuesday afternoon in Eugene.
If you weren't watching Oregon football back then, it’s hard to describe the vibe. It was fast. It was loud. It was neon. And at the center of that blur was a kid from Honolulu who barely spoke above a whisper but played like he was controlled by a video game cheat code.
The Night Marcus Mariota Became the Answer
December 13, 2014. That’s the date etched into the history books. When people search for who won 2014 Heisman trophy, they see Mariota’s name, but they might miss the sheer weight of that moment. He was the first player from the University of Oregon to ever win it. He was also the first Hawaii-born player to strike that famous pose.
The voting tally was staggering. Mariota finished with 2,534 total points. Melvin Gordon, the Wisconsin powerhouse who had just put up a season for the ages, finished with 1,250. Amari Cooper, the Alabama receiving machine, was third with 1,023. Usually, being a finalist means you have a puncher's chance. In 2014, the other guys were basically there to get a good seat for Marcus's speech.
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I remember his speech vividly. It wasn't the typical "I want to thank my brand" corporate nonsense we see now. He thanked his professors. He thanked the support staff. He actually broke down in tears while talking about his family and the Polynesian community. It felt real. Honestly, in an era where college football was starting to feel like a massive business transaction, Mariota felt like a throwback to something purer, even while playing in those "space-age" Nike uniforms.
The Stats That Broke the System
You can’t talk about who won 2014 Heisman trophy without looking at the numbers, because they were frankly ridiculous. Mariota accounted for 58 total touchdowns. Fifty-eight. Think about that for a second. He threw for 42 and ran for 15. He even caught one.
Most quarterbacks would be thrilled with a 3:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Mariota’s was essentially 10:1. He threw only 4 interceptions the entire season. He was surgical. He operated Mark Helfrich's "blur" offense with a level of efficiency that made defensive coordinators look like they were trying to stop a bullet train with a toothpick.
- Passing Yards: 4,454
- Rushing Yards: 770
- Passer Rating: 181.7 (leading the nation)
But stats only tell half the story. The 2014 season was about the "Heisman Moments." There was the game against Michigan State—a top-10 showdown where Oregon looked like they were on the ropes. Mariota flipped a switch in the second half, making a shovel pass while being hit that defied the laws of physics. Then there was the Pac-12 Championship game against Arizona. The Wildcats had beaten Oregon earlier in the season. It was the only blemish on the record. Mariota didn't just beat them in the rematch; he dismantled them 51-13. That was the "Heisman locked" night.
Why the 2014 Race Was Different
Usually, there's a debate. Should a running back win? Is there a defensive player like Manti Te'o or Aidan Hutchinson who deserves the nod? In 2014, Melvin Gordon had over 2,500 yards from scrimmage. In almost any other year, Gordon is your winner. He was a human highlight reel at Wisconsin.
But Mariota had this "it" factor that transcended the box score. He was the most efficient passer in the country and arguably the most dangerous runner in the open field at the same time. He didn't slide; he glided.
There was also a narrative element. Oregon had been the "almost" team for years. They were the team with the fancy uniforms and the fast pace that always seemed to choke when the lights got too bright. Mariota changed that perception. He gave the program a backbone. When you look at who won 2014 Heisman trophy, you’re looking at the peak of the Oregon Ducks as a national brand.
The Legacy of the 2014 Heisman
It’s been over a decade since that ceremony. Looking back, Mariota’s win represents a specific era of college football—the transition into the high-scoring, RPO-heavy world we live in now. He was the prototype. He had the size of a traditional pocket passer (6'4") but the speed of a track star.
People often argue about his NFL career compared to other Heisman winners. Jameis Winston went #1 in 2015, and Mariota went #2. While Winston was the "pro-style" guy, Mariota was the "system" guy. That’s a label he fought for years. But in the context of college football, the "system" didn't make Marcus; Marcus made the system work.
The 2014 Heisman also solidified the Pac-12's relevance at the time. It was a league that felt like it was finally catching up to the SEC in terms of sheer star power. Seeing a kid from Hawaii take the trophy back to Eugene was a massive moment for West Coast football. It validated everything Chip Kelly had started and Mark Helfrich had maintained.
What Most People Forget
Everyone remembers the touchdowns. Nobody remembers that Mariota played a huge chunk of his career with various knicks and bruises that would have sidelined lesser players. He was tough. He wasn't just a finesse runner; he would lower his shoulder when he had to.
Another thing: the 2014 season was the first year of the College Football Playoff. Mariota didn't just win the Heisman; he led Oregon to a Rose Bowl blowout of Florida State (ending their 29-game winning streak) and into the first-ever National Championship game against Ohio State. While the Ducks fell short in that final game against Ezekiel Elliott and the Buckeyes, Mariota’s Heisman season was the engine that got them there.
Actionable Takeaways for Football History Buffs
If you’re researching the 2014 season or the history of the Heisman, here is what you need to focus on to really understand the impact:
- Watch the Michigan State Tape: If you want to see why Mariota won, watch the third quarter of the 2014 Michigan State game. It’s a masterclass in poise.
- Contextualize the Voting: Look at the gap between first and second place. It’s one of the largest in history, proving that there was zero "voter fatigue" or uncertainty.
- Study the "Blur" Offense: To understand why his stats were so high, look into how Oregon used tempo to exhaust defenses. Mariota was the "point guard" of that system.
- Follow the Polynesian Pipeline: Mariota’s win opened the doors for more visibility for Hawaiian and Polynesian athletes in the Heisman conversation, leading the way for future stars like Tua Tagovailoa.
The 2014 Heisman wasn't just an award for a good season. It was the crowning achievement of a player who redefined what a dual-threat quarterback could be without sacrificing passing efficiency. When you ask who won 2014 Heisman trophy, the answer is Marcus Mariota, but the reality is that he didn't just win it—he owned the entire year of college football.
If you want to dive deeper into that era, look at the 2014 Rose Bowl box score. It’s perhaps the best single-game distillation of why Mariota was the best player on the planet that year. Seeing how he handled the pressure of the first-ever CFP tells you everything you need to know about his character and his talent.
The 2014 season was a singular moment in time. It was the year of the Duck, the year of the "Blur," and undeniably, the year of Marcus Mariota.