We are 45 days away from college football kickoff. Happy Hump Day all y’all. Today, we have Archie Griffin and Sammy Baugh. Two more outstanding players in college football history. Be sure to check back tomorrow for #44 in our countdown to kickoff. Enjoy!
Archie Griffin (45) Days Away From College Football Kickoff
Archie Griffin joined Ohio State and started as the Buckeyes’ tailback for four years. During that time, he helped the team achieve a 40-5-1 record and win four Big Ten titles from 1972 to 1975. Griffin is the only player to start in four straight Rose Bowls and was named first-team All-American three times.
In his second game as a freshman, Griffin set a school record by rushing for 239 yards. This marked the beginning of a standout career, during which he set an OSU record with 5,589 yards and scored 26 touchdowns.
Griffin ended his freshman season with 867 yards, then gained 1,577 yards as a sophomore.
In his junior year, he rushed for a career-high 1,620 yards and 12 touchdowns, earning the Heisman Trophy as the fourth Buckeye to win it.
As a senior, Griffin ran for 1,357 yards and scored seven touchdowns, helping Ohio State finish 11-0, earn a No. 1 ranking, and win the Big Ten title. He won his second Heisman Trophy, finishing ahead of Chuck Muncie and Ricky Bell.
Without counting bowl games, Griffin rushed for 5,177 yards on 845 carries, ranking him fifth among all NCAA career ball carriers. From his sophomore to senior years, he ran for at least 100 yards in 31 straight regular-season games, which remains an NCAA record.
Along with his two Heisman Trophies, Griffin won two Silver Footballs, an award given each year by the Chicago Tribune to the Big Ten’s MVP. He is one of only three players to win it twice. Griffin was also named National Player of the Year twice by both United Press International and the Walter Camp Foundation, earning those honors as a junior and senior.
After his senior year, Griffin graduated a quarter early with a degree in industrial relations. He received the NCAA’s Top Five Award, which recognizes excellence in athletics, academics, and leadership. This is the highest honor the NCAA gives.
After graduating, Griffin was chosen in the first round of the NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played professional football for eight years, then returned to Columbus to work at Ohio State. He spent more than ten years as President and CEO of the OSU Alumni Association.
Ohio State retired Griffin’s No. 45 jersey during halftime of the game against Penn State on October 30, 1999. He was inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 1986.
Another Great #45, Sammy Baugh, TCU
“Slingin'” Sammy Baugh was one of the first star players to help shape the modern passing game. Thanks to the slimmer football introduced in 1934, Baugh threw 587 passes over his three varsity seasons, scoring 39 touchdowns and covering almost two miles in yardage. At a time when most teams rarely threw more than 10 passes in a game, Baugh sometimes threw as many as 40.
He was also a standout punter and later led the league in punting four times as a pro. In a 3-2 TCU win over LSU in the Sugar Bowl, Baugh punted 14 times with a 48-yard average, often pinning LSU deep in their own territory. He earned All-America honors in 1935 and was a consensus All-America again in 1936. On New Year’s Day 1937, Texas Christian played in the first Cotton Bowl and beat Marquette 16-6.
As a pro with the Washington Redskins, Baugh played on five division and two league championship teams. He led the league in passing six times and still holds several NFL passing records. Besides his skills as a passer and punter, Baugh was also a top defensive player and led the NFL in interceptions in 1943.
Editor’s Note: The countdown to college football kickoff has been a series on the Last Word on College Football social media platforms for the past 9 years. They consisted of a photo and a small blurb for each player, with the jersey corresponding to the number of days until kickoff. The rank of the players is sourced from articles by Bleacher Report, Fox Sports, and The Athletic. There are also some favorite players of the Last Word on College Football writers. Their bios are sourced from multiple online sources, including but not limited to the College Football Hall of Fame, their Heisman profiles, and school websites.
Main Photo: Ohio State Athletics
