On This Date in Sports December 7, 1985: Bo Knows Heisman
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
In the closest Heiman vote to date, Bo Jackson of Auburn edges Iowa quarterback Chuck Long by 45 votes. Jackson had one of the best seasons in SEC history, rushing for 1,786 yards with 17 touchdowns. Chuck Long, meanwhile, passed for 2,978 yards with 26 touchdowns as the Hawkeyes earned a trip to the Rose Bowl since only the 2009 Heisman vote was closer with Mark Ingram Jr. of Alabama edging Toby Gerhart of Stanford by 28 votes.
Vincent Edward Jackson was born on November 30, 1962, in Bessemer, Alabama. When he was growing up, his mother compared him to a wild boar, earning him the nickname Bo. Bo Jackson was an outstanding athlete, getting drafted by the New York Yankees in the second round of the 1982 draft. However, he kept a promise to his mother and chose to attend Auburn. Bo Jackson played both baseball and football at Auburn. After an outstanding sophomore season, Bo Jackson suffered an injury that sidelined him for most of his junior season.
Chuck Long was born on February 18, 1963, in Norman, Oklahoma. Raised in Wheaton, Illinois, Long was not heavily recruited out of high school and accepted a scholarship to play for Hayden Fry at Iowa. In his first three seasons, Chuck Long showed flashes of brilliance, as fans in Iowa waited to see him reach his full potential. Long but it all together in his senior season as he had the Hawkeyes at the top of the AP poll. A November loss to Ohio State ended Iowa’s hopes of a perfect season, but they won the Big Ten and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl.
The narrow vote helped boost both Chuck Long and Bo Jackson, though both lost their final college games, with Auburn losing to Texas A&M 36-16 in the Cotton Bowl, while Iowa was beaten by UCLA 45-28 in the Rose Bowl.
Bo Jackson at first eschewed the NFL, refusing to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being selected first overall in the 1986 NFL Draft. He chose to play baseball with the Kansas City Royals, who selected him in the fourth round. Bo Jackson would eventually agree to play with the Los Angeles Raiders while continuing his baseball career. He became a star in both sports before a hip injury shortened his career.
Chuck Long was drafted 12th overall by the Detroit Lions and had a rather unremarkable NFL career. In four seasons in Detroit, Long started 21 games, passing for 3,743 yards with 19 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He spent one season with the Los Angeles Rams and briefly was on the Lions roster in 1991 before retiring and returning to Iowa as an assistant coach.