Archie Griffin's college debut was anything but stellar, with his only carry of the game resulting in a fumble. Archie Griffin’s true capabilities were introduced to Ohio State University fans in the second game when he set a school single-game rushing record of two hundred and thirty-nine yards breaking the former record that had stood for twenty-seven seasons. Griffin broke his own record when as a sophomore when he rushed for two hundred forty-six yards. Over the course of his college career, Griffin rushed for more than one hundred yards in thirty-four games and set an NCAA record by achieving that mark in thirty-one consecutive games.

Griffin finished fifth in the Heisman vote when he was in his sophomore year. He won the award as a junior and as a senior, the only football player in the NCAA who was able to do so. Along with his two Heisman’s, Griffin also won other college awards during college career including The Chicago Tribune Silver Football and the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player Award. He won the Player of the Year award from the United Press International and the Maxwell Award. The Walter Camp Foundation named him as the top player twice and Sporting News named him Man of the Year in 1975.

Archie Griffin was enshrined in the Ohio State University Hall of Fame in 1981 and the University officially retired his number in 1999. Griffin was also enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and he was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1990. In 2007, Archie Griffin was ranked number twenty-one on ESPN’s Top 25 Players in College Football History. During the celebration of the 100th Rose Bowl Game, Griffin was chosen as the All-Century Player of the Rose Bowl Game.

Archie Griffin won four different Big Ten Conference titles while playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes. Griffin was also the first player to start in four Rose Bowls.

Pro Football Career

During the NFL draft of 1976, Archie Griffin was drafted as the first choice of Cincinnati Bengals and he was the 24th overall pick in the draft. Griffin’s outstanding college achievements did not transfer well to the National Football League. Griffin played seven seasons but only rushed for just twenty-eight hundred yards and only seven touchdowns. He rushed for one hundred yards or more in only three games and never recorded a seven hundred yard season.

After finishing his professional football career, Archie Griffin became an Assistant Athletic Director for Ohio State University and served on the board of directors for both professional and sports-related organizations. Griffin is also the former CEO for the Ohio State University Alumni Association.