Who Is the Only College Quarterback to Win 4 Bowl Games as a Starter?
When you think of college quarterback greats, who comes to mind first? Vinny Testaverde? Tim Tebow? Maybe even Joe Burrow? All three won the Heisman Trophy and played in a national championship game, but none of them won four bowl games. In fact, only one quarterback in the history of the NCAA has started and won four bowl games in his college career. You probably couldn’t guess the QB if we gave you 100 tries, but he’s one of the most underrated college football players ever.
No Heisman winner has won 4 bowl games in their career
There have been 35 quarterbacks who have won the Heisman Trophy in college. From Davey O’Brien to Joe Burrow and everyone in between, each QB had a special career in college. However, none of them were able to win four bowl games.
The problem with this particular record is most quarterbacks either don’t start all four years or they leave college early to join the NFL. Even if a quarterback starts all four seasons, they have to post a winning record each year to get to four bowl games. Then, they have to win every single one.
It’s a tall task, but one man conquered it. A man you may not have even heard of before. A man who was one of the most electric offensive weapons in college football history, but who’s largely forgotten today. That man is Pat White.
Pat White is the only college QB to win 4 straight bowl games
Wait, who? That’s right, Pat White. West Virginia fans surely remember the speedy quarterback, but casual college football fans probably don’t even believe what they’re reading. Let’s enlighten that crowd.
Pat White was a four-year starter at West Virginia. The best comparison for the versatile QB is none other than Michael Vick. A lightning-fast lefty gunslinger who could hurt you equally through the air and on the ground.
Aside from his physical gifts, White was a flat-out winner. From 2005-08 White led the Mountaineers to a combined 42-9 record. He won 11 games and finished the season ranked in the top 10 in three straight years. White also finished sixth and seventh in the Heisman race two years in a row.
White led West Virginia to four straight bowl victories, and he’s still the only QB in NCAA history to accomplish the feat.
White is one of the most underrated college football players ever
If you don’t know anything about Pat White, do yourself a favor and check out his highlight reel. He makes long touchdown runs look like a daily stroll through the park. He was on a different level than the rest of the players on the field, but he still doesn’t get the credit he deserves today.
White led West Virginia to four bowl victories as the starter, but he wasn’t just beating average teams in bowls no one cares about. He led the Mountaineers to two BCS bowl wins. As a freshman, White beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Two years later, he smashed Oklahoma and Sam Bradford in the Fiesta Bowl by 20 points.
It would be one thing if White won the Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl four years straight, but that’s not the case. He was beating the NCAA’s best teams on the biggest stages year after year.
White deserves more credit for his massive success in college. Although his NFL career didn’t pan out, he should still be remembered as one of the greats in college football history.
