NEW YORK -- Ricky Williams ran away with it all -- the rushing records, the recognition and finally, overwhelmingly, the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night.
Williams, who broke Tony Dorsett's career rushing record in grand style and set dozens more records along the way, was a landslide winner over Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop, winning by a 1,563 points -- the fourth-largest margin in Heisman history.The 6-foot, 225-pound San Diegan with dreadlocks, pierced tongue and Mickey Mouse tattoo, ran for 2,124 yards and 27 touchdowns in one of the most sensational seasons in college football history.
"I want to thank my beautiful mother, she raised three kids alone," Williams said seconds after becoming the first Heisman winner with dreadlocks, bleached, no less.
"On Thanksgiving, I woke up and gave thanks, just sat there for about an hour. I have a lot to be thankful for."
Not only did Williams win nearly every other individual award -- the AP College Player of the Year and Walter Camp, Maxwell and Doak Walker awards -- he also carried the Longhorns to an 8-3 record and a berth in the Cotton Bowl.
Williams set or tied 16 NCAA and 44 schools records, including career marks for yards (6,279), scoring (452 points), touchdowns (75) and all-purpose yards (7,206).
Williams collected 714 first-place votes and 2,355 points from the 920 Heisman voters in winning college football's most precious prize. Bishop had 41 first-place votes and 792 points.
UCLA quarterback Cade McNown was third with 696 points, Kentucky's Tim Couch was fourth with 527 points and Syracuse quarterback Donovan McNabb fifth with 232 points.
The largest margin of victory in the Heisman was in 1968, when Southern California's O.J. Simpson beat Purdue's Leroy Keyes by 1,750 points. In 1993, Florida State's Charlie Ward won the Heisman by 1,622 points over Tennessee's Heath Shuler; and in 1991, Michigan's Desmond Howard won by 1,574 points over Florida State's Casey Weldon.
The closest vote was in 1985, when Auburn's Bo Jackson edged Iowa's Chuck Long by 45 points.
Central Florida quarterback Daunte Culpepper was sixth, followed by Georgia's all-purpose star, Champ Bailey, North Carolina State wide receiver Torry Holt, Ohio State quarterback Joe Germaine and Tulane quarterback Shaun King.
In receiving the highest percentage of first-place ballots in Heisman history, Williams easily won all six voting regions. Three points were awarded for a first-place vote, two for second and one for third.
Williams also received the third most first-place votes, behind Simpson's 855 in '68 and Ward's 740 in '93, and the third most points, behind Simpson's 2,853 and Dorsett's 2,357 in 1976.