​Orenthal James Simpson’s fall from grace was so spectacular and visible that it will always be the first thing which comes to mind when his name is mentioned. We know that. Yet, on the field, there can be no denying he was one of the greatest college football players ever at USC. How great? Sports Illustrated put him in the all-time top-25 player list.”Simpson was at the beginning of a colossal American life—one that would culminate with his trial and acquittal on two murder charges, as well as a prison sentence for armed robbery—when he suited up for the Trojans. However, the elements that would make him a celebrity were there, including—most crucially—his preternatural talent running the football. He led the nation with 1,415 rushing yards in 1967 and repeated the feat in 1968, winning the Heisman Trophy and scoring 22 touchdowns in just 10 games,” SI wrote.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOJ Simpson won one national title and led USC within one win of back-to-back championships. His cutback touchdown run against UCLA in 1967 is arguably the greatest single play in USC history, and it is easily the greatest play in the existence of the USC-UCLA football rivalry. OJ began the eight-year period from 1967 through 1974 in which the Trojans won three national titles and came achingly close to two other championships, the height of their golden era which continued through the 1979 season. For OJ Simpson, personal dominance and team excellence went together. It’s a big part of why he is rightly viewed as a top-25 college football player of all time.Contact/Follow @TrojansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of USC Trojans news, notes and opinion.This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: OJ Simpson named one of top 25 greatest college football players