You're like, "Yeah, I had something to do with it and maybe he did deserve it."įlorida coach Steve Spurrier: Yeah, we seemed to always beat them, and I'm sure that didn't help him any. It's sort of a bittersweet moment for me, picking him off and returning it for a touchdown. George: Really, Peyton got screwed when he didn't beat us for those four years. If anybody looks back on it and says they still feel good about it, they're either lying to themselves or such a Michigan or Big Ten person that they have blinders on. So it allowed people to feel OK about that vote. The media, in my opinion, kind of fueled Woodson's candidacy, and obviously Michigan was undefeated. And sometimes when you're out in front that much, you've got a media that creates something to talk about, something people will pick up and read about. Tennessee OL Trey Teague: No doubt he would have won it had we beaten Florida. Peyton was driving them down the field, and I was tired. That's why I was able to kick it into anther gear. As soon as I cut back and could see the goal line, I was thinking, "There's no way anybody is going to catch me." I can still hear the roar of that crowd. I've been back for games and haven't heard it close to that loud. Tony George: It's the loudest I ever heard the Swamp. He was 0-3 against Florida as a starter, and even though he was 6-1 against Tennessee's other two big rivals (Alabama and Georgia), a 33-20 loss to the Gators - highlighted by a Manning interception returned 89 yards for a TD by Tony George - in September 1997 was something many of the Heisman voters held against him and opened the door for somebody else to win it. But for everything Manning accomplished at Tennessee, it's who he didn't beat, fair or not, that hounded him for much of his college career. So as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of the most captivating Heisman Trophy races ever, let's revisit that season through the eyes of players - including all four finalists themselves - coaches and media members who were there.Īfter turning down millions of dollars to return to school for his senior season, Manning endeared himself forever to Tennessee fans and entered the 1997 season as the prohibitive Heisman favorite. To this day, fans on all sides fiercely debate if the voters got it right. When Woodson edged Manning to become the first primarily defensive player to win the coveted award, it set off howls of protests in Knoxville, Tennessee. And there was big-armed Washington State QB Ryan Leaf, leading the Cougars to the Rose Bowl. There was the relatively unknown wide receiver at Marshall making defenses look silly in Randy Moss. There was Michigan's do-everything playmaker Charles Woodson, who dominated at cornerback but also excelled on special teams and offense for the unbeaten and top-ranked Wolverines. There was Tennessee QB Peyton Manning, who spurned NFL riches the year before to return to school to win an SEC title and throw for 3,819 yards and 36 touchdowns. It featured four first-round picks, three future Hall of Famers and one controversial decision. Twenty years later, it's a Heisman Trophy class that still has no peers. The oral history of the epic 1997 Heisman Trophy raceĬollege Football, Tennessee Volunteers, Michigan Wolverines, Washington State Cougars, Marshall Thundering Herd You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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