It was one of those plays where you say, "How did he do that?" He was a phenomenal player. Then-Michigan State coach Nick Saban: I've been coaching for a long time in all the leagues - NFL, Big Ten and SEC - and he jumped up and made an interception that you never forget. If he wasn't already a legit Heisman contender, he was after that gem. It was a pass Spartans quarterback Todd Schultz was just trying to throw away after being pressured, but Woodson had other ideas with a leaping pick on the sideline, one of two interceptions on the day. 15 Michigan State was a play for the ages. Woodson was a highlight waiting to happen in 1997, but his one-handed interception in the 23-7 win over No. I've never really gone down that road before. Manning: I just don't have a lot of thoughts on or a lot of analysis on it. But if Tennessee beats Florida that year, then Peyton is probably the Heisman Trophy winner. I also think they were trying to recognize a great player in Woodson who did multiple things on both sides of the ball as well as special teams. Knoxville native and Marshall QB Chad Pennington: I felt for Peyton because he had such an amazing career and accomplished everything, and just because he didn't beat Florida - as if it's completely on his shoulders - is unfair to hold that against him. I can see why all those Vols are still mad about it. maybe they just wanted a defensive back to win the thing. Tennessee went ahead and won the SEC that year. 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. Get What You Earn: Alabama earns loss vs.MS State's Johnson remains humble in his success.UT's Heupel says the plan is to execute better vs.
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