1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team
Encyclopedia
The 1997 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee
during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
. Quarterback
Peyton Manning
had already completed his degree in three years, and had been projected to be the top overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft
, but returned to Tennessee for his senior year. The Volunteers opened the season with victories against Texas Tech and , but for the third time in his career, Manning fell to Florida, 33–20. The Vols won the rest of their regular season games, finishing 10–1, and advanced to the SEC Championship Game
game against Auburn
. Down 20–7, Manning led the Vols to a 30–29 victory. Throwing for four touchdowns, he was named the game's MVP, but injured himself in the process. The #3 Vols were matched up with #2 Nebraska in
the Orange Bowl
. Had Tennessee won and top-ranked Michigan
lost to Washington State
in the Rose Bowl
, the Vols would have been expected to win the national championship
. However, the Vols' defense could not stop Nebraska's rushing attack, giving up over 400 yards on the ground in a 42–17 loss. As a senior, Manning won numerous awards. He was a consensus first-team All-American and won the Maxwell Award
, the Davey O'Brien Award
, the Johnny Unitas Award, and the Best College Football Player ESPY Award
, among others. However, he did not win the Heisman Trophy
, finishing second to Charles Woodson
of Michigan.
:
Cosey Coleman, OL
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
during the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in early January 1998. The national championship was...
. Quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning
Peyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
had already completed his degree in three years, and had been projected to be the top overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft
1997 NFL Draft
The 1997 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 19–20, 1997. No teams elected to claim any players in the supplemental draft that...
, but returned to Tennessee for his senior year. The Volunteers opened the season with victories against Texas Tech and , but for the third time in his career, Manning fell to Florida, 33–20. The Vols won the rest of their regular season games, finishing 10–1, and advanced to the SEC Championship Game
1997 SEC Championship Game
The 1997 SEC Championship Game was won by the Tennessee Volunteers 30-29 over the Auburn Tigers. The game was played in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia on December 6, 1997 and was televised to a national audience on ABC.-External links:*...
game against Auburn
1997 Auburn Tigers football team
The 1997 Auburn Tigers football team represented Auburn University in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team, coached by Terry Bowden, finished with a 10–3 record and won the school's first SEC West Division championship, but lost by a point to Tennessee in the 1997 SEC Championship...
. Down 20–7, Manning led the Vols to a 30–29 victory. Throwing for four touchdowns, he was named the game's MVP, but injured himself in the process. The #3 Vols were matched up with #2 Nebraska in
1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team
The 1997 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team was coached by Tom Osborne and played their home games in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.-Schedule:...
the Orange Bowl
1998 Orange Bowl
The 1998 Orange Bowl a 1997-1998 Bowl Alliance game was played on January 2, 1998. This 64th edition to the Orange Bowl featured the Nebraska Cornhuskers, and the Tennessee Volunteers. Tennessee came into the game with an 11-1 record and #3 AP ranking, whereas Nebraska came into the game with a...
. Had Tennessee won and top-ranked Michigan
1997 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1997 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season. In its third year under head coach Lloyd Carr, Michigan compiled a perfect 12–0 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship, defeated Washington State in the 1998...
lost to Washington State
1997 Washington State Cougars football team
The 1997 Washington State Cougars football team represented Washington State University during the 1997 NCAA college football season. The Cougars were led by ninth-year head coach Mike Price and played their home games at Martin Stadium in Pullman, Washington....
in the Rose Bowl
1998 Rose Bowl
The 1998 Rose Bowl was a college football bowl game played on January 1, 1998 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. It was the 84th Rose Bowl Game. The game featured Michigan beating Washington State by a score of 21–16. The ending of the game is controversial...
, the Vols would have been expected to win the national championship
NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship
A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...
. However, the Vols' defense could not stop Nebraska's rushing attack, giving up over 400 yards on the ground in a 42–17 loss. As a senior, Manning won numerous awards. He was a consensus first-team All-American and won the Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
, the Davey O'Brien Award
Davey O'Brien Award
The Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
, the Johnny Unitas Award, and the Best College Football Player ESPY Award
Best College Football Player ESPY Award
The Best College Football Player ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2001 to the collegiate American football player adjudged to be the best in the United States in a given calendar year...
, among others. However, he did not win the Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...
, finishing second to Charles Woodson
Charles Woodson
Charles C. Woodson is an American football cornerback for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He played college football at the University of Michigan for the Michigan Wolverines. In 1997, Woodson led the Wolverines to a national championship...
of Michigan.
Schedule
Players
The following members of the team went on to play in the NFLNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
:
- Shaun EllisShaun EllisMeShaunda "Shaun" Pizarrur Ellis is an American football defensive end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . Ellis was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2000 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee...
, Defensive End - Terry FairTerry FairTerrance Delon Fair is a former National Football League cornerback for the St. Louis Rams. He was drafted in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. He has been out of the league since the 2002 NFL season, with a brief comeback attempt with the Rams.Fair is the current co-host...
, Defensive Back, - Jamal LewisJamal LewisJamal Lafitte Lewis is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens fifth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
, Running Back - Leonard LittleLeonard LittleLeonard Antonio Little is a former American football defensive end. He was originally drafted by the Rams in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee.-Early years:...
, Defensive End - Peyton ManningPeyton ManningPeyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
, Quarterback - Peerless PricePeerless PricePeerless Jilo Price is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft...
, Wide Receiver - Trey TeagueTrey TeagueFred Everette Teague III or Trey Teague is an American football center who is currently a free agent in the National Football League, unlikely to play at the age of 36...
, Center - Al WilsonAl WilsonAldra Kauwa Wilson is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 31st overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee....
, Linebacker - Raynoch ThompsonRaynoch ThompsonRaynoch Thompson Ray "Knock Your Head Off" Thompson is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2nd round of the 2000 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee. He spent 5 years for the Cardinals, until they released...
, Linebacker - Deon GrantDeon GrantDeon D'Marquis Grant is an American football safety for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft...
, DB - Dwayne GoodrichDwayne GoodrichDwayne Lewis Goodrich is a former American football cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League...
, DB - Chad CliftonChad CliftonJeffrey Chad Clifton is an American football offensive tackle for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee....
, OT - Jeff HallJeff Hall (American football)Jeff Hall married Stacey Sherwood on April 10, 2010.Paul Jeffery Hall is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the St. Louis Rams. He played college football at the University of Tennessee and was drafted in the sixth round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the...
, K - Bill DuffBill DuffBill Duff is a former National Football League, NFL Europe, and Arena Football League defensive tackle, and co-host of Human Weapon on the History Channel...
, DT - Marcus NashMarcus NashMarcus DeLando Nash is free agent wide receiver, formerly of the Dallas Desperados of the Arena Football League. He was drafted by the Denver Broncos 30th overall in the 1998 NFL Draft...
, WR
Cosey Coleman, OL
Awards and honors
- Peyton ManningPeyton ManningPeyton Williams Manning is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League . Manning holds the record for most NFL MVP awards with four. He was drafted by the Colts as the first overall pick in 1998 after a standout college football career with the...
, consensus first-team All-American - Peyton Manning, Maxwell AwardMaxwell AwardThe Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
winner - Peyton Manning, Davey O'Brien AwardDavey O'Brien AwardThe Davey O'Brien Award, officially the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, named after Davey O'Brien, is presented annually to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the Davey O'Brien Foundation to be the best of all National Collegiate Athletic Association quarterbacks. The...
winner - Peyton Manning, James E. Sullivan AwardJames E. Sullivan AwardThe James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union , is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past...
- Peyton Manning, Johnny Unitas Award winner
- Peyton Manning, Best College Football Player ESPY AwardBest College Football Player ESPY AwardThe Best College Football Player ESPY Award was presented annually between 1993 and 2001 to the collegiate American football player adjudged to be the best in the United States in a given calendar year...
winner - Peyton Manning, runner-up, Heisman TrophyHeisman TrophyThe Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...