Interesting article on ESPN about the 1997 Heisman and National Championship controversy

Submitted by TdK71 on December 7th, 2022 at 8:36 AM

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/35181627/peyton-manning-charles-woodson-heisman-title-conspiracies

Fairly interesting it appears that Vol's fans are still salty to this day over Charles Woodson beating out Payton for the Heisman, Michigan players from 97 say this could still be settled on the field.

 

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I'mTheStig

December 7th, 2022 at 10:34 AM ^

Not to mention in the regular season (which is supposed to be the body of work for the Heisman), Peyton never beat their rival (0-4 against Florida).  Woodson did.  If you're a voter and it's coming down to razor thin margins, I'm sure that was a data point taken into consideration by some.

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Buy Bushwood

December 7th, 2022 at 9:26 AM ^

Jesus Christ!  A controversial play at the end led to UM winning.  At best it would have given WSU a Hail Mary.  It didn't lead to winning it led to the inability of WSU to attempt a super low-probability play.  Some people live in complete delusions. Not even to mention that the only reason WSU was even near midfield was because of one of the most blatant uncalled OPI's I've ever seen.  Watch at 1:16:50 and you can see the ref actually take his flag out and then put it back.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwB7TG4yEBQ

Fat Phil's comments in the article clearly incriminate him.  He says he "can't remember" where he ranked UM, but voted Nebraska #1.  How would he possibly not remember where he ranked the only other undefeated team in the only year with split champions of all the seasons he had a vote?  That's absurd.  He unquestionably knows.  

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remdog

December 7th, 2022 at 11:40 AM ^

Yeah, that was a miracle play and Nebraska should have lost.

And since it was kicked, wasn't it illegal?  Or isn't it illegal today to kick a loose ball?  Does it differ between college and pro?

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Niels

December 7th, 2022 at 12:46 PM ^

I'm glad you posted this. I remember watching that ending in the parking lot of PSU's stadium after the curb-stomping UM put on Penn State earlier and could not believe that was ruled a TD. I'm convinced that if social media was around then there would have been far more discussion of that "win" in the big picture. 

Related: I remember later at a wedding talking to Nebraska's main pbp guy who got red in the face when I suggested that the coaches vote was a retirement present for Osborne. I kind of feel bad about saying it to him then but not about the idea that the vote had something to do with that. 

Given where both programs are 25 years later (and even with the lean years from 2007-2020) I would much rather be in UM's position. 

As for TN, I recall seeing nothing but SEC hype on TV when most of Manning's TD passes were YAC-fests and that when the spotlight was truly on him, against the Ol' Ball coach (the one who famously noted "You can't spell Citrus without UT") he couldn't close the deal. The fact that this barely is mentioned in the piece or acknowledged by UT fans is yet another reminder of how deluded some of that fan base is/was.

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Blues the ONE

December 7th, 2022 at 2:16 PM ^

Watch the final minute of the game, the WSU receiver, #82, caught the ball (after mugging Charles Woodson)! The ref pulled the flag out of his pocket, didn't throw it, and then waived the play dead still with the flag in his left hand. 

Then #82  ends up injured on the field. He is attended to and finally has 2 people help him off the field, even though when the play ended he was tackled into his own sideline. The play was out of bounds, so the clock stopped anyway but is does give WSU extra time to reset their offense and come up with a play. 

And guess who made a miraculous recovery to get back in for the final aborted play, on the far side of the field from their sidelines. Yep, #82. 

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energyblue1

December 7th, 2022 at 10:01 AM ^

The officiating is the only controversial part of that game.  They held the flag on so many plays that last wazzu drive.  A massive hold by the wazzu oline on our DE in the endzone ends that game, not called...  

OPI the wazzu rec on Woodson was so blatant and obvious the ref started to throw the flag and remembered he was rooting against Michigan so he didn't, pushes it back in his pocket.  

The play with 6 seconds left was called in illegal formation but the flag doesn't go up until after the snap with the de having a clear shot for the sack and the game was plainly over, clock runs out.... And the illegal formation was bs, the formation used all game long and never called till that moment....  Not the other 20 times wazzu ran the formation and the end rec who signaled the ref lined up like that all game long nearly a yd off the ball so he couldn't get jammed for a clean release of the los.  Total bs to allow it all game and then call it...  

Clock controversy isn't one.  Tackled with 2 seconds the clock was stopped immediately and wazzu didn't run a play.  The clock starts on the officials whistle not the snap, which they whistled and the delay of snap and spike was enough... game.  But all the above ends the game so if we're talking controversy, look at the entire last drive.  

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MGoVictory

December 7th, 2022 at 4:28 PM ^

One thing people seem to forget is Michigan and Nebraska had two common opponents.

Michigan 27 - Colorado 3

Nebraska 27 - Colorado 24

Michigan 38 - Baylor 3

Nebraska 49 - Baylor 21

Michigan walloped and almost shut out both teams. Nebraska struggled to beat Colorado, and gave up 21 points to Baylor. 
 

Yet, to this day, there’s a lot of numbskulls who think Nebraska would be favored to beat Michigan in a national championship game.

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shoes

December 7th, 2022 at 10:39 AM ^

Back before Peyton had won a Super Bowl, but had a few seasons in which the Colts were beaten favorites, someone (maybe The Onion), ran a hilarious piece in which the Colts had signed Tee Martin to start for them in the play-offs (Tee was out of football at the time).

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Buy Bushwood

December 7th, 2022 at 9:12 AM ^

The same Peyton Manning who never beat his arch rival Florida, and rolled over and played dead against Nebraska in the Orange Bowl?  For the same Tennessee team that had a better record in the four years after he left than the 4 in which he ran the show?  Doesn't sound like much of a college resume to me.   

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mGrowOld

December 7th, 2022 at 8:45 AM ^

Phil Fulmer, the head coach of Tennessee voted Michigan 3rd in the coaches poll which allowed for Nebraska to "win" that poll and split the National Championship.   Did he do that because of the Heisman vote?  Maybe.  But Osborne was retiring at the end of 97 so giving Nebraska a share of the title served two purposes: one, it gave his buddy Tom and nice going away present and two, it stuck it to Michigan.

To this day I dislike Tennessee for that vote.  Just like to this day I dislike MSU for voting against Michigan representing the B1G in the 1973 Rose Bowl.

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Papabearblue2

December 7th, 2022 at 10:10 AM ^

I love love LOVE that Nebraska came into the B1G talking like they were going to completely OWN it.

They have been a fucking doormat since the first season. They brought home their proverbial son and he ruined his career and made them even worse.

Frost and Nebraska deserved every bit of it.

Furthermore, this is the closest TN has gotten in a long time. Is it a bit of M retribution that a QB injury derailed their season?

A lot of M's biggest enemies over the last few decades have had a rough time of it this year.

This has definitely been a "revenge year", but more in a Karmic sense. Would love to see some Karma on that Broyles award come around in a few weeks.

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Niels

December 7th, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^

I really, REALLY, want ESPN to do a piece on the reffing of that game. It's the singular time in all of my sports fandom where I felt the refs were truly biased, especially when it got out that one of the side judges was a self-described OSU fanatic. 

It wasn't even about the last spot either. It was about so much inconsistency on PI's throughout the game. 

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lilpenny1316

December 7th, 2022 at 9:07 AM ^

I don't know how they could say the SEC wasn't on ESPN with a straight face. I grew up in the 80s and 90s knowing Ron Franklin and Mike Gottfried for calling SEC games on Saturday night. I can't remember a time when ESPN did not carry the SEC.

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flashOverride

December 7th, 2022 at 9:11 AM ^

I remember Frost's whining but forgot some of the specifics. The "controversial play" was on the officials and without it Washington State was still down to needing a 26-yard pass play, certainly possible but still low-percentage. Nebraska's controversial play to get to OT against Missouri that year was outright cheating and they absolutely would have lost without it.

Also wanted to add I couldn't stand Peyton Manning, from the first time I saw him play in 1995. He was a great QB but there have been plenty better, just like Favre he's on a pedestal because he's an icon of redneck America, and I'm glad Brady has had a more successful NFL career. Also, Tennessee fans, woah, he's one man and it was 25 years ago. Get over it lol.

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