1997 College Football

1.       Charles Woodson: Won the Heisman Trophy and was the first and only primarily defensive player to win college football’s top honor.

He won the Walter Camp Award as the country’s top player. He was the Nagurski (top defensive player) and Thorpe (top defensive back) award winner.

Woodson was a consensus All-American and the Big 10 defensive player of the year for the second straight season.

He was 2^nd in the NCAA in interceptions with eight, including one incredible pick vs. Michigan St.

He tallied 44 tackles, and nine pass breakups.

On offense, Woodson he had 12 catches for 238 yards (19.8 ypc) and two scores, including a 37-yard score in 34-8 rout of #16 Penn St.

He also accounted for a 33-yard TD run, and 301 yards on punt returns, including the game changing TD vs. Ohio St.

Michigan would beat the #12 Buckeyes 20-14 and win the Big 10. 

The Wolverines would win the National Championship by knocking off #9 Washington St. 21-16 in the Rose Bowl . Woodson picked off All-American QB Ryan Leaf in the end zone to preserve a 7-0 deficit in the 1^st quarter.

The Maze and Blue would finish the season ranked #1 in the AP poll and were 12-0. Michigan’s defense allowed just 9.5 points per game.

2.       Ryan Leaf: Finished 3^rd in the Heisman voting, and was 2^nd team All-American by the AP and first team by the Sporting News. He was the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year.

He won the Sammy Baugh Trophy given to the nation’s top passer.

He was a finalist of for the Maxwell Award (POY) and O’Brien Trophy (QB of the Year).

He was 2^nd in the NCAA passing efficiency (158.7) and third in total offense. 

Leaf threw 3,637 yards 35 TDs (which were both Pac-10 records) and just 10 Ints. He also added 4 rushing TDs.

Leaf’s season started with a bang against #5 UCLA.  He led Wazzu to a 37-34 stunning win behind 381 yards and 3 TDs.

 The Cougars claimed the Pac-10 title with 41-35 win over #18 Washington, and advanced to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 66 years. Leaf threw for 358 and two scores.

In the Rose Bowl against #1 Michigan, Leaf helped give the Cougars a 7-0 lead with a 1^st quarter TD pass. He finished the evening with 331 yards thru the air. 

Washington St. led the Pac-10 in scoring with 40.3 PPG. They finished the season ranked #9 in polls with 10-2 mark overall, 7-1 in conference.

3.       Peyton Manning: Was the runner up in the Heisman race. He was named 1^st team All-American by the AP, the Football Writers, Walter Camp, and Football News.

He was named player of the year (Maxwell) and QB of the Year (O’Brien, and Unitas awards).

He was named the SEC Player of the Year and the MVP of the SEC Championship game.

Against #11 Auburn he torched the Tigers for 373 yards and 4 TDs.

The SEC title game was one of nine 300+ yard games of the season.

Manning would finish with 3,819 yards 36 TDs and 11 Ints and a 145.3 efficiency rating in regular season.

He lit up #10 Georgia and # 5 UCLA for a combined 644 yards and six touchdowns.

In a 42-17 loss in the Orange Bowl to #2 Nebraska Manning threw for 134 and a TD.