1998 College Football

1. Ricky Williams: Won the Heisman Trophy. He set the NCAA career record for rushing yards, touchdowns, points and 200 yard games.

He was a consensus All-American and Doak Walker (Best RB) for the second straight year. He was also the unanimous national player of the year.

The Texas Tornado totaled 2,124 yards (6.0 ypc) and 27 TDs in 11 games.  He added 262 yards and TD receiving.

In his record breaking performance he carried the ball 44 times for 259 yards as Texas upset #11 Texas A&M. He eclipsed Tony Dorsett’s mark on a 60 yard epic dash.

He ran for over 200 yards six times, including two 300 yard games.

Williams earned MVP of the Cotton Bowl, a 38-11  route of SEC West Champion Mississippi St. He ran for 203 more yards and 2 TDs.

The Longhorns were 9-3 and 6-2 in the Big 12. They finished #15 in the polls.

2. Peerless Price: Was the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl (national championship game). He had four catches for 199 yards and the game changing 79 yard TD.

Price’s 4^th quarter TD (the longest play in Fiesta Bowl history) gave Tennessee a 21-9 cushion over Florida State.

He was also named the SEC title game MVP with six receptions for 99 yards and a TD. He hauled in a 41 yard score to give the Vols a 17-14 lead in the 4^th.

In Tennessee’s season opener against #25 Syracuse, Price helped UT to a 33-31 comeback win with 87 yards and 2 TDs.

He made clutch plays all season including a key TD catch in a 20-17 OT win over #5 Florida and a 100 yards Kick return TD vs. Alabama.

He was 2^nd team All-SEC and had 65 grabs for 1,119 yards and 11 scores in all 13 games played.

Tennessee won the national title over #2 Florida St. 23-16 to capture their first national championship since 1951. Rocky Top was 13-0 and won the SEC for the second straight season.

3. Champ Bailey: He was the national defensive player of the year (Bednairk award). He was a consensus All-American.

He also finished 7^th in the Heisman voting and a finalist for the Thorpe award as the top defensive back in the country.

Champ was a three-way threat with 3 INTs, 745 yards receiving (6^th in the sec) 5 TDs, and a 21.8 average on kick returns.

Bailey was on the field for over 100 plays in six games..

He was the Peach Bowl MVP with 3 rec. for 74 yards and 14 yard TD, 2 tackles 1 pass break up and 5 KO returns for 102 yards in a 35-33 win over #18 Virginia.

Georgia was 9-3, including 6-2 in the SEC and finished #14 in the poll.