TAMPA, Fla. – Peyton Manning and his Southeastern Conference nemesis, former Florida coach Steve Spurrier, will go into the College Football Hall of Fame together.
The rest of the new Hall of Fame class of 13 players and coaches includes Southern California Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart, San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk and Danny Ford, who coached Clemson to its only national championship.
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Manning started for four seasons at Tennessee and set school records for yards passing (11,201) and touchdown passes (89). He led the Volunteers to four consecutive bowl games and was Heisman Trophy runner-up as a senior in 1997.
But he never did beat Spurrier's Gators, going 0-3. Spurrier built Florida into an SEC powerhouse from 1990-2001, winning six conference titles and the school's first national championship in 1996.
Rounding out the class are Notre Dame linebacker Bob Crable, Michigan State wide receiver Kirk Gibson, Texas offensive tackle Bob McKay, Texas A&M linebacker Dat Nguyen, Georgia Southern running back Adrian Peterson, Boston College guard Mike Ruth, New Mexico defensive back Brian Urlacher, and former Mount Union coach Larry Kehres.
Spurrier becomes the fourth person to enter the Hall of Fame as a player and a coach, joining Bobby Dodd, Amos Alonzo Stagg and Bowden Wyatt.