1997 Nebraska, Michigan, Tennessee

[Huskerforlife]

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ng-charles-woodson-heisman-title-conspiracies

 

[Irv]

https://www.espn.com/college-footba...ng-charles-woodson-heisman-title-conspiracies

1. Tennessee is right that college football media and ESPN in particular became an advocacy group for Woodson. It was shameless. It was one of the first times you could really see ESPN feeling its power over the sport.

2. The alleged conspiracy on the coaches vote makes no sense. NU had 32 first place votes and 30 seconds. Michigan had 30 first place votes. Even if someone voted them 3rd or 4th, it's mathematically irrelevant once NU has more 1st place votes and the rest second place.

 

[NTXHusker]

If Michigan really thinks that they would've beaten us that year, more power to them. They probably should've taken care of Washington State more handily and then the bitching wouldn't be happening.

 

[Husker_in_OK]

I vividly remember watching the Heisman Trophy show that year. ESPN literally talked about Manning for that entire hour during the show, and then they announced Woodson won the Heisman. I was like "what the fuck just happened" ? Nobody expected that especially when the entire hour they talked about Manning the entire time ..

 

[NTXHusker]

I vividly remember watching the Heisman Trophy show that year. ESPN literally talked about Manning for that entire hour during the show, and then they announced Woodson won the Heisman. I was like "what the fuck just happened" ? Nobody expected that especially when the entire hour they talked about Manning the entire time ..

I was going to say, I remember being happy that Woodson won thinking that Manning had been shoved down our throats. I guess its all confirmation bias. If you thought "they" wanted Woodson to win, you only saw them pushing Woodson and the same for Manning.

 

[InTheDeed]

I never knew about the conspiracy with Fulmer and the coaches poll vote. What really sticks out to me is Fulmer “forgetting” where he put them. Why would you have put them below 2, and if you did would you really forget it? Just fishy.

Oh and Ann Arbor is a whore.

 

[Pipe Line]

That's fine, we would have won.

 

[SoCal_Corn]

1. Tennessee is right that college football media and ESPN in particular became an advocacy group for Woodson. It was shameless. It was one of the first times you could really see ESPN feeling its power over the sport.

2. The alleged conspiracy on the coaches vote makes no sense. NU had 32 first place votes and 30 seconds. Michigan had 30 first place votes. Even if someone voted them 3rd or 4th, it's mathematically irrelevant once NU has more 1st place votes and the rest second place.

YES

ESPN and ABC began to campaign for Mich.
And therefore Woodson.

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Everyone moans about Scott Frost's 30 second speech, but Michigan got a 3 hour PR job during their bowl game, with their starting QB's dad doing play by play and pumping up their lackluster showing (that needed referee assistance to hold off a team they should have stomped).

 

[doublewing]

1. Tennessee is right that college football media and ESPN in particular became an advocacy group for Woodson. It was shameless. It was one of the first times you could really see ESPN feeling its power over the sport.

2. The alleged conspiracy on the coaches vote makes no sense. NU had 32 first place votes and 30 seconds. Michigan had 30 first place votes. Even if someone voted them 3rd or 4th, it's mathematically irrelevant once NU has more 1st place votes and the rest second place.

On #1, it was disgusting. Woodson was a great player but when he lined up on offense and just ran a 7 yard out pattern/catch, that highlight would be replayed over and over on ESPN/ABC like he just ran a 2 minute mile. I think he deserved to win but at the same time I've never seen it promoted by a news organization like this.

The Rose Bowl was also a celebration of Michigan. Griese calling his son's game while they struggle with a mediocre WSU team. NU had a few close games that season, but when the title was on the line they crushed a damn good Tennessee team. The ABC/ESPN crew had already moved on and the NU game (played the next day) was like an afterthought they didn't care about on CBS.