Peyton Manning, Steve Spurrier among candidates for College Football HOF
— -- Throughout his college career, Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning couldn't beat the Steve Spurrier-coached Florida Gators. Now, Manning can just join him.
Manning and the "ol' ball coach" are among the 17 first-time candidates up for election to the College Football Hall of Fame.
The National Football Foundation on Wednesday released the ballot for the class that will be announced Jan. 6, 2017. Former Heisman Trophy winners Eric Crouch, Matt Leinart and Rashaan Salaam are among the 75 players and six coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision on the ballot.
San Diego State running back Marshall Faulk, former Cal tight end Tony Gonzalez, Arkansas DT Dan Hampton and USC safety Troy Polamalu are also up the first-time candidates up for election.
WIth the Volunteers, Manning became just the fourth quarterback in NCAA history to pass for more than 11,000 yards and surpassed the 300-yard mark in 18 games. As a starter, he went 39-5 from 1994 to 1997. However, he was winless in four starts against Spurrier's Gators.
Spurrier, who stepped down last season as coach at South Carolina, is the winningest coach in the history of the Gators and Gamecocks and ranks second all-time among SEC coaches. He won six SEC titles and led the Gators to the 1996 national championship.
Other coaches up for election include Danny Ford, who led Clemson to five ACC titles and also coached at Arkansas, and Darryl Rogers, who led programs at Fresno State, San Jose State, Michigan State and Arizona State.
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