College football: 30 best college quarterbacks of all-time
839. . QB. Volunteers . Peyton Manning . 7. player
30 best college football quarterbacks of all-time: 7. Peyton Manning, Tennessee football
Career stats:
- 11,201 passing yards
- 62.5 completion percentage
- 89 TDs
There was something about Peyton Manning. It didn’t matter if he was on a professional field or college turf, Manning tended to win and embarrass you while doing it.
Like most on this list, Manning struggled early on. With over 500 touchdowns in his professional career, it’s almost hard to believe that Manning was only able to muster 11 during his first year at Tennessee. That, of course, would turn out to be an anomaly.
Manning ripped defenses apart in year two. His near six to one touchdown to interception ratio paired with his near 3,000 passing yards allowed his team to end their season with only one loss and the number three ranking to end the year. Despite those numbers, he would finish only sixth in the Heisman voting.
After an impressive junior year, Manning put the world on notice in his final season. He threw for 3,819 yards and 36 touchdowns. His throwing percentage was a bit low considering he was Peyton Manning coming in at 60.2, but Manning was consistent that year and led his team to the SEC title.
The trophy case of Manning became flooded with awards including the Maxwell Award, and the Johnny Unitas Award but would finish second that year in the Heisman. If his pro career was taken into consideration, Manning would easily be ranked number one on this list.