Peyton Manning was wowing people way before he was drafted with the first pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts. He was a massive superstar for the Tennessee Volunteers and one of the best collegiate quarterbacks that has ever stepped on the field. He has an extensive resume as a professional, but in college football, he is also in the GOAT conversation. Let’s take a look at where he ranks in college football history.
Peyton Manning ranked the 31st-best player in college football history
Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning celebrates after a Tennessee Volunteers basket Friday, March 28, 2025, during the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The Sports Illustrated staff created a list of the top 50 college football players of all time. The Tennessee Volunteers quarterback right before the turn of the century was Peyton Manning, and he was a massive star. He ranked 31st on the list and below is what they had to say about Manning’s collegiate career:
“Before he became one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Peyton Manning was one of the best passers in the country during his four years at Tennessee, where he is still the school’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown passes. Manning posted his best season as a senior 1997, in which he threw for 3,819 yards, 36 touchdowns and set a then-school record with 523 passing yards in a November win over Kentucky.
“He lost a tight Heisman Trophy race to Michigan’s Charles Woodson, and went on to become the No. 1 pick in the 1998 draft. Manning never won a national title at Tennessee (which would go on to win the BCS national title the year after his departure), but he did lead a remarkable, double-digit point comeback against Auburn to win the Volunteers their first-ever SEC championship in ‘97.”
Peyton Manning had one of the most dominant collegiate careers as in 45 games, he completed 863 of 1381 (62.5%) of his passes for 11,201 yards with 89 passing touchdowns to 33 interceptions. He was in the top eight of the Heisman Trophy voting for his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, but never won the award. He was the 1997 SEC Player of the Year and an All-American in the 1997 season as well.
Below are the college football quarterbacks who ranked higher than Peyton Manning on this list:
Cam Newton
Tim Tebow
Joe Burrow
Roger Staubach
Vince Young
Baker Mayfield
Lamar Jackson
One of the best quarterbacks in history to never win the Heisman Trophy, Manning is a legend with the Tennessee Volunteers. It creates a bit of a discussion with how well he was able to throw the football and develop into the future Pro Football Hall of Famer.
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