Eli Manning to be Inducted Into Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame
12/31/2022 | Football
ARLINGTON, Texas – Ole Miss legend Eli Manning will be inducted into the Cotton Bowl Classic Hall of Fame as part of the 13th HOF class, the organization announced on Friday. Enshrinement ceremonies will take place on May 11, 2023, at AT&T Stadium.
The honorees in the 13th Hall of Fame class include Manning, former Florida State defensive back Terrell Buckley, Texas A&M quarterback Edd Hargett, Auburn linebacker Will Herring,Past CBAA Chairman Fred McClure, Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel, and Missouri tailback Tony Temple.
A judging committee comprised of media representatives and athletic administrators voted from a long list of former players, coaches, bowl administrators and others to select the 2023 Class.
Manning was quite familiar with the pressures that came with being a high-profile quarterback at Ole Miss. He was faced with the challenge of leading the Rebels to their first major bowl victory in 34 years. His job was to outscore Oklahoma State's high-octane attack in the 68th Cotton Bowl Classic in 2004. And Manning delivered in a big way. He threw for two touchdowns in the first half after long drives through enemy territory.
At the start of the fourth quarter, he pushed the Rebels to a 31-14 lead with a quarterback sneak to wrap up a 97-yard march. But the Cowboys were far from finished and they pulled within three points of the Rebels in the game's closing minutes. Manning dug in and led his team on another time-consuming drive. This one covered 65 yards and chewed up the final 4:38 on the clock. It was a clutch performance by the Rebels and Manning in particular. Ole Miss won a thriller, 31-28.
Manning, a four-year letterwinner for the Rebels from 2000-03, won the Maxwell Award as a senior, an honor given to the best all-around player in college football. He set or tied 47 Ole Miss single‑game, season and career records during his time in Oxford.
The New Orleans, Louisiana, native became the highest pick in program history when he was selected No. 1 in the 2004 NFL Draft. His father, Archie Manning, was the No. 2 overall pick of the New Orleans Saints in 1971 after a historic career with the Rebels from 1968-70.
Eli, who finished third in the 2003 Heisman Trophy ballot following his senior season, finished his illustrious Ole Miss career with a school-record 10,119 career passing yards and 81 career TD passes. He also set new Ole Miss career records for completions (829) and passing attempts (1,363), and both marks ranked fourth on the SEC career lists.
He recorded the lowest percentage of interceptions thrown at Ole Miss (2.57) and owns a career pass efficiency rating of 137.7. His career completion percentage of 60.8 tied the Ole Miss career record set by Stewart Patridge (1994, 1996-1997). Eli also set Ole Miss career records for consecutive games with a TD pass (16), consecutive 200-yard passing games (11) and consecutive 250-yard passing games (7).
Eli solidified his place in Ole Miss history with a historic senior campaign in 2003. Besides the Maxwell Award, he won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and earned numerous All-America honors after throwing for 3,600 yards and 29 TDs. He earned SEC Offensive Player of the Year, helping lead the Rebels to a 10-3 record.
After being drafted No. 1 by the San Diego Chargers, Manning was traded to the New York Giants for Phillip Rivers. Manning would go on to don a Giants uniform for 16 years, retiring shortly after the 2019 season. He was named to four Pro Bowls and was a two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Super Bowl MVP. Manning was awarded the 2020 Bart Starr Award, which is given annually to an NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.
Get all the latest information on the team by following @olemissfb on Twitter and Instagram and OleMissFootball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at OleMissSports on Twitter and Facebook and OleMissAthletics on Instagram.
The honorees in the 13th Hall of Fame class include Manning, former Florida State defensive back Terrell Buckley, Texas A&M quarterback Edd Hargett, Auburn linebacker Will Herring,Past CBAA Chairman Fred McClure, Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel, and Missouri tailback Tony Temple.
A judging committee comprised of media representatives and athletic administrators voted from a long list of former players, coaches, bowl administrators and others to select the 2023 Class.
Manning was quite familiar with the pressures that came with being a high-profile quarterback at Ole Miss. He was faced with the challenge of leading the Rebels to their first major bowl victory in 34 years. His job was to outscore Oklahoma State's high-octane attack in the 68th Cotton Bowl Classic in 2004. And Manning delivered in a big way. He threw for two touchdowns in the first half after long drives through enemy territory.
At the start of the fourth quarter, he pushed the Rebels to a 31-14 lead with a quarterback sneak to wrap up a 97-yard march. But the Cowboys were far from finished and they pulled within three points of the Rebels in the game's closing minutes. Manning dug in and led his team on another time-consuming drive. This one covered 65 yards and chewed up the final 4:38 on the clock. It was a clutch performance by the Rebels and Manning in particular. Ole Miss won a thriller, 31-28.
Manning, a four-year letterwinner for the Rebels from 2000-03, won the Maxwell Award as a senior, an honor given to the best all-around player in college football. He set or tied 47 Ole Miss single‑game, season and career records during his time in Oxford.
The New Orleans, Louisiana, native became the highest pick in program history when he was selected No. 1 in the 2004 NFL Draft. His father, Archie Manning, was the No. 2 overall pick of the New Orleans Saints in 1971 after a historic career with the Rebels from 1968-70.
Eli, who finished third in the 2003 Heisman Trophy ballot following his senior season, finished his illustrious Ole Miss career with a school-record 10,119 career passing yards and 81 career TD passes. He also set new Ole Miss career records for completions (829) and passing attempts (1,363), and both marks ranked fourth on the SEC career lists.
He recorded the lowest percentage of interceptions thrown at Ole Miss (2.57) and owns a career pass efficiency rating of 137.7. His career completion percentage of 60.8 tied the Ole Miss career record set by Stewart Patridge (1994, 1996-1997). Eli also set Ole Miss career records for consecutive games with a TD pass (16), consecutive 200-yard passing games (11) and consecutive 250-yard passing games (7).
Eli solidified his place in Ole Miss history with a historic senior campaign in 2003. Besides the Maxwell Award, he won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and earned numerous All-America honors after throwing for 3,600 yards and 29 TDs. He earned SEC Offensive Player of the Year, helping lead the Rebels to a 10-3 record.
After being drafted No. 1 by the San Diego Chargers, Manning was traded to the New York Giants for Phillip Rivers. Manning would go on to don a Giants uniform for 16 years, retiring shortly after the 2019 season. He was named to four Pro Bowls and was a two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time Super Bowl MVP. Manning was awarded the 2020 Bart Starr Award, which is given annually to an NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.
Get all the latest information on the team by following @olemissfb on Twitter and Instagram and OleMissFootball on Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at OleMissSports on Twitter and Facebook and OleMissAthletics on Instagram.