THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: BRIAN GRIESE, QUARTERBACK, MICHIGAN

VITAL STATISTICS

18 for 30, 251 yards, three touchdowns, one interception.

DEFINING MOMENT

On second and 13 at the Washington State 23-yard line, with Michigan leading, 14-13, Griese threw a bootleg pass to Jerame Tuman for a 23-yard touchdown that gave the Wolverines some breathing room. It completed a 14-play, 77-yard drive that took 5:25 off the clock, as the Wolverines desperately tried to control the ball and consume the clock. “That was a play we had run a couple of times and sometimes they lose coverage,” Griese said. “I just lofted the ball and kept it up there and he caught it.”

OTHER KEY PLAYS

After Washington State had kicked a field goal, Griese scrambled for a pivotal first down to sustain a clock-eating drive on a third and 11 at Michigan’s 18-yard line. He eluded one tackler before diving toward the left sideline and getting the first down, enabling Michigan to maintain possession.

LITTLE-KNOWN FACT

Griese is so good a golfer, Michigan’s golf coach asked him to try out for the team.

IN HIS WORDS

“I’ve been through so much. Winning this game was my ultimate goal. To be named MVP was something I never expected. It’s something kids always dream of. I was happy all year that I could just contribute to the team. I just wanted to be part of this team, and by the end of this year, I was that.”

IN THEIR WORDS

Michigan Coach Lloyd Carr: “A lot of people said Brian Griese can’t throw the ball. I’ve said it before, but I wouldn’t trade Brian Griese for any quarterback in the country. I guarantee you. If I were a coach in the NFL I’d take Brian Griese in a heartbeat.”

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MVPs

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Year Winner, School 1998 Brian Griese, Michigan 1997 Joe Germaine, Ohio State 1996 Keyshawn Johnson, USC 1995 Ki-Jana Carter, Penn State Danny O’Neil, Oregon 1994 Brent Moss, Wisconsin 1993 Tyrone Wheatley, Michigan 1992 Steve Emtman, Washington Billy Joe Hobert, Washington 1991 Mark Brunell, Washington 1990 Ricky Ervins, USC 1989 Leroy Hoard, Michigan 1988 Percy Snow, Michigan State 1987 Jeff Van Raaphorst, Arizona State 1986 Eric Ball, UCLA 1985 Tim Green, USC Jack Del Rio, USC 1984 Rick Neuheisel, UCLA 1983 Don Rogers, UCLA Tom Ramsey, UCLA 1982 Jacque Robinson, Washington 1981 Butch Woolfolk, Michigan 1980 Charles White, USC 1979 Charles White, USC Rick Leach, Michigan 1978 Warren Moon, Washington 1977 Vince Evans, USC 1976 John Sciarra, UCLA 1975 Pat Haden, USC John McKay, USC 1974 Cornelius Green, Ohio State 1973 Sam Cunningham, USC 1972 Don Bunce, Stanford 1971 Jim Plunkett, Stanford 1970 Bob Chandler, USC 1969 Rex Kern, Ohio State 1968 O.J. Simpson, USC 1967 John Charles, Purdue 1966 Bob Stiles, UCLA 1965 Mel Anthony, Michigan 1964 Jim Grabowski, Illinois 1963 Pete Beathard, USC Ron VanderKelen, Wisconsin 1962 Sandy Stephens, Minnesota 1961 Bob Schloredt, Washington 1960 Bob Schloredt, Washington George Fleming, Washington 1959 Bob Jeter, Iowa 1958 Jack Crabtree, Oregon 1957 Kenneth Ploen, Iowa 1956 Walter Kowalczyk, Michigan 1955 Dave Leggett, Ohio State 1954 Billy Wells, Michigan State 1953 Rudy Bukich, USC 1952 William Tate, Illinois 1951 Donald Dufek, Michigan 1950 Fred “Curley” Morrison, Ohio State 1949 Frank Aschenbrenner, Northwestern 1948 Robert Chappuis, Michigan 1947 Claude “Buddy” Young, Illinois Julius Rykovich, Illinois 1946 James Gilmer, Alabama 1945 James Hardy, USC 1944 Norman Verry, USC 1943 Charles Trippi, Georgia 1942 Donald Durdan, Oregon State 1941 Peter Kmetovic, Stanford 1940 Ambrose Schindler, USC 1939 Doyle Nave, USC Alvin Krueger, USC 1938 Victor Bottari, California 1937 William Daddio, Pittsburgh 1936 James Moscrip, Stanford Keith Topping, Stanford 1935 Millard “Dixie” Howell, Alabama 1934 Cliff Montgomery, Columbia 1933 Homer Griffith, USC 1932 Erny Pinckert, USC 1931 John Campbell, Alabama 1930 Russell Saunders, USC 1929 Benjamin Lom, California 1928 Clifford Hoffman, Stanford 1927 Fred Pickhard, Alabama 1926 John Mack Brown, Alabama George Wilson, Washington 1925 Elmer Layden, Notre Dame Ernie Nevers, Stanford 1924 Ira McKee, Navy 1923 Leo Calland, USC 1922 Russell Stein, Wash. & Jeff. 1921 Harold Muller, California 1920 Edward Casey, Harvard 1919 George Halas, Great Lakes Navy 1918 Hollis Huntington, Mare Isl. Marines 1917 John Beckett, Oregon 1916 Carl Dietz, Washington State 1902 Neil Snow, Michigan

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