SENIORBOWL.com :: Senior Bowl History

The Senior Bowl's 1990's saw the securing of the game's first-ever title sponsor, a popular return to the North-South team format in 1994, and a historic 50th Game Celebration in 1999.

NORTH 41, SOUTH 0
MVP: Blair Thomas, Penn State
NORTH COACH: Marty Schottenheimer, Chiefs
SOUTH COACH: Buddy Ryan, Eagles
TOP PLAYERS: Richmond Webb, Bryce Paup, Terrance Mathis, Leroy Butler

The North rode the talented legs of Penn State's Blair Thomas and a dominating defense to a resounding 41-0 victory over the South in the 1990 Senior Bowl. Thomas was virtually unstoppable as he gained 137 yards on only 11 carries, scored a touchdown and earned overall MVP honors. Minnesota's Darrell Thompson added two rushing touchdowns and LSU quarterback Tommy Hodson threw for two more as the North offense bombed the South with a Senior Bowl record 34 first half points and the North defense pitched the Senior Bowl's first-ever shutout.

AFC 38, NFC 28
MVP: Alvin Harper, Tennessee
AFC COACH: Marty Schottenheimer, Chiefs
NFC COACH: Jim Mora, Saints
TOP PLAYERS: Brett Favre, Ricky Watters, Aeneas Williams, Jake Reed, Ed McCaffrey

The 1991 Senior Bowl marked the beginning of a short-lived era in Senior Bowl history as teams were no longer divided along North and South lines, but instead were named AFC and NFC after the two conferences in the NFL. The contest itself was highlighted by numerous big plays, led by MVP Alvin Harper's two TD catches which helped the AFC to a 38-28 win. The AFC jumped out to a quick 17-0 first quarter lead, and quarterbacks Donald Hollas of Rice and Louisville's Browning Nagle hit scoring strikes of 54 and 38 yards to Harper for all the points they would need. The NFC's offense was led by Notre Dame RB Ricky Watters, who gained 76 yards rushing and scored a touchdown, and Southern Miss quarterback Brett Favre.

Southern Miss quarterback Brett Favre, the NFL’s only three-time MVP, hands one off during the 1991 Senior Bowl.

AFC 13, NFC 10
MVP: Tony Smith, Southern Miss
AFC COACH:: Art Shell, Raiders
NFC COACH: Mike Ditka, Bears
TOP PLAYERS: Robert Brooks, Jimmy Smith, Dale Carter, Levon Kirkland

Another Southern Mississippi star, running back Tony Smith, rushed for 72 yards to earn MVP honors and lead the AFC to a 13-10 victory over the NFC in Senior Bowl '92. The real story of the day, however, was the inclement weather which forced fans to endure steady rain, brisk winds and 38 degree temperatures. Those who were able to tough it out saw a thrilling contest as the AFC held a 13-3 lead late in the game before Notre Dame's Tony Brooks got the NFC to within three with a six-yard TD run with 1:25 remaining. A lost AFC fumble on its own 45 with 1:05 left gave the NFC a chance, but the NFC could not capitalize as a sack and two incomplete passes sealed the game for the AFC.

NFC 21, AFC 6
MVP: Eric Hunter, Purdue
AFC COACH: Ted Marchibroda, Colts
NFC COACH: Bill Belichick, Browns
TOP PLAYERS: Michael Strahan, Blaine Bishop, Elvis Grbac, Trent Green

In the last contest to feature the AFC-NFC format, Purdue quarterback Eric Hunter threw two TD passes to earn MVP honors and help the NFC to a 21-6 victory in Senior Bowl '93. Hunter threw a 14-yarder to Rice's Trevor Cobb to open the scoring, but the AFC then countered with a 16-yard TD reception from Syracuse's Qadry Ismail. With 17 seconds left in the half, Michigan's Elvis Grbac hit Notre Dame's Reggie Brooks on a 27-yard pass play for a 14-6 NFC lead which it never relinquished.

SOUTH 35, NORTH 32
MVP: Stan White, Auburn
NORTH COACH: Rich Kotite, Eagles
SOUTH COACH: Don Shula, Dolphins
TOP PLAYERS: Charlie Garner, Todd Steussie, Bryant Young, Larry Allen, Kevin Mawae, Tom Nalen

While being called by many as the greatest Senior Bowl game ever played, the 1994 contest also has to rank as one of the most significant games in the event's history as the contest returned to the North-South team format which was previously used from 1950-90. The South carved out a 28-17 fourth quarter lead on the strength of a 128-yard, one TD rushing performance by Tennessee's Charlie Garner and two TD passes by Auburn quarterback and game MVP Stan White. The North attack had included an electrifying 98-yard second quarter kickoff return by Notre Dame's Lake Dawson. Trailing 28-17 with 5:43 left, the North then blitzed the South with two short rushing TD's -- both of which were set up by long pass receptions by Michigan's Derrick Alexander -- to take a 32-28 lead with 3:11 remaining. Following a Garner kickoff return and North penalty, the South took over at the 50-yard line. On first and ten, White saw Alabama's Kevin Lee sprint past his defender down the middle of the field and threw a perfect pass which Lee caught in stride and crossed the goal line untouched to give the South a 35-32 lead and send the Ladd Stadium crowd into a frenzy.

SOUTH 14, NORTH 7
MVP: Derrick Brooks, Florida State
NORTH COACH: Dan Reeves, Giants
SOUTH: Ted Marchibroda, Colts
TOP PLAYERS: Steve McNair, Curtis Martin, Derrick Brooks, Ruben Brown, Antonio Freeman, Kerry Collins

The storybook 1994 contest was followed up by a memorable 1995 game which set Senior Bowl records both on and off the field and resulted in a 14-7 South win. A record-setting crowd which helped the contest achieve its earliest sellout ever flocked to Ladd Stadium to see Heisman Trophy finalist quarterbacks Steve McNair of Alcorn State, Kerry Collins of Penn State and Alabama's Jay Barker. However, it was a defensive player -- Florida State's Derrick Brooks -- who won the overall MVP as his 13 tackles led both clubs. Even though the teams combined for only 21 points, both teams offered the crowd many offensive fireworks as they combined for 803 total yards and 47 first downs. The first score came on a 47-yard interception return by North Carolina's Mike Morton, and the South stretched the lead to 14-0 when Tennessee's James Stewart ran through the North defense for a 23-yard score in the third period. The North's lone TD was scored on a two-yard run by Washington's Napoleon Kaufman near the end of the fourth quarter.

Alcorn State’s Steve McNair brought his talents to the 1995 Senior Bowl. Named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2003, he was the third player selected in the 1995 NFL Draft.

NORTH 25, SOUTH 10
MVP: Bobby Hoying, Ohio State
NORTH COACH: Dennis Erickson, Seahawks
SOUTH COACH: Dave Wannstedt, Bears
TOP PLAYERS: Eric Moulds, Terrell Owens, Marco Rivera, John Mobley

Another sellout crowd filled Ladd Stadium for the 1996 Senior Bowl, which featured one of the most talented rosters to ever play in the game. In a contest which featured more future NFL draftees (81) than any other Senior Bowl played to that date, it was Ohio State quarterback Bobby Hoying who threw for 190 yards and two TD's -- both to Notre Dame's Derrick Mayes -- to win the overall MVP Award and give the North a 25-10 victory. Mayes did most of the work on the first TD pass, however, as he hauled in a five-yard toss near the sideline and then beat several defenders during a thrilling 30-yard dash to the end zone for a 7-0 lead. Following a 20-yard South TD toss from Florida State's Danny Kanell to Florida's Chris Doering, Hoying then engineered the two-minute offense to perfection and closed it out with a pass to Mayes, as he outleaped Mississippi State defensive back Walt Harris for the ball and found a way to come down inbounds to give the North a 15-10 halftime lead.

NORTH 35, SOUTH 14
MVP: Pat Barnes, California
NORTH COACH: Norv Turner, Redskins
SOUTH COACH: Marty Schottenheimer, Chiefs
TOP PLAYERS: Jake Plummer, Jason Taylor, Sam Madison, Derrick Mason

California quarterback Pat Barnes stunned the South with three second quarter touchdown passes to win overall MVP honors and lead the North to a convincing 35-14 victory in the 1997 Senior Bowl played before another sellout crowd of 40,646. The South opened the scoring on a two-yard TD run by Tennessee's Jay Graham, but then Barnes hit on three TD passes to three different receivers for a 21-7 halftime lead. San Diego State's George Jones then added two second half TD's for the North, including a brilliant 52-yard scamper in the third quarter to finish off the South. South QB Jake Plummer of Arizona State closed out the scoring when he hit LSU's David LaFleur on a two-yard pass to make the final 35-14.

SOUTH 31, NORTH 8
MVP: Dameyune Craig, Auburn
NORTH COACH: Ted Marchibroda, Ravens
SOUTH COACH: Norv Turner, Redskins
TOP PLAYERS: Keith Brooking, Hines Ward, Fred Taylor, Vonnie Holliday, Flozell Adams, Corey Chavous, Patrick Surtain

Hometown hero Dameyune Craig of Auburn threw two TD passes to win MVP honors and led the South to a convincing 31-8 win in the 1998 Senior Bowl played before a record crowd of 40,820 in newly-renovated Ladd Stadium. The South jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead on the strength of solid running by Georgia's Robert Edwards and a TD pass from Craig to Auburn teammate Fred Beasley. The game's biggest play, however, occurred just before halftime as the North threatened at the South's eight yard line with only 29 seconds left. Florida defensive back Fred Weary then stepped in front of a North pass in the flat, caught it in perfect stride and streaked untouched down the sideline for a Senior Bowl record 97-yard interception return and a 17-0 South halftime lead.

SOUTH 31, NORTH 21
MVP: Cade McNown, UCLA
NORTH COACH: Jon Gruden, Raiders
SOUTH COACH: Tony Dungy, Bucs
TOP PLAYERS: Fernando Bryant, Donovan McNabb, Joey Porter, Al Wilson, Peerless Price, Kevin Johnson

In what was the biggest celebration in Senior Bowl history, the historic 50th annual contest saw UCLA quarterback Cade McNown throw two TD passes to earn overall MVP honors and help lead the South to a thrilling 31-21 victory before the largest crowd -- 40,846 -- in Senior Bowl history. In addition to appearances by members of the All-Time Senior Bowl team such as Joe Namath and "Mean" Joe Greene, fans were also treated to an exciting see-saw contest. Nursing a four-point fourth quarter lead, the South put the game away when Emporia State's Brian Shay rambled for 27 yards on a fake punt to keep a South drive alive which culminated in a one-yard TD run by LSU's Kevin Faulk to give the South a 24-13 lead which they never relinquished.

Donovan McNabb starred in the historic 50th Annual Senior Bowl in 1999. The second player chosen in the NFL Draft that year, he is now one of the game’s biggest stars and a Pro Bowl quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles.