Peyton Manning May Have Kept Randy Moss From Going To Tennessee

The course of college football history may have been completely different had Peyton Manning been a bit more punctual and cost the school Randy Moss.

At least according to a tongue-in-cheek Moss, who told the story on Monday during the latest Manningcast.

Legendary wideout Randy Moss joined Peyton and Eli Manning during Monday night's Saints and Buccaneers game.

During his appearance, Moss revealed that he could've ended up playing his college ball at Tennessee instead of Marshall... if only Peyton Manning hadn't been late to his recruiting meeting.

When I went to Tennessee all I heard was 'Peyton Manning is in Virginia at a family member's house,'" Moss recalled. "'He's trying to drive back here just to recruit you,' and I was like, 'Well, if he's driving here just to recruit me, why isn't he here right now to get me?'

"So that was the reason I didn't become a Volunteer," Moss said with a grin. "Peyton was late."

"That hurts," the elder Manning said. "I was seeing my girlfriend — now wife — at Virginia. I got up at three in the morning, drove all the way back, I said, 'Randy, we're gonna throw it every play; three years you'll be coming out to the NFL.'

"He was not hearing it. He was headed for Notre Dame. I gave it my best pitch though; my best pitch."

Moss committed to Notre Dame like Manning mentioned, however, he never played for the Irish. He wound up getting in a fight shortly after committing that landed him in jail for 30 days. That incident — along with an incomplete application — meant Moss wouldn't attend Notre Dame.

Randy Moss at Marshall in 1997. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Allsport/Getty Images)

Instead, he wound up playing at Marshall for the 1997 season. He ended up 4th in the Heisman Trophy vote and entered the 1998 NFL Draft where the Vikings selected him in the 1st round, 21st overall.

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