Las Vegas Bowl Moment 16: Walter Payton gives memorable speech
To celebrate the local bowl’s 25th anniversary milestone, the Review-Journal will rank the top 25 moments in Las Vegas Bowl history. We’ll relive one moment per day until game day Dec. 17 at Sam Boyd Stadium:
No. 16: Walter Payton leaves impression
Date: Dec. 20, 1997
Score: Oregon 41, Air Force 13
Backstory: The all-time NFL great known as “Sweetness” gave a stirring speech the day before the Las Vegas Bowl in 1997. Walter Payton was the keynote speaker at the bowl’s annual Kickoff Luncheon at Caesars Palace.
Game: Oregon scored on its first two plays from scrimmage, leaving No. 23 Air Force stunned. Pat Johnson scored 18 seconds into the bowl season on a 69-yard pass from quarterback Akili Smith. Saladin McCullough then ran up the middle for a 76-yard score. The victory ended Oregon’s five-game bowl losing streak.
Since: Less than two years later, Payton died at age 45 from cholangiocarcinoma. In 1999, Smith was the No. 3 overall pick by the Cincinnati Bengals. His career never panned out, as he retired in 2007 after playing for the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders. He is a deacon in San Diego and a high school quarterbacks coach.
Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow @gmanzano24 on Twitter.
