Bonita Springs’ Peter Simmons III win national title with Michigan football

Author: Zach Oliveri
Published: Updated:

With confetti raining down and head coach Jim Harbaugh hoisting the championship trophy into the air, the Michigan Wolverines are national champions. A surreal feeling for defensive lineman Peter Simmons III.

“Sometimes you just think dreams are too big to grasp,” Simmons said. “And you know having a dream of mine that’s been a lifelong dream my entire life is and fulfilling that is so rewarding and so insane that it’s actually happening to me.”

Growing up in Bonita Springs, Simmons idolized the Michigan football players. He carried that passion during his time playing on the offensive line at Bishop Verot.

“I styled my game after Taylor Lewan. He was the reason I wore 77,” Simmons explained.

His dream was to suit up for the Maize and Blue and win a national title. That moment arrived Monday night in Houston.

Once running back Blake Coum put the championship game out of reach to make it 34-13, reality started to sink in.

“I was looking at the clock,” Simmons recalled. “I was kind of doing the math in my head and I know miracles happen but I don’t know man this is really going to happen. You know my friends and I started tearing up on the sideline.”

“You’re a part of that moment, part of one of the greatest teams in university of Michigan football history,” Simmons added.

During the postgame celebration, Simmons made sure he got his hands on the championship trophy.

“The Big Ten championship trophy was pretty heavy,” Simmons recalled. “Then, the Rose Bowl trophy was a little bit heavier,” This thing had some good weight to it. It was so cool. It was awesome.

“After that went over to the sideline saw my dad saw my family,” Simmons said. “We just looked at each other and started crying because how much this means to me and my family.”

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