IU alumnus Porter secures Saints victory

With a 24-17 lead, the New Orleans Saints were backed up against their own end zone and had NFL MVP and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threatening to have one of his patented comebacks.

But he didn’t count on Tracy Porter.

The former IU cornerback picked off a Manning pass intended for Reggie Wayne and sprinted 74 yards to the distance, putting the Saints up for good.

As the confetti rained down, Saints players beamed as they look at a 31-17 final score in Miami.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees tied a Super Bowl record with 32 completions, going for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns. Manning finished with 333 yards, 1 touchdown and the interception.

The Colts jumped out to 10-0 lead in the first quarter and went into the half with a 10-6 lead. The Colts and Saints traded touchdowns in the third quarter, and a Garrett Hartley field goal made it a 17-16 Colts lead going into the final quarter.

Brees connected with Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey from two yards away, proving to be the winning score.

The victory gives New Orleans its first Super Bowl title in franchise history.

— Ryan Winn