OneManGang
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Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Ohio State (1996 Citrus Bowl)
DATE: 1 January 1996
PLACE: Florida Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida
ATTENDANCE: 70,797
FINAL SCORE: Tennessee 20 Ohio State 14
A visitor to Our Fair Nation during a football season in the 1970s or early 1980s could be forgiven for coming away believing there were only about 8-10 universities across the Fruited Plain. Until the advent of ESPN in the late 1980s, ABC Sports had a stranglehold on the broadcasting of college football games. The other two networks, NBC and CBS, focused on the NFL. The fact that all college games were played on Saturday meant ABC could only broadcast one or two games each week. They therefore focused on teams with ties to, or close to, major TV markets. UCLA and USC were obvious choices with Michigan and Ohio State representing the MidWest. Notre Dame, due to the Chicago “Subway Alumni” and its national appeal to Catholics could also get air time. Beyond that, you could occasionally see Texas/Oklahoma or Georgia/Georgia Tech. Other than bowl games, for schools like Florida or Tennessee, getting on the ABC “Game of the Week” was akin to getting struck by lightning. For instance, in the fifteen seasons between 1970 and 1984, not counting bowl appearances, the Vols were on TV seven times and two of those were against Penn State in 1971 and '72.
Needless to say, anytime the Vols would square off against one of these benighted programs, it was a Big Deal.
Nearly simultaneous with the explosion of college football coverage due to ESPN and then regional sports broadcasters like JP Sports and others, Tennessee football experienced a resurgence under John Majors, who had achieved national prominence winning a National Championship at Pitt, which was conveniently near both the midwest and the northeast TV markets. With Tennessee's rabid fanbase and yearly tilts with Alabama and Florida (an emerging major TV market), the Vols became a national commodity.
As we southerners say, the sun don't shine on one dog's a** all the time.
Philip Fulmer succeeded Majors and the Vols experienced success unseen since the days of the Genrul, and under the glare of national coverage to boot.
Still, the blue-bloods of college football were those same schools from earlier days. But cracks were appearing.
In 2002, the Vols, with Ice Man Clausen at the controls, demolished Michigan 45-17 in the Florida Citrus Bowl. The erstwhile blue-bloods proved incapable of dealing with SEC speed.
Before that, though, the 1995 season saw Ohio State, featuring Eddie George at running back, steamroll its way through the Big 10 defeating six ranked opponents and with a #2 national ranking before a season ending loss to hated rival Michigan. The Vols, with Super Soph Peyton Manning at QB, also blew through the SEC but couldn't overcome an early season loss to Florida.
So it was that the #4 Buckeyes and #3 Tennessee were scheduled to meet in the Florida Citrus Bowl. ABC Sports was there in the form of Brent Musburger and Dick Vermeil. It was clear from the beginning that Musburger and Vermeil fully expected George to run roughshod over the upstart Vols and prove the supremacy of the Big 10.
It was raining in Orlando that New Years Day. No, that's putting it too mildly. It was a deluge that would have impressed Noah. ABC told their audience that was a huge advantage to the Buckeyes as the rain would mostly ground the Vols vaunted aerial attack and was tailor-made for a rugged ground game of classic Big-10 football and Heisman-winner Eddie George.
Unfortunately, for the ABC world-view, the Vols had been facing world-class running backs such as Madre Hill of Arkansas, South Carolina's Duce Staley, and Kentucky's Moe Williams all year. To the Orange stalwarts, the much ballyhooed George was merely another talented ground-pounder to be dealt with.
The differences extended to the coaches. NutMan John Cooper, befitting his station as head of a “blue-blood” program, would not have looked out of place in the boardroom of a Fortune 500 company. HeadVol Philip Fulmer looked like exactly what he was: an offensive lineman ready to get down in the trenches and '”root hawg”(h/t CharterVol) with the best of 'em.
Much to ABC's chagrin, the game became a dour tactical match of defense and field position. They were right about one thing, though, the abysmal conditions did more or less ground Tennessee's vaunted aerial attack. Sir Peyton of New Orleans would end the day with less than 200 yards passing. Unfortunately, the estimable Mr. George found himself facing The Chief's tribe of speed merchants who, despite the field conditions, could get where they were needed quicker than the Buckeyes.
The Vols won the toss but deferred. The NutPeople then did exactly nothing and punted, and so it went for the next four series. The Vols were stymied on their own 29 and Larry Binion went back to punt. The Vol line broke down and it was blocked setting up OSU on the Vol 23. George capped the drive with a 2-yard scamper to the end zone.
End of 1st Quarter
Score: Tennessee 0 Ohio State 7
Tennessee had the ball to open the 2nd quarter. However, the game went back to the back and forth that had characterized the first.
With 6:48 left, though, disaster struck. Manning completed a pass to Eric Lane who promptly fumbled and gave the Buckeyes the ball on the Vol 24. George rushed five times for 22 yards. It was 4th and 2 at the Tennessee 2. A score by the NutPeople, given the weather conditions, would have the Vols in a hole they couldn't get out of. John Cooper decided to go with his Heisman guy.
Tell us what happened, John Ward:
“Here's the give to George. I don't know, Sir. I do not know. Tennessee POUNDS him at the line! And it was Bill Duff at the bottom of the heap! HE! DID! NOT! MAKE IT!”
After an exchange of punts, Tennessee got the ball on their own 20 with 41 seconds left. They didn't need that many. One thing Vermeil and Musberger missed was that the Vols had world-class tailback of their own. Take it from here, John: “Jay Graham is the tailback for Tennessee … The draw goes to Graham. Pops it up the middle. This is Graham, lumbering forward … breaks it free! Graham at the 45! To the 50! 45! 40! 35! 30! 25! 20! 15! 10! 5! TOUCHDOWN TENNESSEE! Jay Graham lumbers 69 yards! He wasn't lumbering, he was racing!”
End of 2nd Quarter
Score: Tennessee 7 Ohio State 7
By half, the NutMan realized he had an enormous problem: far from being slashed and burned by Eddie George, the Vols had shut him down. Normally, by half he would have had around 100 yards and a couple of touchdowns. This day he had 69 yards and a touchdown, but that score was on a two-yard run. He had to do something to get Eddie Heisman into the game. He turned to his quarterback, Bobby Hoying.
However disaster struck the NutPeople before Hoying could even get back on the field.
The Vols took the kickoff but were stopped on their own 38 where Binion went back to punt. Once again, Ohio State broke through but Binion got the punt off. Meanwhile, a Nut proved unable to stop and hit Binion. Now the Vols were in business on Buckeye 47. Manning faded to throw and found one of his favorite targets, #11. Forty-seven yards later, after faking an OSU defender out of his jockstrap, Joey Kent was in the end zone.
The game went back to the back and forth until the Buckeyes' last possession. Cooper's plan bore fruit and they dinked and dunked down the field to the Tennessee 32 as the quarter ended.
End of 3rd Quarter
Score: Tennessee 14 Ohio State 7
On the second play of the final quarter, Hoying found one of his receivers for a 32-yard touchdown pass.
Tennessee then drove to the Nut seven when a false start penalty put them in a hole, After two Manning incompletions, Jeff Hall came out and with ABC telling everyone he faced over whelming odds against making it, given the sloppy field, coolly nailed a 29-yarder to put the Vols up.
OSU went back to Eddie Heisman who made a first down but on the very next play was hammered by Leonard Little and coughed up the ball which Scott Gaylon then recovered.
Tennessee couldn't do anything and punted. OSU was in business on their 20. Now it was Hoying's turn until, on 4th and one at the 50, Hoying tried to pitch the ball to George on the option but instead hit his fullback in the head with the ball which was recovered by Tori Noel.
Again the Vols couldn't do anything and punted.
OSU couldn't do anything either and their possession ended when Hoying, under pressure on 3rd down, tossed the ball to an interior lineman.
Now Tennessee drove to the OSU 8 but couldn't get the first down amd Jeff Hall booted a 25-yard field goal to put Tennessee up by 6 with 3:37 left.
The NutPeople drove to their own 48 when, on 2nd and five, Hoying hit Dimitrious Stanley for 14 when met he met DeRon Jenkins who ripped the ball loose and Craig King fell on it and that, as they say, was that.
Take us home, John! “(T)he Volunteer fans are here. They came in rain. They sat through the downpour. They watched their team come from behind … Tennessee had it all and the Volunteers win this football game ...”
For their part, Musberger and Vermeil spent the rest of their broadcast bemoaning the disappointed Buckeyes and did not ONCE mention the victorious Vols.
Yes, Virginia, there is a reason I despise Brent Musberger.
Final Score:
Tennessee 20 Ohio State 14
********
Whitwell, Tennessee is a wide place along Highway 28 about 25 miles northwest of Chattanooga toward the southern end of the Sequatchie Valley. On 9 May 1923, Ray Eugene was born to Thomas and Nancy Duke of Whitwell.
Like most other young men of his time, Ray joined the Army during World War II. He remained in the Army after the war and wound up in C Company, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. The 24th Division was assigned to occupation duty in Japan after the war. Due to its proximity, it was the first American unit sent to aid South Korea. The 24th took part in all the action from meeting the initial North Korean invasion and falling back to the Pusan Perimeter and during the breakout from Pusan to the Yalu River. They then moved about trying to slow down the Chinese intervention in late 1950.
The initial Chinese offensive didn't end until after they had captured the South Korean capital, Seoul. Jut south of Seoul, the UN forces stiffened and the Chnese reached the end of their supply lines. Gen. MacArthur was relieved of command and replaced with the capable and no-nonsense Matthew Ridgeway. Ridgeway immediately began to organize the awesome firepower available and launched a counter-offensive that recap++tured Seoul and pushed north of the 38th Parallel, the pre-war boundary between the two Koreas.
The Chinese launched five more massive offensives but failed under torrents of American firepower.
There was one problem on the ground, though. All that firepower was generally use1ess in a close-range firefight.
As a preliminary to the final Chinese offensive, an assault was launched by the Chinese 20th Army on 21 April 1951. It landed on the 21st Infantry which was the forward unit of the 24th Division. C Company was in the thick of it. Some of Ray Duke's boys were cut off and he went after them.
SFC Duke's Medal of Honor Citation:
Sfc. Duke, a member of Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Upon learning that several of his men were isolated and heavily engaged in an area yielded by his platoon when ordered to withdraw, he led a small force in a daring assault which recovered the position and the beleaguered men. Another enemy attack in strength resulted in numerous casualties but Sfc. Duke, although wounded by mortar fragments, calmly moved along his platoon line to coordinate fields of fire and to urge his men to hold firm in the bitter encounter. Wounded a second time he received first aid and returned to his position. When the enemy again attacked shortly after dawn, despite his wounds, Sfc. Duke repeatedly braved withering fire to insure maximum defense of each position. Threatened with annihilation and with mounting casualties, the platoon was again ordered to withdraw when Sfc. Duke was wounded a third time in both legs and was unable to walk. Realizing that he was impeding the progress of 2 comrades who were carrying him from the hill, he urged them to leave him and seek safety. He was last seen pouring devastating fire into the ranks of the onrushing assailants. The consummate courage, superb leadership, and heroic actions of Sfc. Duke, displayed during intensive action against overwhelming odds, reflect the highest credit upon himself, the infantry, and the U.S. Army.
Ray was captured and consigned to a Communist POW camp. He succumbed to his wounds on 11 November 1951.
His family accepted his Medal of Honor on his behalf.
Ray was promoted posthumously to Master Sergeant. His body was repatriated after the 1953 armistice and he now sleeps in the National Cemetery in Chattanooga.
********
So, how did the Vols do against The Maxims?
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
Ohio State couldn't overcome Tennessee's team speed. Then there were those two critical turnovers in the fourth quarter,
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way … SCORE!
Tennessee didn't convert every OSU turnover into points, but they did enough.
3. If at first the game – or the breaks – go against you, don't let up … PUT ON MORE STEAM!
Tennessee could have folded early on but they didn't, much to Musberger's chagrin.
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
The Vols were patient and made big play after big play. The Genrul smiled.
5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle … THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
Tennessee's defense got after the Buckeyes the whole game and left them bemused, bothered and befuddled. Jay Graham ended up with 154 yard rushing and the MVP trophy. The Vols' big eaters earned their pay.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
Punt blocking broke down twice and could have been critical but for that roughing the kicker call. The Vols' coverage units were outstanding. Jeff Hall was the margin of victory.
7. Carry the fight to Ohio State and keep it there for sixty minutes,
That last fumble recovery came with 0:57 on the clock.
The BiG 10 exacted a measure of revenge, though. During the 1997 season, when anyone with an IQ over eggplant could see that Sir Peyton of New Orleans was the best player in the country, they took the absurd step of pushing a journeyman DB from Michigan for the trophy. The hook was that he occasionally played offense. UT fans could argue with some justification that Carl Pickens far exceeded anything Charles Woodson ever did. However, the northern/midwest voters dominate the Heisman voting and Woodson got the prize.
Big 10 delenda est.
Suggested Reading:
Clay Blair, The Forgotten War: America in Korea, 1940-1953
T.R. Fehrenbach. This Kind of War
Joseph C. Goulden, Korea: The Untold Story of the War
Master Sergeant Ray Eugene Duke. (US Army)
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