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Mattingly: Auburn proved up to task of hosting Vols
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When Tennessee and Auburn square off Sept. 27 at Jordan-Hare Stadium on the Plains, it will be like the good old days when Tennessee and Auburn played the last Saturday in September, with the winner having an advantage in the conference race and the loser needing help to get back in it.
Tennessee and Auburn hadn't played since 1939 when the series was resumed Sept. 29, 1956, at Birmingham's Legion Field. Tennessee won 35-7 on its way to the SEC title. Between 1956 and 1991, Auburn was right there at the head of the schedule, save 1968, when the two teams slugged it out as the nightcap of a muddy day-night doubleheader at Legion Field. Alabama knocked off LSU in the afternoon, and Auburn upset Tennessee that night.
After much discussion, posturing, and negotiation, Tennessee finally came to Auburn Sept. 28, 1974, losing 21-0. The Tigers led 6-0 much of the game, before breaking it open in the fourth quarter.
Tennessee came to Auburn to stay in 1980. That was the day the Vols put it all together with a 42-0 win on the dedication day of an enlarged Jordan-Hare Stadium. The Vols also played there in 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1998 and 2003.
Auburn never liked playing in Birmingham, particularly when artificial turf adorned Legion Field. There were newspaper stories about the Tennessee game perhaps going to Auburn earlier in the 1970s, but 1974 was the year.
Auburn had resisted the movement to the ersatz turf and reveled to see those fashionable souls who went with turf come back to the real stuff. Auburn's grass surface was so good that one observer thought it had the consistency of a fairway or green at Augusta National.
David Housel wrote that the 1974 win over Tennessee was "especially meaningful" to the legions of Auburn followers.
"The Vols did everything they could to keep from playing in Auburn," he wrote. "They agreed to play in Knoxville and Birmingham, but not at Auburn." Shug Jordan considered that a slap in the face, particularly when Tennessee people termed Auburn "too small" and "too country" to host a game of such magnitude.
"I've heard some people up there talk about how country Auburn is," Jordan said. "If there's any place more country than Tennessee, I'd like to see it."
You have to wonder whether handing Jordan, an exceptional coach otherwise, such a psychological advantage was a wise move, given that Tennessee won against Auburn only three times in 11 tries when the renewed series was played at Legion Field. Auburn also won some big games in Knoxville under Jordan's lead. Maybe, in retrospect, it was better to let sleeping Tigers lie. It couldn't have been any tougher to win at Auburn than it was to win in Birmingham.
The 1998 national champion Vols had a major test at Auburn Oct. 3. The Tigers dominated the proceedings on the first series until Shaun Ellis intercepted a pitchout and lumbered 90 yards for a score. The Vols led 17-0 in the first quarter, before Jamal Lewis banged up a knee and the Vols struggled offensively the rest of the day.
Auburn grabbed a fumble at the Vol 1, and the crowd sensed the Tigers were ready to tighten the game. The Tigers probed the Vol line and made mere inches in four tries. Raynoch Thompson led the charge as the Vols refused to yield and ended up with a 17-9 victory.
The other side of the coin came in 1990, when the Vols, superbly prepared by John Majors, led 26-9 entering the fourth quarter, but saw the blueshirts rally to tie the game 26-26. Greg Burke had a shot at a game-winning field goal, but it went wide. It was a "good tie" for Auburn," given its comeback and a "bad tie" for Tennessee, given the lead the Vols had squandered.
In both cases, you could have envisioned the same thing happening in Birmingham, but, as stated in earlier columns, there's something special about the college stadium atmosphere, particularly at Auburn.
Since 1956, the Vols and Auburn have squared off five times on Sept. 27, UT losing 13-0 in 1958 in Birmingham, winning 45-19 in Knoxville in 1969, winning 21-17 in Knoxville in 1975, winning at Auburn in 1980, and losing at Auburn 34-8 in 1986.
The trip out of Auburn, particularly after a night game, is a bit iffy, with the world seeming to descend on the Waffle House in Opelika sometime near midnight, but it was no worse than getting out of most any other SEC venue.
Jordan had said Tennessee fans coming to Auburn would find "running water, inside toilet facilities, nice motels with swimming pools, and strip sirloins." They did.
They also found a remarkable venue for football.
Tom Mattingly is the author of "The Tennessee Football Vault: The Story of the Tennessee Volunteers, 1891-2006" (2006), to be published in second edition in 2009, and "Tennessee Football: The Peyton Manning Years" (1998). He has seen every Tennessee-Auburn game since 1966. He may be reached at tjmshm@comcast.net. His News Sentinel blog is called "The Vol Historian."
© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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Posted by Snakebrown13 on July 5, 2008 at 11:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm looking forward to my first trip to the Plains. Unlikely, but it really would be something if both teams survived Septemeber and were to roll into the game in the Top 10...
Posted by tngeoff on July 5, 2008 at 12:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good stuff.
Posted by vols1314 on July 5, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Nice article.
Posted by orangeinbama on July 5, 2008 at 3:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Dont think for a minute they aint chomping at the bit for this game....
Posted by Volfan1 on July 5, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I was at the game in '90. It felt like a loss. An Auburn car rode by on my walk back to the car and "friendly" words were yelled at me. It truly gave an atmosphere of a win for Auburn, especially given Pat Dye's penchant for ties.
By the way, we dropped about 200 chances for interceptions that could have stopped Auburn from their rally.
I was also at the '75 win in Knoxville and the '71 heartbreaker in Knoxville.
In '75 Larry Seivers made one of the greatest TD catches I have ever seen.
In '71 we were ahead 9-3, and a play away from putting the game out of reach with a field goal and.... we fumble. Then Sullivan marched them down the field for the win.
Thanks Mr. Mattingly for another stroll down memory lane.
Posted by volsoutwest on July 5, 2008 at 6:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Good post Volfan1. In regards to the 90 tie, I can never remember a tie feeling any more like a loss. It truly hurt.
Posted by SmokeDog72 on July 5, 2008 at 6:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I now live about 45 minutes from Auburn. Hope the Vols kick the crap out of them. 2nd worst fans in the conference (after Bama).
Posted by volaboard on July 5, 2008 at 9:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Smoke, I have been a UT fan my whole life, and always lived in Alabama. While I agree that Bama fans are the worst, I find Aubies to be tolerable. Until a trip to Tiger Stadium, I thought Florida ran second to Alabama. Without question, the second worst fans, and not by much, are LSU fans.
Posted by tngeoff on July 6, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Volfan1.
Good memories. I remember them well. Sullivan to Beasley. Man...good thing we don't still count ties.
Posted by mgalyon1 on July 6, 2008 at 9:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
1998 "...before Jamal Lewis banged up a knee..." should read "before an Auburn player took a cheap shot at Jamal's knees ending his 1998 season." I believe the Auburn hatchetman's name was "Stackhouse" though I may be wrong on that account. He ended the season for at least one other SEC running back that year, Ole Miss as I recall.
Also, if I remember correctly, Jamal scored on the Vols first offensive play.
Posted by CoastGuardVol on July 6, 2008 at 10:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good article, I have to say though in reference to the posts, Georgia Bulldog fans are without a doubt the worst.
Posted by Bigger_Al on July 6, 2008 at 11:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gator fans are the worst. "Nouveau Riche", and led to power by the worst sport this conference has ever seen.
Posted by ThurmondEppy on July 6, 2008 at 12:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I've always thought Auburn fans were pretty good. In fact, they are my second favorite team in the SEC behind the Vols. I miss playing them regularly. It was always a fun series.
Posted by TommyJack on July 6, 2008 at 2:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Generally, don't like any "other" fans. Best I've seen over the years are A&M and Wisc.
Posted by murrayvol on July 6, 2008 at 5:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TJ: Would that be Texas A&M or Florida A&M? lol
Posted by murrayvol on July 6, 2008 at 5:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Seems Auburn's been a thorn in our side since I was old enough to understand the term. In Battle's first year (70') we lost to them at Legion Field. That team gave up 116 points all season and Auburn had 36 on that day.
Absent that loss and the Vols would've been in the NC conversation @ 12-0.
That remains the only road game vs Auburn I've ever attended. Should've stayed home.
Posted by Volfan1 on July 6, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Most arrogant fans = Bama (still living in the 60's & 70's)
Most obnoxious fans = Florida (living on 15 years of "tradition")
Auburn fans really aren't that bad. Hate to admit it, but there are some fans of every team who are jerks(including dear ol' UT).
murrayvol, you are right about that 70 UT team. We could have been 12-0 that year if not for Auburn. That was one of our best overall teams.
Posted by marc_ash on July 6, 2008 at 8:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, very nice article! Never been to Auburn for a game. If I wasn't going to be in a wedding that weekend, I'd be there. Can't folks get married during hockey season!
Posted by marc_ash on July 6, 2008 at 8:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
orangeinbama,
Don't think for one minute that the VOLS aren't chomping at the bit for this game. UT will probably be an underdog going into this game. Home field advantage for the Tigers and a Vols team that will be ready to avenge the last beat down they suffered in Knoxville (and in Atlanta too in the SECCG).
This will be a game I will really look forward too. Go Vols, continue the tradition.
Posted by marc_ash on July 6, 2008 at 8:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)
ok guys, good discussion about the leagues "worse fans"...HOWEVER....lets define this for a moment shall we...
Now, I can say there are "fans" of team. They are people that claim to be fans overall of a particular team. They generally like the team, but don't attend the festivities on game day. Next, there are "fans" (who actually partake in the game day festivities).
Although I despise the gators, their average run of the mill fan isn'tt too bad overall IMO. They talk some, but are generally ok folks. HOWEVER...florida GAME DAY fans are a different story....
I have come to believe that people that are the worse GAME DAY fans (that is fans that are actually in the stadium on game day) are GA fans. They talk a big game and are generally oblivious to anything that doesn't make them look like NC contenders (such as their history against florida over the past 12 years)
I think overall, LSU fans are the worse. They talk smack regardless and think their teams hang the moon. They are obnoxious pre game, during the game, on the way out of the stadium, as you the next day and months later.
I must also disclaim, the most HATED fans have to be bama. If it isn't practicing kick off's while out band is on field performing after halftime or when they are cheering for one of our players getting injured....bama takes the cake as America's most hated.
So, in conclusion-
GA worse game day fan's
LSU-worse fans overall
bama-just plain $uck
Posted by Kosmo on July 7, 2008 at 7:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Marc_ash your article is longer than the actual article. Way to go!!!
Posted by SmokeDog72 on July 7, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Volaboard,
Maybe I did speak too soon. LSU fans are pretty horrible. Luckily I don't have many around me. Auburn fans could be only 3rd worst (after Bama and LSU). I also live around quite a few Georgia fans (I live on the border of Bama and Georgia). For some strange reason (probably because we win 2 out of every 3 games against Georgia under Fulmer) I think their fans dislike me more than I dislike them!!!!! But, just like all other schools UGA has a few idiots. I know I have been at Neyland around other Vol fans that have made me cringe. But, I now go to the games with my two small children so I tend to be a bit more sensative to the language and behavior around me. When I was younger it was just part of the "atmosphere".
Posted by brokebackvol on July 7, 2008 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Every SEC Team's fans think another team's fans are "the worst," but I stand by the belief that we ALL have good fans and bad fans- UT included. I've met nice people from all the SEC schools and the only ones I found to be overly obnoxious for no reason were VANDY fans- their teams have done NOTHING for more than 50 years, and they still have a superior attitude. True arse-hats!
Posted by orangeinbama on July 7, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
marc-ash No one will be pulling harder for the vols aganist aubie as I will. I gotta live with them and the mullet heads from tuscalooser I want it to be quiet in here (work) on Monday morning.
Best Fans We were treated to gumbo and cold beer in Baton Rouge, after we wore them out....We were treated to rocks, bottles and a big scratch down the car in Athens Ga....
Best fans non SEC ? South Bend/ Notre Dame. Class bunch of people from the usher to the fans to the concession workers. (my experience anyway)1st class people during my visit
Posted by AugVol on July 7, 2008 at 11:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
marc_ash: Very nice post. I have never looked at it that way, but that sums it up for me. I married into a UGA family. My father-in-law played for UGA in the 60s and my wife and brother-in-laws all attended there too. They are the classiest group of people that I know and they respect me and the fact that i'm a Big Orange Fan. We use the family seats at Sanford for the UT games in Athens. The thing that hits home about your "Gameday" fans reference is behind our Sanford seats, there is a group of about 6 "Good ole Boys" that attend and are as obnoxious as any group of fans I have ever encountered, including UF and Bama fans. They even booed our band. There have been several altercations with them, and most of them are not because I'm a TN fan. After the ticket office threatened the ticket holder with the loss of their seats (because of complaints), they have settled down a little.
Also, I was in Auburn for the 1990 game and it too felt like a loss. That began my disappointment in Johnny Majors. It seemed like he called off the dogs in the second half and let the Aubies back in it. That was my first visit there and I will never forget the cornfields and mobile home neighbor hood our bus took us through to get there (on the outskirts). Not a good first impression.
Go Vols!
Posted by marc_ash on July 7, 2008 at 12:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kosmo,
Sorry...sometimes I get carried away!
Smokedog72,
Agreed....many other schools hate "rival fans". I think many opponent fans come into Neyland not liking the Vols....and after 152 renditions of Rocky Top, leave hating them.
Orangeinbama,
Good post. I got my UT flag destroyed in Kentucky this past year...in the hotel parking lot no less! I lived in IN for 9 years...and I agree...ND is class. Ushers even say "Welcome to Notre Dame". It's a nice tradition.
Augvol,
Great post. My better half is a GA girl and loves the dawgs. Being a season tix holder, I always get that game in Athens for us. 2 years ago, she and I were sitting waiting for the kick off. 2 GA fans (drunk) were harassing Vol fans and even tore their clothing. My lady started yelling at them saying "that isn't how GA fans should act". Needless to say, this wasn't the first experience I've had with GA fans....they do act that way haha.
I enjoy a good rival's stadium...I was all for yelling and screaming in college...but now I just want to get out in one piece hehe.
Go Vols.
Posted by TommyJack on July 7, 2008 at 12:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It's all about your POV. Hard to believe we don't have fans that show their azzez just like the opposition. Matter of fact, I know we do; I've seen'em.
Posted by vscebail on July 7, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
For some reason, I am more concerned about this years Auburn game more than any other game on the schedule. It just seems like the Vols always "coast" through late September and October playing Vanderbilt and Kentucky every year. Tuberville knows how to win big games, and Auburn is not a team to be taken lightly! -- Just ask Florida.
Posted by volboy81 on July 7, 2008 at 5:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
In that 1998 game, UT was up 14-0 after ONE offensive play by Tennessee. We had to hang on to win 17-9!
Florida fans are by far the worst anywhere, anytime, under any circumstance! I guess they havent learned how to win yet, since theyve only been doing it for about 15-20 years. LSU fans are bad and so are Georgia (only when theyre winning....uga fans dont claim the red and black when they lose, so theyre very quiet!)
Vandy fans (all 8 of them) are obnoxious too, but I guess Biff and Buff usually are...
Most redneck Bama fans must not attend their games, because they were pretty good last year in Tuscaloser. Auburn fans are usually very good sports, win or lose.
Posted by murrayvol on July 8, 2008 at 9:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TJ: I know too for I once was one. In that regard I'm getting better with age. My wife would beg to differ.
Posted by TommyJack on July 8, 2008 at 11:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Murray: It's that Trojan upbringing.
Posted by VolFanInAtl on July 9, 2008 at 5:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well our fan experiences have all been a little different. Mine:
Gators = obnoxious punks
Georgia = obnoxious rednecks
Bama = seething hatred that could lead jail time for both of us
LSU = talk a lot of smack, more interested in drinking than football
Vols = (and I am one) a little too serious about the game
Auburn = a lot like Vol fans
Outside the SEC
FSU = cocky _____s (been pretty quiet lately :-)
Wisconsin = amiable
Notre Dame = old school tolerable arrogance
Penn State = quiet, until they get a lead
Michigan = I can't sit in the same room with one
USC (west coast) = just doesn't get why I hate him so much
USC (east coast) = wants to be me
Tx A&M = love their team
TX = a lot like Georgia fans
Nebraska = desperate longing
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