The greatest day in CFB history

#26
#26
I still remember sitting by myself in the stands watching the end of that game, then coming home and making fun of my sister and her boyfriend for leaving in the 4th quarter lol.
I wish I would have got the name of the guy that sat behind me that day. He cussed every person that got up to leave. He kept screaming to the top of his lungs that it wasn’t over! When we scored he kept screaming I told you it wasn’t over. Lol! Never forget that day as long as I live. Love for something to happen exciting enough for the crowd to make Neyland shake like it did that night when Cheese scores that last TD.
 
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#27
#27
The article's paywalled and I'm not subscribed, so can't read it. But... tack this onto the list of good breaks for Tennessee, that culminated on that day in December 1998. Peyton Manning became UT's starter, causing Branndon Stewart to transfer to Texas A&M. Where, in 1998, he would throw for 324 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Big 12 championship game, leading A&M to an upset of undefeated and #1 Kansas State. K State was removed from title game consideration and the rest is Big Orange history.

That's as big as any of the other breaks we got. Talk about a team of fate . It's mind boggling .
 
#29
#29
So if UCLA and K State win their games who plays for the NC in January 1999? FSU vs UCLA???

I always felt like the media really liked KSt and UCLA more than us so an undefeated Bill Snyder team would have been a problem , even if our resume was better. Probably UCLA just as likely , though, yes. It would have been super hard to imagine them keeping UCLA and KState from being in there against each other had they won out. Neither us nor FSU would have had a chance.
 
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#31
#31
I mean, at that point, do you just say “ok fine, let’s try this once and settle it” and invite UCF to the party?
I say what the hell, let's give it a go and see what UCF is really made of. I just am not sure that the committee will do that as they will look at it as a possble two loss Georgia, Oklahoma, or Ohio State and definite Michigan team would carry more weight than having UCF crash the party.
 
#32
#32
I always felt like the media really liked KSt and UCLA more than us so an undefeated Bill Snyder team would have been a problem , even if our resume was better. Probably UCLA just as likely , though, yes. It would have been super hard to imagine them keeping UCLA and KState from being in there against each other had they won out. Neither us nor FSU would have had a chance.
Yep, we were damn lucky that UCLA and K-State did not win their games as most experts have said that they probably would have been playing in the BCS Championship game as we would likely have been on the outside looking in.
 
#34
#34
I say what the hell, let's give it a go and see what UCF is really made of. I just am not sure that the committee will do that as they will look at it as a possble two loss Georgia, Oklahoma, or Ohio State and definite Michigan team would carry more weight than having UCF crash the party.

I'm with you. I mean, you don't pick an undefeated UCF over an undefeated Old Money school , but if it comes down to 2 undefeated teams like Bama or Clemson and UCF being the other , let them put their money where their mouth is and have a chance to squash this argument.
 
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#35
#35
We deserved to be National Champions, but many breaks did definitely go into our favor that season.

Yes absolutely. Our resume was spectacular in the end, and we beat everything put in front of us. I just know deep down that we'd have been left out if those others hadn't tripped up. I can't imagine what it was like being an Auburn fan in 04 and getting pushed aside by USC and OK . That was a crime against humanity there.
 
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#36
#36
I wish I would have got the name of the guy that sat behind me that day. He cussed every person that got up to leave. He kept screaming to the top of his lungs that it wasn’t over! When we scored he kept screaming I told you it wasn’t over. Lol! Never forget that day as long as I live. Love for something to happen exciting enough for the crowd to make Neyland shake like it did that night when Cheese scores that last TD.
I was listening to the game on the radio at work on that rainy Saturday evening. I remember feeling depressed thinking that we just lost a chance to play for the National Championship. Then when Stoerner fumbled the ball and Ratliff recoverred, I was screaming for joy and jumping up and down. I just knew then that we would score and win the game after that, which we did. And my older brother told me that he was going to the store for something and thought that we lost the game when he turned off his car radio. Then Travis Henry scored the winning score when he turned the game back on. He was like, "What the hell just happened?"
 
#37
#37
I wish I would have got the name of the guy that sat behind me that day. He cussed every person that got up to leave. He kept screaming to the top of his lungs that it wasn’t over! When we scored he kept screaming I told you it wasn’t over. Lol! Never forget that day as long as I live. Love for something to happen exciting enough for the crowd to make Neyland shake like it did that night when Cheese scores that last TD.
I was listening to the game on the radio at work on that rainy Saturday evening. I remember feeling depressed thinking that we just lost a chance to play for the National Championship. Then when Stoerner fumbled the ball and Ratliff recoverred, I was screaming for joy and jumping up and down. I just knew then that we would score and win the game after that, which we did. And my older brother told me that he was going to the store for something and thought that we lost the game when he turned off his car radio. Then Travis Henry scored the winning score when he turned the game back on. He was like, "What the hell just happened?"
 
#38
#38
Yes absolutely. Our resume was spectacular in the end, and we beat everything put in front of us. I just know deep down that we'd have been left out if those others hadn't tripped up. I can't imagine what it was like being an Auburn fan in 04 and getting pushed aside by USC and OK . That was a crime against humanity there.
Agreed. Auburn got screwed over big time.
 
#39
#39
We deserved to be National Champions, but many breaks did definitely go into our favor that season.
Before the playoff, breaks had to go every teams way to win a championship. Either you had a few very close calls in the season, and/or had to have other teams to lose. Was the way it was and I kind of miss that. True the Sec teams did get screwed from time to time, but probably not more than some other conferences. Now, rarely will one loss keep a really good power 5 school out.
 
#41
#41
Yep, we were damn lucky that UCLA and K-State did not win their games as most experts have said that they probably would have been playing in the BCS Championship game as we would likely have been on the outside looking in.

How is that possible? Tennessee was ranked #1 as early as the Arkansas game (or so I thought) and held it until the end. I thought going into the last week Tennessee was #1, Kansas State #2 and UCLA #3, with FSU #4. No way would Tennessee have been left out. They were destined to play Kansas State. Then K-State lost and it would have been UCLA but they lost too.
 
#42
#42
How is that possible? Tennessee was ranked #1 as early as the Arkansas game (or so I thought) and held it until the end. I thought going into the last week Tennessee was #1, Kansas State #2 and UCLA #3, with FSU #4. No way would Tennessee have been left out. They were destined to play Kansas State. Then K-State lost and it would have been UCLA but they lost too.
I think the fear was that k-state and UCLA would both move up in BCS rankings because of their quality of opponent that weekend and we’d fall behind because of playing Miss State. But they lost and it didn’t matter
 
#43
#43
I think the fear was that k-state and UCLA would both move up in BCS rankings because of their quality of opponent that weekend and we’d fall behind because of playing Miss State. But they lost and it didn’t matter

I see. But then both teams lost in their respective bowl games (to Purdue and Wisconsin) so maybe they were a bit overrated? :p
 
#44
#44
I wish I had that whole time period to do over again. I went to all home games, a couple road games, the SECC game and the the national championship game, but I still wish I could go back in time to enjoy and relish it even more. I hope that’s not the only one I see in my lifetime. It sure doesn’t look good at present tho.

The mid-late 90s were a lot of fun! I was living in Charleston & Raleigh during that time and went to a lot games including the SEC CG and NC game. Fun times!
 
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#45
#45
How is that possible? Tennessee was ranked #1 as early as the Arkansas game (or so I thought) and held it until the end. I thought going into the last week Tennessee was #1, Kansas State #2 and UCLA #3, with FSU #4. No way would Tennessee have been left out. They were destined to play Kansas State. Then K-State lost and it would have been UCLA but they lost too.

Back then the computers had a more prominent role in the rankings and SOS was a big factor in those polls. Being ranked #1 and beating a weak opponent didn't automatically mean you would remain #1 if the #2 team beat a "good" team.
 
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#46
#46
The mid-late 90s were a lot of fun! I was living in Charleston & Raleigh during that time and went to a lot games including the SEC CG and NC game. Fun times!

That time period was an absolute blast! A great time to be a vol fan. I feel bad for those too young to have enjoyed it.

On a side note, I love charleston! (Assuming you mean SC). My wife and I visit there every chance we get. Have done that for many years.
 
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