Several times over the past week I've flashed back to 24 years ago this week: November 7, 1998. It was a nice warm November afternoon and the Vols were scheduled to play UAB on PPV. I decided at the last minute to head to Neyland for the game. I tried to get my brother to go with me but he declined, so I took off alone...something I wouldn't do now, but I was 19 and a lot more froggy than I am now. I whipped into the parking lot at the YMCA on two wheels, literally ran down Cumberland to the intersection with 11th Street, found a scalper and got a ticket for $5, then ran the rest of the way to the stadium without even looking at the ticket. Got inside just as George Bitzas was finishing up the national anthem, and realized I was sitting down on the field in A...right in the middle of the UAB fans.
Nobody was wearing orange around me, but that was fine; the UAB fans were actually very nice. The game itself was unremarkable, but what I really remember is when Bobby Denton announced the final score of the Ohio State/Michigan State game. The Spartans had won 28-24 in a major upset, and the roar that went up from the crowd was the loudest of the evening...so loud, in fact, that Tennessee (which was on offense at the time) was flagged for a false start.
It's hard to believe that it's been 24 years and we're just now back to #1 again.
