Victory Down in Dixie: A Sports WI

Hyperion

Banned
The 1974 Peach Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia started out as one of the more low key and and underrated bowl games of the college football post season.

The 7th game in Peach Bowl history, the game would mark the second bowl game appearance of the Vanderbilt University Commodores, a Southeastern Conference team, and one of the weakest teams in the conference, would take on the Red Raiders of Texas Tech in what was at the time considered a low key game, but would have vast consequences in coming seasons.

Vanderbilt had not played in a post season game since 1955, when they beat conference rival Auburn in the 1955 Gator Bowl.

Texas Tech, by comparison, had beaten Vanderbilt's in state and conference rival the University of Tennessee Volunteers the previous year in the 1973 Gator Bowl, and had lost a close game in the 1972 Sun Bowl to North Carolina.

While neither team had accomplished much during the 1974 season, Texas Tech had a clear edge.

By comparison, despite Vanderbilt having a weak record, the 1974 season had seen the Commodores with their best record since 1955. The Commodores had fought out to an impressive 7-3-1 season record, including a season finishing tie against the Tennessee Volunteers, a team Vanderbilt historically struggled with year to year.

Vanderbilt took off to an early lead in the first quarter when quarterback David Lee completed a pass to Walter Overton in the Texas Tech end zone.*

Texas Tech would go on to score a 3 point field goal after being stopped by a successful drive late in the 2nd quarter.

The second half of the game would be close, and the field goal units of both teams would turn out to be the driving force of the remaining half of the game. Halfway through the third quarter, Texas Tech would drive home a second field goal, bringing the score to 7 to 6, with Vanderbilt leading by one.

With 5:11 left in the game, Mark Adams of Vanderbilt completed his sole field goal kick of the game, bringing the score up 10 to 6. A late drive appeared to favor Texas Tech, but a determined Vanderbilt defense held the Red Raiders to a third and final field goal. The final score was 10 to 9, with Vanderbilt polishing off their first winning season since 1955, and their second bowl game appearance in school history with a low scoring win against Texas Tech.

Though the Commodores where leagues away from a conference championship, let alone the national title game, many considered the 1974 Peach Bowl to be a coming of age for Vanderbilt. Texas Tech Jim Carlen ended his career as Red Raiders coach soon after the game, and though he assisted with some administrative functions throug the remainder of the 1974-75 school year, his career at Texas Tech was finished.

Steve Sloan, the head coach at Vanderbilt, had privately considered moving on to another school after the 1974 season. After the close and, even to him, surprising win at the Peach Bowl, the university offered him a salary increase and a contract extension, and he would go on to a successful career at Vanderbilt that would last until his appointment as Vanderbilt athletic director in 1985.**


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*In OTL, Lee overthrew Overton, and a Texas Tech player intercepted. Vanderbilt only managed to score a field goal in the second quarter. Here, Lee manages to complete the pass to Overton. Butterflies then take effect and give Texas Tech another field goal and Vanderbilt doesn't get one in the second.

**After the OTL game ended in a 6-6 tie, Steve Sloan ended up leaving Vanderbilt and accepting the recently vacated coaching position at, of all places, Texas Tech. Here, due to winning outright, albeit a close win, the university offers Sloan an extension to his coaching contract, and a small but still decent pay increase. Sloan accepts and decides to stick with the Commodores for at least a couple more years to see how well he can build up the team.

http://www.mmbolding.com/bowls/Peach_1974.htm

While the Peach Bowl was not a major game, in 1974, for those of you familiar with American football, college football only had a total of ten bowl games.
 
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Hyperion

Banned
1975: The Commodores come of age

The 1975 NCAA College Football season would see a new power forming in the University of Vanderbilt Commodores.

Fresh from their unexpected but nonetheless impressive win against Texas Tech in the 1974 Peach Bowl, Vanderbilt head coach Steve Sloan had spent the past offseason training his returning team members and working hard to get new players adjusted to the team and the university.

The first game of the season would see Vanderbilt play another instate team, Chattanooga, in the season opener. Most expected Vanderbilt to easily win over Chattanooga, what with the school being in a weaker division than Vanderbilt, and the Commodores did not fail to deliver, outscoring the Mocs of Chattanooga 25 to 3, with a late 4th quarter touchdown topped off with a successful two point conversion.

Week two would see the Commodores extend their record to 2-0 with a 19-6 win over Rice, though a game on September 27th would see the Commodores face a touch challenge and a 14-38 loss to SEC rival Alabama.

Week four of the season would see Vanderbilt back in stride with an impressive 21-6 win over Tulane. Some debate that Vanderbilt could have kept Tulane to 3 points, and that the Commodores defense took pity late in the game and handed Tulane a field goal. Commodores fans and alumni, of course, deny this claim.

Weeks five and six would see Vanderbilt take back to back losses against SEC rivals Florida and Georgia, loosing 35-0 and 42-6, respectively.

What many consider to have been the key game of the season occured on the 7th game of the season on October 25th, against rival Ole Miss. Both teams played a close game, but Vanderbilt managed to push away late in the third quarter, held Mississippi to only 14 points, and managed to score two touchdowns and two successful field goals out of three attempts. The final score was 20-14 Vanderbilt.*

Mississippi would go on loose two of their final three games, both to SEC rivals Louisiana State University and SEC and in state rival Mississippi State.**

The final four games of the season would see Vanderbit beat Virginia, SEC Rival Kentucky, Army, and SEC and in state rival Tennessee.***

The Commodores had managed to one up their 1974 record, and capped it off with a rare win against arch rival Tennessee. At 8-3 on the year, Vanderbilt was the fourth winningest team overall in the SEC, and at 3-3 in the Southeastern Conference, managed to tie for fourth place in the SEC.****



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*In OTL, Vanderbilt lost to Ole Miss 17 to 7. Here, with a bit of improvement and better coaching, they manage to win a close game and beat Mississippi.

**Mississippi(Ole Miss) finished 6-5 overall, with a 5-1 record in the SEC in the 1975 season in OTL. Here, after loosing to Vanderbilt and loosing any chance at a post season game, the team pretty much runs out of steam. Louisiana State and Mississippi State, however do reasonably well, and Mississippi State finishes the season 7-3-1.

***These final four games where Vanderbilt wins in OTL. While the scores would probably be different, or different individual players might have had more or less success, I've left the final outcome of each game the same, with Vanderbilt winning.

****In OTL, Vanderbilt finished with a 2-4 record in the Southeastern Conference, despite having an overall winning season. Here, due to beating Mississippi, who ended up falling apart after their post season hopes fell apart, Vanderbilt finishes with the third best in conference record, and the fourth best overall record in the SEC.

In OTL, Alabama won the SEC and was ranked 3rd in the nation, and Florida, Georgia, and Ole Miss where tied for second, Tennessee was third, and Vanderbilt fourth.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Tennessee_Volunteers_football_team

Here due to Ole Miss falling apart, Vanderbilt takes third in the SEC, Tennessee finishes fourth best, and Louisiana State and Mississippi State both finish ahead compared to OTL, thanks to Ole Miss faling apart.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1975_Vanderbilt_Commodores_football_team

Interestingly enough, Vanderbilt had a winning season, but as the post season of college football back in the 1970s had a lot fewer games, they where one of the odd teams out. They did good, but there simply where not enough post season openings to fit them in anywhere.

I haven't decided if I will put them in a post season game, but it will not be a major game. The Rose, Orange, and Sugar Bowls are out of the question.
 
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Hyperion

Banned
1975 Part II: Liberty or Loss

December 22nd of 1975 would see the Vanderbilt University Commodores football team in one of the most important games in team history.

Vanderbilt had managed to finish the season with a rare(for Vanderbilt) 8-3 winning record, finishing 3rd in the Southeastern Conference. Many fans and alumni at Vanderbilt had hoped that the team would make a post season game, but would not find out until December.

Initially, the Liberty Bowl, traditionally played in Memphis, Tennessee, had considered a matchup between the University of Southern California Trojans, and Texas A&M. Though Texas A&M had a better record than both USC and Vanderbilt, many considered USC be better overall than Texas A&M.

In a surprise move that stunned the college football world, Liberty Bowl coordinators decided to invite Vanderbilt to Memphis to take on Southern California. Many where surprised, but in the end, Liberty Bowl officials came down to three factors.

Southern California was traditionally a major player in the Pacific-8 Conference, and was known for sevearl appearances in the Rose Bowl. Though not a team traditionally seen on the east coast, it was considered by many that Southern Cal was a good team to invite.

Vanderbilt was a wildcard, a surprise, an unknown. Despite an unexpect low scoring win at the 1974 Peach Bowl, Vanderbilt was seen by many in college football to be a rather unimpressive team, that the win in Atlanta had been a fluke. Even weak teams get lucky on occasion.

In the end, it came down to two factors for Vanderbilt. The Commodores had played an impressive season, finishing a record 8-3, and third place in the Southeastern Conference. A lot of people considered this a chance to see how well, or how bad, Vanderbilt could handle a major game against a team with a proven history of success.

The final factor, the Liberty Bowl was traditionally played in Memphis Tennessee, within four hours of Vanderbilt. Many organizers for the Liberty Bowl considered it a good idea to have an in state team play, as it would draw a larger crowd than two out of area teams. Also, on the off chance that Vanderbilt managed to win, some considered it would provide major bragging rights for the Liberty Bowl and the city of Memphis to have Vanderbilt stage a breakout game in their city.

December 22nd would see one of the biggest football games in the history of the state of Tennessee, powerhouse Southern California, against up and coming Vanderbilt. Both teams where rested and ready. Southern California had experience. Vanderbilt had home field advantage, a testament shown by the fact the over 42,000 Vanderbilt fans where in the stadium that day.

The Trojans took an early lead, scoring an impressive 71 yard touchdown run with 7:12 left to play in the first quarter. Vanderbilt would get on the board at the beginning of the second quarter with a 3 point field goal, though Southern Cal would also score a field goal soon after. At the end of the first half of the game, Vanderbilt was on the board, but bairly.

The second half would see the game intensify. At 8:32 left in the third quarter, Vanderbilt caught a major play, and managed to score a 30 yard rushing touchdown, putting the score at a 10-10 tie. The Trojans where quick to take the lead again, with another field goal, pushing the score to 13-10, Trojans.

The fourth quarter would prove decisive. Vanderbilt started out a good drive, but managed two costly interceptions in a row. Good plays by the Commodores defense, fortunately, managed to keep the Trojans from capitalizing on either interception. Vanderbilt would get a second and final field goal with 6:52 to play late in the game, bringing the score to a 13-13 tie.

The final moment that sealed the fate of the 1975 Liberty Bowl, however, was a defensive play. After the field goal, Vanderbilt managed to punt the ball deep into Southern California territory, down to the 5 yard line. Southern California would not complete the first two passes, and on 3rd down, Vanderbilt managed to get one of the biggest defensive successes of the season, if not in school history.

The Southern California quarterback Vince Evans moved just a little too far back, right into the Southern Cal endzone. Before he could throw two Vanderbilt defensive players cornered him, and managed to sac him in his own endzone, scoring a late, and surprising, two point safety, putting Vanderbilt up 15-13.

As the clock went down to zero, so ended the 1975 Liberty Bowl, and the 1975 Vanderbilt Commodores. The celar dweller of the Southeastern Conference had managed to finish an impressive 9-3 season, finish third in the Southeastern Conference, and win the 1975 Liberty Bowl.

The next several seasons would see Vanderbilt fall from their high mark, finishing 5-6 from the 1976 season, and 4-7 records from the 1977 to 1979 seasons, and a weak 3-8 record in the 1980 season.

Many considered the two season winning streak of Vanderbilt to have been a fluke, that head coach Steve Sloan had burned out, and that he might be considering retiring or going to another team. Little did anyone know that the 1981 season would play a keep role in Vanderbilt football history to come.
 
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