1998 Tennessee Game - Makes More Sense Now | Syracusefan.com

1998 Tennessee Game - Makes More Sense Now

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Excerpt taken from retrospective piece penned by ESPN’s Chris Low. A new detail or two:


The unforgettable memories from that season flow to this day for Tennessee fans, starting with the very first game, a heart-stopping 34-33 win in the Carrier Dome over Donovan McNabb and a Syracuse team loaded with future NFL talent.

A bang-bang pass interference call on fourth-and-7 from the Tennessee 35-yard line with 1:48 to play kept alive the Vols' game-winning drive and to this day infuriates Syracuse fans. Initially, no flag was thrown in what seemed like an eternity on the Tennessee sideline. But, finally, one came sailing in from back judge Lee Dyer, who just happened to live in Chattanooga.

"The closest official to the play didn't see it. He said he was blocked and couldn't see it," Fulmer said. "But it was pass interference, no question. Cedrick Wilson clearly was hit before the ball got there."

After the 1998 season, Fulmer said he sent Dyer an autographed national championship football, but not because Fulmer felt like the Vols received any special favors.

"I just wanted him to know that he absolutely made the right call," Fulmer said.
 
And now their damn fans want to take our orange emoji!
 
I hate admitting it, but I've watched the replay in slow motion. It was PI. He got there early. The ridiculous equipment violation calls are what will always get me though. They were BS and came at horrible times. Without those calls, I believe we have a lead that would have made a last second drive inconsequential. McNabb was an obsolute stud that day.
 
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The knee pads got me. It was a PI but it should have been called by guy closest to it. Not some random dude on some other part of field 40 yards away.

I don’t think it was an obvious PI. Questionable, IMO.

Between that game, the ‘94 Oklahoma game, and the ‘97 NC State game, September Syracuse football was delivering some absolutely devastating gut punches in that era.

Edit: How can I forget UNC 96? A little different in that we didn’t lose on the last play, but expectations were so sky high going into that one - seeing us get rolled by a team we’d beaten at their place the year before was a tough one. Forgotten moment because it didn’t even count due to a penalty, but when we blocked the 2nd UNC punt in a row and returned it for a TD - that’s one of the loudest moments I’ve ever heard the Dome - for about 10 seconds.
 
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Excerpt taken from retrospective piece penned by ESPN’s Chris Low. A new detail or two:


The unforgettable memories from that season flow to this day for Tennessee fans, starting with the very first game, a heart-stopping 34-33 win in the Carrier Dome over Donovan McNabb and a Syracuse team loaded with future NFL talent.

A bang-bang pass interference call on fourth-and-7 from the Tennessee 35-yard line with 1:48 to play kept alive the Vols' game-winning drive and to this day infuriates Syracuse fans. Initially, no flag was thrown in what seemed like an eternity on the Tennessee sideline. But, finally, one came sailing in from back judge Lee Dyer, who just happened to live in Chattanooga.

"The closest official to the play didn't see it. He said he was blocked and couldn't see it," Fulmer said. "But it was pass interference, no question. Cedrick Wilson clearly was hit before the ball got there."

After the 1998 season, Fulmer said he sent Dyer an autographed national championship football, but not because Fulmer felt like the Vols received any special favors.

"I just wanted him to know that he absolutely made the right call," Fulmer said.
You cannot hate the Viols best unless you are a Tennessee native who hates them - like me.

I think the worst call for the Vols I ever saw was a game in Knoxville against Vanderbilt. Vandy was trying to throw a go ahead TD pass late in the game. The Vols DB ran into and over the Vandy receiver near the back of the end zone. The ball hit the receiver's hand, after the DB hit the receiver, and landed briefly on the DB's back, and then fell to the ground as the DB rolled over.

The refs called it an INT for the Vols. That was before replay.
 
You cannot hate the Viols best unless you are a Tennessee native who hates them - like me.

I think the worst call for the Vols I ever saw was a game in Knoxville against Vanderbilt. Vandy was trying to throw a go ahead TD pass late in the game. The Vols DB ran into and over the Vandy receiver near the back of the end zone. The ball hit the receiver's hand, after the DB hit the receiver, and landed briefly on the DB's back, and then fell to the ground as the DB rolled over.

The refs called it an INT for the Vols. That was before replay.
There are things we never let go. To wit - the ending of the Syracuse / Notre Dame game 1961. Don't get me started.
 
There are things we never let go. To wit - the ending of the Syracuse / Notre Dame game 1961. Don't get me started.

I grew up with a strangest sports stories kids book that had that game in it. My dad and grandfather drilled into me that Notre Dame were overrated cheaters from the time I was in diapers.
 
Equipment violation. I've seen it rarely since then, probably 5 times or less total, but never twice in one game.
Unbelievable. I vaguely remember a technical in basketball for not having a shirt tucked. I realize it’s not exactly the same but now the refs just remind the player.
 
Unbelievable. I vaguely remember a technical in basketball for not having a shirt tucked. I realize it’s not exactly the same but now the refs just remind the player.
Yeah. I think both times it was because the pants had come up a little and some of the player's knee pad was showing.
 
PI call.

Equipment violations (that never seemed to happen ever again, anywhere).

Running the clock out to end the first half (right call), but Rob Konrad fumbles!

1st and goal at the 7 with all the time in the world left and we played for 3.
 
Equipment violation. I've seen it rarely since then, probably 5 times or less total, but never twice in one game.

Exactly. The PI was bang bang - I can live with that call. But the equipment violations? I'm usually pretty level-headed when it comes to officiating but those still burn me up.
 

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