Remember when the Vols beat Bama in 1984?

Editor's note: This week The Beacon will run the game stories from

Tennessee's four consecutive wins over Alabama, from 1982-85. Today's game

story is from Oct. 22, 1984, the Monday following the Vols' last win over

the Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium.

The Alabama mystique, which frustrated and haunted Tennessee for 11

straight years before disappearing the last two, resurfaced Saturday for 52

minutes at Neyland Stadium.

The UT mistakes and the relentless Alabama offense and rugged defense which

was characteristic of 11 straight Volunteer losses to the Crimson Tide,

vanished as quickly as you could say eight minutes or three in a row.

The Vols (3-2-1, 1-2 in the SEC), who appeared destined for defeat for the

third time this year, finished with an 18-point flurry to post a 28-27 win,

their third consecutive victory against Alabama (2-5, 0-3) and their first

Southeastern Conference victory this season.

"Just another normal day in a coach's life," joked UT coach Johnny Majors.

"I don't see how the Tennessee-Alabama game could be more exciting. There

is terrific joy in the locker room, you just can't imagine it."

Not in the last 13 years, including the last two UT victories, has an

ending to this SEC rivalry had such an unusual and unexpected result.

Everything from Alabama's 68-yard touchdown pass from Vince Sutton to Greg

Richardson with 35 seconds left in the first half, to Larry Abney's

desperation pass to Preston Gothard for a first down following a Tide

miscue on a field goal attempt in the fourth quarter, went against the

Vols. Only the last eight minutes were kind.

The first big play of the Vols' comeback was a 28-yard pass from Robinson

to tight end Jeff Smith. One play later, Robinson passed to Tennessee's

leading receiver, Tim McGee, to bring the Vols within seven, 27-20.

The 95,422 fans came to life for the UT defense on Alabama's next

possession, and the defense gave the Tide no room. Alabama's Terry Sanders

punted to freshman Andre Creamer, who was replacing Charles Benton as the

deep man on the return, and Creamer scrambled and dodged his way 45 yards

to the Tide 11.

"I don't know if it was 'the' play, but it was a big play," Creamer said.

"They had been kicking the ball short all day, but they kicked the last one

long and we got the wall set up. I broke, and Tommy Sims made a key block.

All I saw was wind, and I wanted to score."

Despite the long return, the Vols needed eight points to win. Johnnie Jones

got six of them on a one-yard sweep left, the same play Jones beat Alabama

with last season when he ran 66 yards.

Majors then had the decision to make - whether to go for two or one. He

decided to go with an option play, but not the same critical play attempted

at the end of the first half against Auburn.

Robinson gave Jones a look but decided to keep. The rest was history -

three in a row - 28-27.

"If we had scored with three-and-a-half to four minutes left, I might have

gone for one and put the pressure on Alabama's back," Majors said. "Thank

goodness we made the tough decision and went for two."

"I think from a spectator's standpoint, it was an exciting game," Alabama

head coach Ray Perkins said. "And it was an exciting game for me, too, for

most of the way. Our team game a great effort, but so did Tennessee."

Majors was asked if the win was sweeter than the previous two.

"I can't say anything to take away from the last two," Majors said. "I just

don't see how the last two could be topped. Today there was more drama down

to the last few seconds. Nothing is sweeter than knowing everything has to

click like it had to for us to win."

The first half would have cured anyone of insomnia in comparison to the

second half. Alabama moved 60 yards in its first possession, before

settling for a 36-yard Van Tiffin field goal.

The Tide got the ball back at the UT 33 following Louis Dean's interception

of a Tony Robinson pass. Five plays later, Paul Ott Carruth ran four yards

to give Alabama a 10-0 lead.

The next 10 minutes of the opening half went scoreless before the Vol

offense got untracked and marched 60 yards to score on an eight-yard pass

from Robinson to Joey Clinkscales. Alabama still led 10-7.

Then linebacker Dale Jones provided Tennessee with its second scoring

opportunity when he stripped Tide fullback Ricky Moore of the ball at

Alabama's 12 and Jim Dunkin recovered. The Vols could not make six points

and therefore settled for three and a 10-10 tie.

With UT now back in the heat of the battle, Sutton hit a wide-open

Richardson down the Tennessee sideline, where Vol freshman Andre Creamer

was not to be found, for another touchdown and a 17-10 halftime lead.

The third quarter was the same song for Alabama as it orchestrated a

55-yard touchdown drive culminating with Carruth's second touchdown.