The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 29

AH Till OEITS SECTION 1 Hawks-Spurs fill Memorial? 1 1 Blue Jays win opener 11C 3 HO STATE 3CN 'k TOP 25 4C SEC 5C1 by Per.n Ststa Page 4C OVC 10C 4 ALL THE SCORES 2C SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1993 1 julF Jimmy '7? MUM i. in Wli l.m II (Tennessee tied up p3y Palmer's deuce You can 1 tBy DAVID CLIMER Semor Writer BIRMINGHAM, Ala. It was the same old scene at the end of rthe game yesterday, cnmson shak- waving, Alabama fans cheer- ters ng, Tennessee players walking disconsolately off Legion Field. But this was different. Alabama's celebration was the of a great escape by the Second-ranked Alabama is now 5-0-1 overall and 3-0-1 in the SEC entering a game at Ole Miss next Saturday.

UT, now 5-1-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the conference, has an open date next weekend. The break will give UT's Shuler some needed recovery time. He suffered a bruised left shoulder early in the third period and said his throwing motion was disrupted the rest of the day. After hitting 15 of 18 passes for 180 yards in the first half, Shuler misfired on all eight second-half throws. Alabama's clutch drive and two-point conversion came against all odds.

Trailing 17-9 and out of timeouts, the Tide got the ball on its 18-yard line with 1:44 remaining. Moreover, Alabama had been unable to move Crimson Tide, a stunning burst hlownfield for a touchdown and rjtwo-point conversion with 21 seconds remaining that locked up a 07-17 tie with the Vols. It was an extraordinary finish to jp classic game between these old, fcbitter rivals. The only blemish centered upon turnovers, with UT quarterback Heath Shuler throwing Hwo interceptions and the Vols again call it a rivalry BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The Third Saturday in October is finally over as a Tennessee day of mourning.

Well, somewhat Tennessee didn't lose to Alabama. Once the shock of Alabama's late drive for a 17-17 tie wears off, Big Orange fans will realize that After seven consecutive losses, at least the bleeding has stopped. "I'm very, very proud of my team," first-year coach Phillip Fulmer said. They came to Birmingham to play the national champions and they tied us." Fulmer says he would like to play Alabama again and settle the issue. Florida's loss yesterday at Auburn kept the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division race in the air and left possible a UT-Alabama rematch on Dec.

4. That would be the SEC championship game right here at Legion Field. These teams could pick up where they left off late yesterday. There is no dispute outside the UT campus that John Majors was fired and Fulmer was hired because Tennessee couldn't beat Alabama and, without it, could forget about a national title it has been missing for 42 years. Majors was obsessed by a personal hunger to beat the Tide.

He had been a part of this great gridiron rivalry for years as a player and coach. As a result, he perhaps tried too hard. His critics wailed as the UT losing streak reached seven. But this past week there was no uptight coach running around the football office in Knoxville. Majors was dealing with other problems up north in Pittsburgh.

The Alabama fight song did not blare in the Vols' lockerroom or on the practice field. Managers didn't dress up in Crimson Tide paraphernalia. The scout team didn't wear red helmets. There was no crimson letter in each player's locker. handing over Sthree fumbles, "We came to Birmingham and splayed the defending national Champions toe-to-toe.

Alabama had to tie us," said UT 3Coach Phillip Fullmer. Alabama's Gene Stallings vdidn't quibble rwith Fulmer's as the ball with any consistency all day. But in a drive worthy of a defending national champion, Alabama got the job done. Jay Barker pierced the UT secondary on a succession of short passes, fi ON PAGES 6-7C Game report, statistics. I Auburn stuns Florida, on 4G nally positioning himself for a one-yard quarterback sneak that pulled the Tide within 17-15 with just 21 seconds remaining.

Then, in a stroke of genius, Stallings sent the darting Palmer into the game at quarterback for the conversion play. With UT's defense in disarray, Palmer took the snap and simply outran the pursuit to the corner for the tying points. Figuring he had pulled enough miracles for the day, Stallings elected to kick deep, eschewing an onside kick attempt out of respect to the Vol offense. "They complete one pass and they can kick a field goal," Stallings explained. "I didn't think the team deserved to lose after coming back the way they did." sessment "I'm not pleased with the tie," sStallings said, "but I'm pleased Swith the way we came back in the patter part of the game and at least we tied the game up." The tie broke Alabama's 28-Cgame winning streak and also sev-fcered a seven-year string of Crim-son Tide victories over UT.

"I don't care what happened the seven prior years," Fulmer said, this voice cracking. "I only care what happened today. I hope we a chance to play 'em again in December." A rematch is a possibility. With Florida losing at Auburn yesterday, Gator slip and a sweep by the Vols of their remaining South-eastern Conference games probably would reunite UT and the Tide hat Legion Field on Dec. 4 for the pSEC Championship Game.

i LTl i j'k Vmm." r- u. )y! )rws ...77 Rick Musacchio Staff UT's Ronald Davis walks away as Alabama begins to celebrate David Palmer's game-tying run. Commodores washed away UZ2 ON PAGES 8-9C I Game report, statistics. NEXT FOR VU I Saturday at South Carolina. I Nov.

6 vs. Kentucky. Nov. 13 vs. Navy.

Fulmer had watched the failures of these psychological ploys as a Tennessee assistant under Majors. He would have nothing to do with them in the game preparation. He tried business as usual, tried to portray Alabama as just another high profile football team to play. It worked, or almost did, depending on if his mission was to beat the Tide, or quit losing to them. Alabama fullback Tarrant Lynch said that UT has nothing to be ashamed of after yesterday.

They've got to be feeling good," he said. "If I was them I would say that I played a good game, coming in here on our field and not losing to the No. 2 team in the nation." Obviously, Fulmer has mixed emotions about that "What happened today is what is important" he said. "What happened in the past has nothing to do with this game or any other." No one will buy that No one can escape the history of this series, which until yesterday had turned into what Fulmer called, "no rivalry at all. They win all the games." Well, the Crimson Tide didnt win this one and Big Orange fans headed home with renewed confidence that the change of the guard in the head coach's office is working.

Wait 'til next year or wait 'til Dec. 4 has a new ring. Jimmy Davy is a Senior Writer for The Tennessean. By LARRY WOODY Sports Writer Vanderbilt's homecoming parade got rained on in more ways than one yesterday. The Commodores were swamped by Georgia 41-3, sliced to ribbons by Bulldogs quarterback Eric Zeier, who hit 25-of-35 passes for 379 yards and four touchdowns against a soft-playing, slippery-tackling Vanderbilt secondary.

"It seems like every time we appear to be making progress we stumble," said a somber Vanderbilt Coach Gerry DiNardo who, for the second straight week, heard boos rumble from the home crowd. "We can't seem to get over the hump." Vandy, apparently on the way to an 11th consecutive losing season, is 2-4 overall and 0-4 in the SEC as it heads to South Carolina this week. A homecoming crowd of 28,554 melted away to perhaps half that number by halftime, thanks to the combination of a steady downpour and a virtually-insurmountable 34-3 lead for Georgia (3-4, 1-4). When Zeier fired a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jerman just 1:29 into the second half, the scramble for the exits began in earnest. Zeier took a seat shortly afterward as Georgia Coach Ray Goff began calling off the Dawgs.

Even with Zeier on the sidelines most of the second half, Georgia went on to roll up 520 yards net offense 1 ibsiia liVf'-ci iJX vW jAJ against a once-promising Vanderbilt defense that suffered a terminal relapse. "We didn't get near him Zeier for the most part," said DiNardo. "We were playing sofkOur plan was to break up the passes." Vanderbilt got off to a sharp start, driving down for a 32-yard Steve Yenner field goal on its first possession. The Commodores kicked off, Georgia fumbled, and Shelton Quarles recovered on the Dawgs 31. But VU's offense went backwards, losing 11 yards on three plays and letting the visitors off the ropes.

Georgia never gave the Commodores another chance. The Bulldogs kicked a tying field goal, then Zeier threw a 53-yard TD pass to Brice Hunter with 45 seconds left in the first quarter and the rout was on. "I thought we'd play better today," said DiNardo. "That's disappointing." Dekwes Detvh Staff 'Vanderbilt quarterback Cedric Douglas takes a hit from Georgia 'defender Ralph Thompson, a former Hillwood High star. AROUND THE NATION SECOVCAREA iMMHTCH AROUND THE DIAL Coaching corners: The phuap Fulmer ShOW, 1 p.m., MnMHMMMn- Johnny Majors and put ten to 1-5 AROUND THE NATION Charlie Ward took apart another undefeated team, throwing three touchdown passes and running for another as No.

1 Florida State hammered No. 15 Virginia 40-14. On 4C. Tennessee State defeated Austin Peay 21-16 as Darron Davis set two school records in rushing for 233 yards with a 24-21 loss to Channel The Boots Donnelly Show. 10 lit! and three touchdowns.

On 10C. onsc SECTION EDITORS it SEC I Alabama 17, 10. Term. 17 Georgia 41, Vandy 3 19.Aub. 38, 4.

Florida 35 p.m., Channel 17; The Gerry DiNardo Show, 22 p.m., Channel 4. Next Saturday: Iowa at Michiaan State. 11:30 Kent. 35, LSU 17 Ole Miss 19, Ark. 0 Miss.

St. 23, S. Car. 0 djv. No.

24 Syracuse. The Orangemen (4-1-1) stopped Pitt, a 22V2-point underdog, on fourth down at the Syracuse 3-yard line with just over two minutes remaining. Pitt's Curtis Martin ran into his own blocker and Syracuse ran out the clock. OVC. OnlOC AREA.

TOP 25 1.Fla.St. 40, 15. Vir. 14 3.N.Dame45,BYU20 5. Ohio St.

28, 25. Mich. St. 21 6. Nebraska 45, Kan.

St. 28 18. Mich. 21, 7. Penn St 13 2a Colo.

20, Oklahoma 10 Stan, at It Arizona, late On4C 22. UCLA 39, 12. Wash. 25 13. Texas 30, Baylor 17 14.

N. Car. 41, Ga Tech 3 16. Wisconsin 42, Purdue 28 Wash. St.

34, 21 Cal. 7 Louisville 35, S. Miss. 27 24. Syracuse 24, Pitt.

21 TSU 21, Austin Peay 16 Ted Power, Managing EditorSports, 259-6022. Senior Writers: Jimmy Davy, 259-8901; David Climer, 259-8020. To report sports news: 259-8010. Sports fax machine: 259-8826. Need a 259-8023.

am, ESPN; Syracuse at Miami, 6:30 p.m., ESPN; Southern Cal at Notre Dame, 1:30 p.m., Channel 30; Alabama at Ole Cumber. 27, Sue Bennett 0 Rhodes 31, Sewanee 13 West. Kentucky 51, S. ID. 24 Tulsa 23, Memphis State 19 MTSU 45, More.

St. 0 Tenn. Tech 20, UTM 3 East. Ky. 21, Murray 13 11:30 a.m., Channel 4 (tentative).

MAJORS.