The Knoxville News-Sentinel from Knoxville, Tennessee • 29

Section The Knoxville News-Sentinel Sunday November 15 1992 Sports The News-Sentinel 531-8100 24 hours a day Beating Tigers never grows old Joe Howell News-Sentinel staff Scott Galyon (right) recovered Russell Copeland's fumble of a punt late in the game effectively ending any Memphis State chances Troubled Vols tame Tigers put turmoil behind them Not that there weren't anxious 22 seconds to play position themselves for the best- By Mike Strange Hm John Or Adams jjmr Sports editor Matthews' third touchdown pass to Copeland covered 20 yards with 3:43 to play and sliced UT's lead to 23-21 The Vol fans in the bipartisan crowd could be forgiven for wondering if they weren't in for another heartbreak Two-thirds of the losing streak consisted of one-point come-from-ahead losses to Arkansas and South Carolina Not to worry This time the Vols found a way to produce a happy ending with a little help from the Tigers Please see VOLS page C5 possible bowl invitation As usual one team's wine was the other's vinegar Memphis State's record of futility against Tennessee stayed perfect at 0-for-14 The Tigers are 5-5 on the year "This was a tough loss knowing we had a team that was good enough to beat them" said Steve Matthews a one-time Vol and current MSU quarterback who burned his old teammates by throwing three touchdown passes to Russell Copeland Tennessee's best weapon was John Becksvoort who kicked four field goals the final one with moments early and late Tennessee playing with less than 24 hours notice from head coach Johnny Majors that he would not be back next year fell behind 7-0 almost instantly then benefitted from a late break that nixed a Memphis State rally Even so the losing streak wasn't officially dead until DeRon Jenkins dragged down Larry Porter at the UT 30 after a pass completion as time expired The Vols who were 5-0 prior to their bout with amnesia finally improved to 6-3 They return to Southeastern Conference play against Kentucky and Vanderbilt to wind up the regular season and News-Sentinel sportswriter MEMPHIS The team that had forgotten how to win finally remembered Saturday "A lot of players played like they played the first five games" said JJ McCleskey getting to the bottom line on Tennessee's 26-21 victory over Memphis State before 65234 the third-largest crowd ever at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium McCleskey made good on his pregame refuse-to-lose vow as the 23rd-ranked Vols snapped a three-game losing streak that dated back to Oct 3 and dragged through two open dates WW usl 34-31 at Georgia 31-14 Florida W40O Cincinnati W20-0 atLSU 24-25 Arkansas 10-17 Alabama 23-24 at South Carolina 26-21 at Memphis State Nov 21 Kentucky 1:00 Nov 23 at 12:30 (WBIR) Majors' sudden return from surgery proved costly Back-to-basics week beneficial for Tennessee MEMPHIS In the last week the Tennessee Vols discovered how complicated college football can be But Saturday afternoon they were reminded it sometimes can be the simplest of games In an up-and-down season the Vols simply drove straight ahead at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium In so doing they escaped the controversy that has engulfed their program for three days and achieved a 26-21 victory by executing the game's most basic skills blocking and tackling The Vols rushed for 194 yards The Tigers had minus-1 yard rushing Those were the telling numbers as the Vols ended a three-game losing streak and revived memories of the team that won its first five games The Vols won as much with preparation as execution And in Please see ADAMS page C3 44 feel that I have lost two sons to the University of Tennessee Bill while on the way to work (in a car-train accident Oct 18 1965) John while working Elizabeth Majors Tennessee Bill while on the way to work (in a car-train accident Oct 18 1965) John while working" Majors' father Shirley coached his Sewanee team the day after Bill's death in 1965 That left an impression on John Majors "I was always taught to go to work when you're supposed to go to work" Majors said "I was supposed to go to work today I have a responsibility to these young men" Asked about his emotions before the game Majors said: "Very serious because I didn't want to let the team down I told them to go play for themselves and the guy next to them" Please see MAJORS page C6 By Jimmy Hyams News-Sentinel sportswriter MEMPHIS Johnny Majors said his early return from heart bypass surgery led to his ouster as Tennessee's head football coach "My timing just wasn't right" Majors said minutes after the Vols beat Memphis State 26-21 Saturday and a day after he announced at a press conference the university was buying out the remaining two years of his contract "I probably should have taken a year off But when people tell me to go to work I normally go to work when I'm able to go I paid a big price for that Therefore here we are" Majors who had five bypasses Aug 25 jors said Majors would not discuss his emotions when he was called in earlier this week and told by President Joe Johnson and athletic Doug Dickey that his 16-year career as UT's coach would end Dec 31 Asked if he is bitter Majors said: "I'd rather not get into that" But his mother Elizabeth Majors said in a handwritten statement: "I feel that I have lost two sons to the University of surprised everyone by returning 26 days later The Vols were 3-0 and eventually climbed to No 4 in the nation before losing three in a row to drop to 23rd Asked why he said he should have taken a year off Majors pointed to "gross untruths" written about him in the media He did not elaborate "If I'd taken a year off a sabbatical this probably would still be my team and some other people could have some losses" Ma CAI I IAI CfMYMHAI I OBDABT In the spotlight King Richard driving into sunset with smile New champ is deciding on next foe By The Associated Press Lrrr zz How the Top 25 tared 1 Miami (9-0) beat Temple 46-0 14 NC State (8-2-1) beat Duke 45-27 2 Alabama (10-0) beat Miss St 30-21 15 Stanford (8-3) beat Wash St 40-3 3 Michigan (8-0-2) tied Illinois 22-22 16 Miss St (7-2) was at Alabama 4 Texas (10-0) beat Houston 38-30 SI 17 Bos Col (7-2-1) lost to Syracuse 27-10 5 Florida State (9-1) beat Tulane 70-7 18 Southern Cal (6-2-1) beat Arizona 14-7 6 Washington (9-1) beat Oregon St 45-16 19 Ohio State (8-2) beat Indiana 27-10 7 Nebraska (7-2) tost to Iowa St 19-10 20 Kansas (7-3) tost to Colorado 25-18 8 Notre Dame (8-1-1) beat Perm St 17-16 21 Wash St (7-3) tost to Stanford 40-3 9 Arizona (6-3-1) tost to Southern Cal 14-7 22 Penn St (6-4) lost to Notre Dame 17-16 10 Syracuse (9-1-0) beat Boston Col 27-10 23 UT (6-3) beat Memphis St 26-21 11 Florida (7-2-0) beat Carolina 14-9 24 Hawaii (7-1) was at San Diego State 12 Georgia (8-2) beat Auburn 14-10 25 North CaroHna (7-3) did not play 13 Colorado (8-1-1) beat Kansas 25-18 How the SEC fared Tennessee 26 Memphis State 21 Alabama 30 Mississippi State 21 Vanderbilt 27 Navy 7 Ote Miss 13 Louisiana Tech 6 Cincinnati 17 Kentucky 13 Florida 14 South Carolina 9 LAS VEGAS Bowe knows boxing And Riddick Bowe's manager Rock Newman says he knows the boxing business So he wonders why it wouldn't be good business to delay a showdown with top contender Lennox Lewis "I am the heavyweight champion of the world" the 25-year-old Bowe said sounding like a man pinching himself after winning the title by outpointing Evander Holyfield for the undis- Please see BOWE page C15 Despite the effort of OJ McDurfie the Perm State Nittany Lions lost 17-16 to Notre Dame Story page C9 Georgia 14 Auburn 10 "Sadness has not crept into it and hopefully it won't after the race" Petty said this week "Hopefully I can look back on more good times than bad times All the people I've met and all the things I've done through the years will roll up in a big ball so I can look at the whole picture There haven't been any sad times and I'm not looking for any" Legendary status is not achieved overnight nor in 10 short seasons of Winston Cup racing No one is likely to reach that level in the foreseeable future in a stock car "You've got to be around for 30 years to become a legend Bobby Allison and Cale Yarbor-ough have retired" said Kyle Petty "Those guys raced for 30 years and now Daddy's retiring It's hard to say who is going to take on legend status There's not a guy out here that jumps out in the next five years and becomes a legend "Dale Earnhardt has been racing since 1979 He's got 20 years to catch up on some of this stuff This sport went so long with just the regular standard bearers like Richard Petty Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough Then Darrell (Waltrip) came along and then Earnhardt "Those guys (Richard Bobby and Cale) picked up the mantel in the mid-60s and they had to carry it until the early 80s From that point on there has been another Please see PETTY page C14 By Bill Luther News-Sentinel sportswriter HAMPTON Ga With late afternoon shadows slowly creeping across Atlanta Motor Speedway Richard Petty's stock car driving career comes to a conclusion today The final chapter Fans Appreciation Tour winds up a career packed with 35 years of memories peaks and valleys championships crashes and blown engines On the way to legendary status Petty left his mark at each stop and a string of records many that will never be challenged in the world of motorsport Ironically this superstar began his career on a short dirt track in Toronto Canada on July 18 1958 He'll climb through the window of the blue and red Pontiac for the final time in the Deep South With the changing of the guard there will be cheers for NASCAR's most famous member There will be tears of sadness shed by fans making up the largest crowd to see a sporting event in Georgia Really though it is not a sad ending King Richard is not finished He is only relinguishing the driving to Rick Wilson (beginning with the Daytona 500) He retains the hat of a car owner Petty's victories total 200 nearly double the number (105) by No 2 David Pearson Certainly not a number to leave a man in sorrow Eagles hope win brings playoff spot terian should qualify fifth-ranked C-N (8-2 6-1 SAC) for postseason play Today's final poll determines which eight teams advance to the playoffs something C-N has accomplished seven consecutive years and 11 overall "We didn't want to be home for Thanksgiving" coach Ken Sparks said "We knew that in order to extend our season we needed not only to win but to win impressively I think we did just that" Presbyterian dropped to 4-6 3-4 By Chuck Cavalaris News-Sentinel sportswriter JEFFERSON CITY A Carson-Newman College football season on the verge of going out with a whimper turned into a boisterous bang-bang at Burke-Tarr Stadium on Saturday Carson-Newman scored third-quarter touchdowns nine seconds apart and senior Chuck Proffitt climaxed a victory by tying the school's interception record with a 70-yard touchdown return The 34-17 win over Presby For most of the first quarter which saw Presbyterian grab a 10-0 lead the game was more like a nap for the Eagles C-N didn't fully awaken until Damon Wright's 42-yard punt return to PC's 7-yard-line set up Tony Cayson's TD run on the next play Although Nathan Salyer field goals of 33 and 40 yards helped C-N take a 13-10 halftime lead the Eagles didn't fully wake up until midway through the third quarter Linebacker Bernard Womack who had three sacks for minus 27 yards touched off the alarm with a fumble recovery at PC's 29 "We knew we needed big plays to win a big game" said Womack one of several seniors who didn't want to see their career end prematurely Four plays later Ray Butler darted to his left and scored from the 12 to give the Eagles a 20-10 lead Butler missed the previous three games with a fractured eye socket "It's the bone that holds the Please see EAGLES page C9.