COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Both Ohio State and Tennessee rank among the 15 winningest programs in college football history. But when the teams meet Saturday in the College Football Playoff first round, it will be just the second meeting between the schools.
That prior meeting happened on New Year's Day 1996 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. It was a time of rising stars in both programs, including a Heisman Trophy winner and a future NFL quarterback legend.
"We shouldn't have been playing in the Citrus Bowl, probably," joked former defensive lineman Matt Finkes, who played on Ohio State's star-studded 1995 team.
That season OSU was undefeated before losing at Michigan in the regular season finale. That loss denied the Buckeyes a shot at the national title. Tennessee had endured a similarly crushing loss, to the eventual champion Florida. In the modern college football world, both teams would have been major contenders. Instead, they ended up paired against each other.
"I don't think there was ever a greater collection of talent on a field that I've ever seen in my career as opposed to that Citrus Bowl that day. There's no question," former Tennessee offensive lineman Brad Lampley said. Lampley's son, Jackson, plays on the current Tennessee team.
The rosters were loaded. Ohio State featured Heisman winner Eddie George, offensive tackle Orlando Pace, receiver Terry Glenn, and a defense filled with greats including Mike Vrabel, Luke Fickell, Shawn Springs and Antoine Winfield. Tennessee countered with quarterback Peyton Manning, running back James "Little Man" Stewart and defensive star Leonard Little.
"Everything leading up to that game was, it's Peyton Manning and Eddie George and these offenses, and how are you going to stop them?" Finkes said.
What stopped them? Rain. Buckets of it.
"It was like literally playing on an ice rink," Finkes said.
"It's sort of the old three yards and a cloud of dust, except that day it was all mud," Lambert said.
Rain led to an old-school, physical test. The score was tied at 7 at halftime as the teams exchanged rushing touchdowns. Manning made the biggest play in the game in the second half. He hit Joey Kent for a 47-yard touchdown pass, putting the Vols in front.
OSU responded as Bobby Hoying connected with Rickey Dudley for a touchdown to tie the score at 14. Two Tennessee field goals in the fourth quarter ended OSU's hopes. A 20-14 final left both teams wondering what the game would have looked like in better conditions.
"That was a big, big game for us and frankly was the springboard for a lot of the things we were able to accomplish later on in that decade," Lambert said.
Tennessee won the national title in the 1998 season.
"I think both teams left that thinking like, man, we'd love to run this back on a nice day or in a dome sometime and see what we could do with this," Finkes said.
