NASHVILLE – Perhaps no living person is better than Gus Manning at comparing University of Tennessee football games, and putting them in their proper perspective.
Manning, UT’s former sports publicity director who still works for the men’s athletic department, has seen nearly every UT home and away game since 1951. He attended 608 consecutive games before injuring his ankle and missing the Volunteers’ 2003 win over Kentucky, and he’s been a mainstay since missing that victory over the Wildcats.
Essentially, Manning has seen the good, the bad, the ugly and the bizarre.
Thursday’s 30-27, double-overtime, Music City Bowl loss to North Carolina would certainly qualify as bizarre.
UT, for the eighth time this season, stormed the field to celebrate when it had more points than its opponent as the fourth quarter clock expired.