Johnny Majors grinned from ear-to-ear as his Tennessee players triumphantly strode with him on their shoulders to midfield.

Elsewhere on that same turf, a goalpost came toppling down, twisted and carried away by delirious fans.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

What a week it had been for all involved. The 1979 Vols, who had made a statement in their win over Auburn more than a month before, came crashing back down to earth when three out of four losses followed, including a humiliating defeat at the hands of Rutgers at home.

One week later, they were back on that mountain top, back where they felt Tennessee belonged after taking down tradition-rich and No. 13 Notre Dame, 40-18.

The Vols did it convincingly, too.

The Fighting Irish became the frustrated Irish when facing elusive Tennessee quarterback Jimmy Streater, who rushed for a touchdown and nearly had another on a 51-yard run to help build the Vols’ advantage before a knee injury sidelined him for the rest of the game.

Notre Dame had even fewer answers for Hubert Simpson.

The dazzling Vols running back rushed for 117 yards and four touchdowns on 27 carries, full circle moment after breifly quitting the team and working his way back on to the roster earlier that season.

Simpson out-gained the Irish’s highly touted back Vagas Ferguson—an All-American and record-setter at Notre Dame.

That was Simpson’s plan, played to perfection.

“I was going to give ‘em something to measure (Ferguson) by,” Simpson told reporters after the game. “My plan was to out-do Ferguson. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I had a buck bet that I would out-rush him.”

Bet won. So was some pride for Tennessee after a rough stretch. The Vols were back on the verge of bowl eligibility.

But it wasn’t only the legs of Streater and Simpson that got Tennessee there. Its defense was equally spectacular.

There was the goal-line stand just before halftime as the Irish tired to get back in it. There was the safety, too that put the Vols up, 23-6 after trailing Notre Dame fullback John Sweeney in the end zone with less than 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

There were many more highlights of the Majors era still ahead. But this was among the first—and most satisfying.

“I am very happy for the team,” Majors said. “We fought back from where we had been. We played the way we are capable of playing.”

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