Billy Cannon lunged towards the goal line.

Just after LSU pulled within one of Tennessee with a fourth quarter touchdown, the Tigers put the ball in the hands of their best player as they went for lead.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

Those hands would hoist a Heisman Trophy in a little more than a month, but on this day, the heroics that eventually earned Cannon college football’s most coveted individual award would take a backseat to the heroics of Bill Majors, Charley Severance and Wayne Grubb.

The four clashed at the goal line on the north end of Shields-Watkins Field, Cannon trying desperately to drive his 210-pound frame into the orange-clad trio. He lost, and so did No. 1 LSU.

“The stop”, as it became known in Vols football lore all but decided one of the biggest victories in program history: a 14-13 decision that knocked the Tigers from the ranks of the unbeaten and dashed their hopes of a repeat national championship.

There were a bevy of heroes that played a part in Tennessee’s triumph, including Jim Cartwright, who made two game-changing plays, both on defense.

It was Cartwright that drew the Vols even after he nabbed an LSU pass and took it back 59 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

It was the first of two Tennessee scores in as many minutes. Neyle Sollee scored the other on a 14-yard run to put the Vols ahead for good, 14-7.

Even after Cannon was stuffed at the goal line, the Tigers got another chance after a Tennessee punt gave them the ball back.

LSU drove to the Vols’ 40-yard line, but Cotton Letner dragged down Cannon for an eight-yard loss, forcing a pass on the following play that Cartwright again got in front of for his second interception.

According to the Knoxville News-Sentinel, Cartwright could hardly hold onto his glass coke-cola bottle as he answered questions from reporters between sips inside a jubilant Tennessee postgame locker room.

“I smelled it,” Cartwright said of his first interception. “We worked on all that sort of thing a lot last week. I had a notion they might be getting ready to try it.”

As for Cannon, who one week before made his legendary Halloween night punt return for a touchdown to beat Ole Miss, there wasn’t as much to talk about postgame.

“If you fellows don’t mind, I’d rather not say anything,” Cannon told reporters. “I just don’t feel up to it.”

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