The 12th Game

[Solomon]

This has been bugging me all year, wonder what other UT fans thought about it.

 

Air Force was scheduled when the NCAA allowed the 12th game. As a result of that game UT

 

a ) nearly suffered an embarassing defeat,

b ) lost Justin Harrell for the season, and

c ) probably saw Inky Johnson's football playing days come to an end.

 

This is purely opinion, but I've got to think that having Harrell (at 100% and not playing with a torn muscle) and Johnson in the line-up is worth 1 point against Florida and possibly 4 points against LSU. At least one of those games probably is a W with those two guys in the line-up. And maybe they show up at Arkansas with a little more fire about them too. So they are probably looking at a shot at a SEC title, a BCS birth, or maybe both, who knows? Instead, probably Capital One or Outback as I type this, with a better chance at Capital One and a $5 million payout.

 

The best I can figure, UT probably made about $3.2 million in ticket revenue for that game, and I'll roung it up to $3.5 million considering concession sales and all. I forget how much Air Force got paid to come, but probably $500K. So UT roughly made $3 million that day.

 

A season ending injury, a possible loss of a SEC title shot, a decent chance at BCS bowl, a player lost for the season, and a player whose career may be over. Now, I ask, looking back, was the 12th game worth it?

[muffin]

Very much wort it from both sides,money and expierence.