A shocking event occurred in 1897 at the Thanksgiving Day match with Sewanee on the original Dudley Field.

The word "hell" had been used in the line of a popular cheer on campus by Vanderbilt students and spread into events as football.

It had become so popular at Vanderbilt that it was in the minds and causes them to be oblivious to the fact that it was not exactly proper to shock refined ladies by such utterances.

Phil Connell and captain Howard Boogher dove to recover the ball after the victory, giving Vanderbilt its first conference title.

Sewanee manager Luke Lea, after a disagreement with Vanderbilt over gate receipts resulting in the 1899 game being cancelled, sought a way to make up for the lost revenue.

John J. Tigert, later a prominent educator, got Vanderbilt's first touchdown, and thus was the first person to score on the Tigers all season.

One publication claims "The first scouting done in the South was in 1905, when Dan McGugin and Captain Innis Brown, of Vanderbilt went to Atlanta to see Sewanee play Georgia Tech.

At McGugin's signal, the Commodores went into a freakish formation in which Stein Stone remained at center but all other players shifted to his left.

[20] Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin in Spalding's Football Guide's summation of the season in the SIAA wrote "The standing.

[23] One account reads "For brilliance and beauty of execution, (Tolley's play) has had few equals, if any, in the South, and the Tiger leader retires from the game as the premier quarterback in the S.I.A.A., beyond a doubt."

Sewanee felt confident its line gave them a chance to win, but also a bit nervous about Vanderbilt's passing attack.

[28] In a game for bragging rights and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association title, Lynn Bomar would be injured.

[29] The game went scoreless until the fourth quarter, when Sewanee fumbled the snap on a punt and the punter was smothered by Jess Neely, Frank Godchaux, and Pink Wade for a safety.

Later in the fourth, Hek Wakefield would punt the ball 54 yards from his own 38 yard-line, and Elam recovered a fumble by Sewanee's Powers.

"[32] Vanderbilt coach Dan McGugin stated "Sewanee played a brilliant, sustained game.

Sewanee's backfield of captain Harris, Gibbons, Barker, and Mahoney "clicked to perfection"[25] and its line received much praise as well.