By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – It's been a while since the Sergeant York Trophy has taken up residence in Cookeville.
Officially, the Golden Eagles earned a share of the round-robin trophy in 2011 and 2016, tying with the other Tennessee members of the Ohio Valley Conference that compete for the trophy. However, it has been since 2009 – the third season of competition – that the Sergeant York Trophy has been in purple-and-gold-clad hands.
The Tennessee Tech football team would like to take a step in bringing the trophy back to Cookeville as the Golden Eagles host UT Martin on Saturday in the first game of the Sergeant York Championship series, sponsored by Delta Dental of Tennessee and Farm Bureau Health Plans.
It certainly won't be an easy task as the Golden Eagles haven't won a game in the series since toppling Tennessee State back on October 28, 2017, nearly two years ago.
This also isn't the same Golden Eagle team from two years ago. Tech enters Saturday's contest with a 4-2 record, 1-1 in the Ohio Valley Conference, as it tries to bounce back from a 43-37 double-overtime loss to Southeast Missouri, who now stands at No. 20 in the STATS FCS poll, 22nd in the American Football Coaches Association poll. The Golden Eagles are receiving votes in both polls.
The Skyhawks, also receiving votes in the STATS FCS poll, knocked off Eastern Kentucky last week in Richmond and stands at 2-0 in the league, 3-2 overall with losses to Florida and Southern Illinois.
It would only be right for the Sergeant York Trophy to return back to Cookeville, which stands near the hometown of the trophy's namesake. Alvin C. York, from nearby Pall Mall, Tenn., was one of the most decorated soldiers in World War I. Serving as a corporal in the 2nd battalion, 328th Infantry, in the Battle of the Meuse River-Argonne (Oct. 8, 1918), York and seven other soldiers captured 132 prisoners. For his feat, York was promoted to sergeant and received the Distinguished Service Cross, the French Croix de Guerre, the French Legion of Honor, the Croce di Guerra of Italy and the War Medal of Montenegro. When he returned to the United States in 1919, he was bestowed the Congressional Medal of Honor.
The trophy was founded in 2007 by the OVC and the Nashville Sports Council and is awarded to the winner of the quadrangular series between the four Tennessee schools in the conference – Austin Peay, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and UT Martin. It is only the second traveling trophy in college football that involves more than one team – the other is the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy contested between Air Force, Army and Navy.
Tennessee State has held the trophy five times, Austin Peay twice and Tech once. UT Martin, the Golden Eagles' opponent this week, has maintained possession of the trophy four times, the most recent in 2016. The Governors are the current holder of the trophy.
The trophy goes to the team with the best record against the others, and, in the case of a tie, there are co-champions and the trophy will be retained by the defending champion if they are involved in the tie. If the defending champion is not involved, the trophy goes to the team that has gone the longest since winning the trophy.
The other games in the Sergeant York Championship presented by Delta Dental of Tennessee and Farm Bureau Health Plans include: Oct. 19 – Austin Peay at Tennessee State; Oct. 26 – Austin Peay at Tennessee Tech; Nov. 9 – UT Martin at Austin Peay; Nov. 16 – Tennessee State at UT Martin; and Nov. 23 – Tennessee State at Tennessee Tech.
Saturday is also Public Safety and Military Appreciation Night at Tucker Stadium. Fans in their public safety or military uniforms, or with a valid military/public safety ID, will be admitted for free into Saturday's contest.
Tickets are on sale now. Call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or visit TTUsports.com to order.
