How last-second TD helped Ole Miss signee Craig Tutt tie TSSAA BlueCross Bowl record
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
CHATTANOOGA — Craig Tutt didn't know who Jalen Hurd was when asked following the TSSAA football playoffs Class 6A BlueCross Bowl state championship at Finley Stadium on Dec. 6.
But the Oakland senior star running back and Ole Miss commitment joined Hurd's elite company during Oakland's 62-21 win over Ravenwood.
Tutt tied Hurd (2012), the former Beech and Tennessee star, for a TSSAA championship game record with seven rushing touchdowns in the finale of the nine BlueCross Bowl games stretched over three days.
It was Oakland's fifth state title in the past six years.
"It feels amazing," said Tutt, who was named MVP of the game for the second consecutive season. He finished with a career-high 32 carries for 226 yards. "You know, the coaches believing in me, my line believing in me. Everybody just rooted for me. It's amazing, man."
The Tennessee Titans Mr. Football finalist, who signed with Ole Miss on Dec. 3, poured it on for Oakland (15-0) when it mattered most. He rushed for 450 yards and 11 touchdowns over the team's final two games (including a semifinal win over Blackman).
He scored four of his record-tying seven TDs in the second half of the 6A championship game, including the last three in the game's final 5:30.
But the final one, as time expired while he carried at least six Ravenwood defenders into the end zone, almost didn't happen.
After Oakland had recovered a Ravenwood (14-1) fumble late, Creasy put in reserves on a pair of running plays and was about to let the clock expire with the team inside the 5-yard line.
Then someone informed him that Tutt was one TD away from Hurd's record.
"We were getting into some deserving seniors that maybe didn't touch the ball as much," Creasy said. "But it's nice to see your senior leader get a state record or tie it. We were going to knee it out or let the clock run, but then, yeah, somebody talked me into it."
Oakland leaders battle through injuries for TSSAA football state title
Oakland senior defensive back and Tennessee signee Joel Wyatt suffered injuries to both his knee and quad in the team's state quarterfinal win over Green Hill and didn't play in the semis vs. Blackman. But nothing was keeping him off the field in Chattanooga.
"I just tried to give it my all, since it was my last high school game," said Wyatt, who had three tackles and an interception. "My momentum and adrenaline had me going, so I didn't feel any pain at all."
Patriot junior quarterback Donte Cameron left the semifinals with an injury and then hurt his shoulder during the title game, but gutted out 97 yards rushing and a touchdown and 44 yards passing.
"There was no doubt we were playing," Cameron said. "(The state title) is my first one, and next year I'm going to come back and do the same thing again."
Oakland, which completed its third perfect season (2020, 2021) under Creasy, has won six state championships since 2018. Patriot seniors won three in their four years with the program.
"Yeah, it's amazing," Oakland senior Reece Smith said. "I was one of the fortunate ones to get moved up my freshman year, so I got that ring too. But this year meant the most because it's my senior year and I got to finish the job."
Cecil Joyce covers high school sports and MTSU athletics for The Daily News Journal. Contact him at cjoyce@dnj.com and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @Cecil_Joyce.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Oakland football wins TSSAA football playoffs state title as Tutt ties TDs record
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos