The “Crossville Comet,” Curt Watson, literally blazed across the sky of “Big Orange Country” in the late 1960s and early 1970s. At 6’0″ and 215 pounds, he was a big fullback for his time. His marvelous body control, powerful legs, and natural gift for finding gaps in the opposition’s defense made Watson an offensive threat that propelled the Tennessee Volunteers to the top of the Southeastern Conference. Watson made the starting lineup at the beginning of his sophomore year and led the Volunteers to a 9-1 season and an SEC championship in 1969, followed by an appearance in the Gator Bowl. In the succeeding season, Tennessee’s record climbed to 10-1, and Watson led the Vols to a 34-13 victory over the Air Force Academy in the Sugar Bowl. Watson’s senior year found the Volunteers with a 9-2 record and an invitation to play Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl. Despite suffering from a painful rib injury that kept him out of this bowl game until late in the third quarter, Watson, padded and bandaged, provided the rushing punch necessary to lead the Vols to a late fourth-period touchdown and a 14-13 victory. Curt Watson still ranks fourth among Tennessee’s all-time rushing leaders. He ended his career with a school-record 2,364 yards on 529 rushes, twenty-two touchdowns, and a 5.4 yards-per-carry average. From Knoxville, Watson moved on to two years in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints and the Green Bay Packers. He then joined the Navy and was accepted for flight school. His eleven years as a Navy pilot included a four-stint with the internationally heralded Blue Angels. Curt Watson, now a pilot for Federal Express, has remained active in the world of sports, serving on the Liberty Bowl Selection Committee and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors. The “Crossville Comet” provided another exciting chapter in the much-heralded history of Tennessee Volunteer football. The vision of his constantly churning through the powerful defenses of such SEC giants as Alabama, Auburn, and Florida will not soon be forgotten by Vols fans of his era.
