A new documentary film, “Unrivaled,” which chronicles the compelling and dramatic story of Sewanee’s 1899 football team, officially premiered on Jan. 29. The film explores the gritty reality of football in that era.

The documentary, which focuses on what some historians consider the rarest achievement in college football history, premiered in Nashville this weekend. The film chronicles when Sewanee’s 1899 football team went 12-0 when most southern teams played only four or five games in a season. Sewanee embarked on the most unprecedented road trip in football history, playing five major teams on the road in six days, traveling 2,500 miles by steam locomotive. The film includes interviews with national championship football coaches, historians, analysts, and team descendants. The music is by Bobby Horton, a nationally-known documentary music composer, and the film features over a dozen original paintings by artist Ernie Eldridge. David Crews from Oxford, Miss., and Norman Jetmundsen from Birmingham, Ala. produced and directed the film.

“The story of the 1899 Sewanee team is unmatched, and what that team accomplished that year will never be repeated or forgotten,” remarked Jetmundsen. “This labor of love includes over 40 interviews of coaches, descendants, analysts and historians who helped us retell what happened that epic season. We are thrilled to finally share the film with those who love Sewanee and anyone who loves a story of grit, determination and accomplishing the unthinkable.”

At one time, the premier rivalry in the South was the Sewanee vs. Vanderbilt game played every Thanksgiving Day. The film explores why these teams didn’t play each other in 1899. Moreover, Luke Lea, the student team manager, who was the pivotal force behind the season, went on to own the Nashville Tennessean, donated the land for Percy Warner Park and became one of the youngest U.S. Senators in American history. Significantly, the most remarkable road trip in football history started and ended in Tennessee. Among theTennessee teams that Sewanee played in that 12-0 season were the University of Tennessee, Cumberland and Rhodes College, known as Southwestern Presbyterian at that time.

A trailer of the film is available at <

;. For more information about the team and this film and to order a copy of the DVD and prints of the original painting, visit

https://sewanee1899.org

Special screenings for groups can be arranged by emailing <sewanee1899@gmail.com>.