Twenty-five years have passed, but the memories will never fade for those involved with or followed the football team's success at Clinch Valley College (CVC) in 1996. That season, the Highland Cavaliers completed a perfect regular season, going 10-0. To date, it remains the only unblemished regular season in program history.

Led by Head Coach Bill Ramseyer, CVC was in just its sixth football season when the team began the fall season in August of 1996. The team was coming off a one-loss regular season in 1995 and returned many players on both sides of the football. Both internally and externally, expectations for the team were high, despite the program still being in its infancy.

"We were pretty enthusiastic," remarked Bruce Wasem, who served as the defensive coordinator in 1996. "We had a bunch of returners on the offensive line and Greg Thomas in the backfield along with a bunch of guys back on defense."

Without an on-campus facility, CVC played its home games at local high school fields throughout Southwest Virginia. The plan, brought to fruition by former Chancellor Jim Knight, had worked splendidly for the program as Ramseyer's teams became affectionately known as Southwest Virginia's Team.

With a head full of steam from the success in 1995, the Cavs were set to open the 1996 season at Carroll Dale Stadium at JJ Kelly High School against a talented Cumberland University squad on Sept. 7. However, Mother Nature had other ideas. Hurricane Fran was fast approaching, and the forecast was not promising; administration at CVC was posed with the decision of moving the home game out of Southwest Virginia or potentially playing in flash flood conditions.

"They were predicting up to seven inches of rain," recalled Wasem. "Carroll Dale talked about renting the Mini Dome at East Tennessee State University so we rented that, and wouldn't you know it, as we were going to the game it was nothing but blue skies."

The venue change seemed to pose no issues for CVC as the Cavs jumped out to an early lead. However, Cumberland would mount a second-half comeback.

"They came out the second half and were moving the ball six to eight yards a carry," stated Wasem. "They were driving for a game-tying score and their running back cut back into us and didn't run out of bounds."

The Bulldogs had time for one final play and Shane Kilgore thwarted the chance as he darted into the backfield making a play behind the line of scrimmage to preserve the victory.

While time was on CVC's side on the final play, it was the defensive work of Larry Waldron that set up the final play. Waldron has busted through the line and driven the Cumberland offense back on a first-and-goal play to help preserve the Cavs' 34-27 victory.

The win provided Ramseyer's team with a familiar start as CVC was 1-0 for the third consecutive season. The team would have little time to celebrate as a game at Ferrum was on the horizon. The Panthers would prove to be the stiffest test the Cavs would face in 1996 as the contest would be decided by just three points.

"The Cumberland game and the Ferrum game is really what made our season," Wasem mentioned when reflecting on the two close games to begin the year. "That toughness set us up with some confidence but it also let us know that nobody was going to hand us anything after going 10-1 the previous year."

Placekicker Jay Withrow would provide the winning points in what would be the final one-possession win of the season for the Cavs.

Withrow, who doubled as the team's punter played a pivotal role in one of the best special teams units in school history.

Withrow was 8-of-10 on field goal attempts that season while also being successful on 37 extra-point attempts. Meanwhile, the team featured a trio of electric returners in Anthony Richards and Rod Burnette. Richards averaged 21 yards per punt return, while Burnette averaged 14.7 yards per punt return. In the kick return game, Ray Gatlin averaged 24.1 yards per return as CVC finished the year with a pair of return touchdowns. 

The Cavs would win each of their next eight games by at least two scores. Despite the margins of victory, one game stood out to Wasem when recalling the back half of the season.

A pair of undefeated teams in Wesley and CVC were set to meet in downtown Norton, Va. on Oct. 5.

"It was a back-and-forth game and we finally took control," Wasem stated. "We felt lucky to walk away from that one with a victory."

The game would be just one of two losses for the Wolverines that season as the Cavs claimed a 25-15 victory at Lawson Fitchko Stadium.

Playing throughout Southwest Virginia helped the program gain fans and notoriety. The game in Norton that October day marked just the second time in six seasons that CVC had played at Lawson Fitchko; however, it was one of the program's biggest games to date and helped introduce more football fans to the program.

"It was a great experience to play in front of all the people in Southwest Virginia," the former defensive coordinator remarked. "Things just kept growing and we were able to get people involved in the program on campus and in the community."

CVC received standout performances from several Cavs on the offensive side of the ball that fall.

Thomas rushed for 1,438 yards and 23 touchdowns, including a six-touchdown performance against Bethel. Quarterback Ron Hicks passed for 233 yards in the season opening win over Cumberland while Ralph Carter rushed for 212 yards in a win over Chowan.

In addition to Burnette's record-setting eight-interception year, the defense had several players flourish as well. Kilgore recorded 8.5 sacks, Kent Grant registered 124 tackles and Elden Quinney posted 81 tackles and three interceptions.

The Cavs finished the regular season outscoring opponents 317-to-121 for an average margin of victory of over three touchdowns per game. A complete team, CVC intercepted 20 passes that season as teams were forced to throw the football after falling behind; the Cavs outscored opponents 106-to-21 in the first quarter of games and by a 203-to-48 margin in the first half.

While being the only undefeated season in school history, the team also achieved the program's highest ranking that season as the team was as high as No. 4 in the NAIA Poll.

In 1996, the Highland Cavaliers were the only undefeated college football team in the state of Virginia as Ramseyer was named Virginia Coach of The Year. A national record was also set as the program recorded an undefeated regular season in just its sixth season, the quickest any school had accomplished the feat regardless of classification.

CVC ended the season with a 27-20 loss to Westminster in the opening round of the playoffs, marking the program's most recent trip to the playoffs.

The season helped galvanize future enhancements of the program and the athletic department overall. Three years later, Carl Smith Stadium opened on campus. Not long after, the football program moved from NAIA Independent status to a highly competitive Mid-South Conference member.

The 1996 team produced three student-athletes who would later be inducted to the UVA Wise Athletics Hall of Fame in Kent Grant, Anthony Richards and Greg Thomas. The players are joined in the exclusive club by their coach Bill Ramseyer.

When looking back on the season Wasem said it was what the players on the team did following their playing career that meant the most to him.

"It was a fun group of guys who have all gone on to be successful, who are great family members and citizens," said Wasem. "That's what it's really all about."

1996 CVC Schedule
Opponent	Score
Cumberland University	W, 34-27
Ferrum College	W, 17-14
Chowan University	W, 35-8
Butler University	W, 34-6
Wesley College	W, 25-15
University Of The Cumberlands	W, 27-14
Bethel College	W, 49-14
Maryville College	W, 31-20
Sue Bennett College	W, 36-0
Tusculum College	W, 29-3