I believe that “Forrest Gump” was to a small degree based on Richmond Flowers. Not that there was all that much in common, certainly not stupid.
I saw Tennessee play UCLA in 1967 to a tie. That Tennessee team was very good. Jack Reynolds was a linebacker on that team. The quarterback was Dewey Warren. UCLA had a very good team that year, as well, and was ranked #1 in the country when it played USC (with O.J. Simpson), losing 21-20 in a hell of a game.
Ooops, the tie was with Oregon State; UCLA defeated Tennessee 20-16 (the tie with OSU was 16-16; I knew there was a 16 in there somewhere in the Tennessee game, and I remember it was a close game, a real nail biter for this UCLA fan).