Background
Rupert was born on January 28, 1897, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to Rufus Taylor Smith and Robert Hodge McAdoo.
Rupert was born on January 28, 1897, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to Rufus Taylor Smith and Robert Hodge McAdoo.
Rupert was teammates with Jess Neely and P. V. Overall on the 1917 Middle Tennessee State football team and the leading scorer on Dan McGugin"s 1921 Vanderbilt Commodores football team which shared an SIAA title. Rupe was also captain of the 1919 Middle Tennessee team 1921
Rupe was a prominent halfback and the leading scorer for Dan McGugin"s 1921 Vanderbilt Commodores football team
Georgia had the greatest line in the South, featuring four men deemed All-Southern in guard Puss Whelchel, center Bum Day, tackle Artie Pew, and end Owen Reynolds.
Not one team all year scored on Georgia through its line. Soon after the start of the fourth quarter, Jess Neely intercepted a pass, weaving for a return of 25 yards to Georgia"s 40-yard line before being brought down by Jim Reynolds.
Two long pass attempts failed, and Thomas Ryan lined up to punt. Rupert Smith snuck in behind Ryan, and rushed to recover the 25-yard onside kick.
Smith jumped up to get the ball off the bounce among a hoard of Bulldogs, after they had let it bounce, including the outstretched arms of the Bulldogs" Hartley, and raced for a 15-yard touchdown.
He added his own extra point and the game ended as a tie, 7–7, giving both schools a claim to the conference title.