First off, I only truly care about qualifying. 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 all qualify imo. 1990 and 2001 should’ve qualified, but they shat the bed in inexcusable games, whereas I think that 1996 and 1999 don’t lose to Memphis and Arkansas, respectively, if a playoff exists. They clearly didn’t perform with the same intensity once they lost to Florida, but I think they would’ve if their title hopes were still alive.
Obviously, 1998 wins the playoff. We were better than Kansas State, Ohio State and FSU by year’s end.
1995: Could’ve beat Florida on a neutral field, not Nebraska.
1996: Could’ve beat FSU, not Florida.
1997: Could’ve beat Michigan, but not Nebraska.
1999: This one is the most interesting to me. Many Tennessee fans consider this team our most talented team of the 90’s. We play FSU round 1 as the 4-seed, most likely. I think this is our best shot at a title. In this hypothetical, I think if we do beat FSU, we could’ve won it all imo. Which would’ve been possible imo. We absolutely owned Peter Warrick in that 1998 title game. We’d then play the winner of VT and Nebraska. If it’s VT, I think we’d win.
So yes, I agree that we probably still don’t win another title in a playoff system, but do not underestimate that 1999 team. They could’ve played with anyone and if they got a rematch vs FSU, I think they could’ve risen to the occasion. But ultimately, just making the playoffs is a huge honor, and I think UT would’ve made 5 straight in the 90’s.
As for Florida, they probably make it in 1994, 1995, 1996, 2006, 2008 and 2009. 1994 and 2009 are the only ones in question, the other 4 they definitely make it.